Organizations that could benefit from the extras in the pro version of Google Earth probably found ways to get the information they needed without ponying up for a $400 annual subscription.
That's a lot of speculation, but the fact is Google has ripped the price tag off Google Earth Pro and made the software free for all.
Google Earth Pro adds a tool belt of utilities to the core software, enabling users to measure 3D buildings and print out high-resolution imagery to be used in things like presentations and reports. Pro users can also capture video in Google Earth in full HD.
"Over the last 10 years, businesses, scientists and hobbyists from all over the world have been using Google Earth Pro for everything from planning hikes to placing solar panels on rooftops," said Stafford Marquardt, product manager of Google Earth Pro, adding: "Whether you're planning a new office building or a trip to the mountains, check out Google Earth Pro and see how easy it is to visualize your world."
Google recently reported its earnings for the fourth quarter of the 2014 fiscal year, although its subscription services weren't itemized and likely lumped into the "Other Revenues" row -- miscellaneous revenues accounted for just 11 percent of Google's income.
It isn't hard to imagine that Google Earth Pro accounted for any significant portion of Google's earning. Google Earth Pro was already free for non-profit organizations.
Small teams of researchers of wilderness enthusiasts planning a hike would likely have found other ways to source the same information behind Google Earth's $400 pay wall, which has now been broken. On the other side of that spectrum, large business would likely source their own numbers and imagery instead of betting on the accuracy of what Google Earth Pro offers.
For those who have been waiting for a price drop in Google Earth Pro or have just now realized they shouldn't have gone this long with the service, follow this link to get a key for the service. Current Pro users won't need to acquire a new key.
The full list of Google Earth Pro features are listed below:
- Movie Maker Integration
- Geographic Information System (GIS) data import tools
- High-resolution printing capability
- US parcel, demographic and traffic data layers
- Automatic generation of "superoverlays" for very large image files
- Automatic region generation of large point and vector datasets
- Area measurement