Getting Google's Street Views

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Immersive Media's 11-lens camera, the Dodeca 2360

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Not the Only Game in Town

Google and Immersive aren't the only companies with street cred. Microsoft (MSFT) tried to beat Google to the punch when it formed a partnership with Pictometry in 2005 and acquired Vexcel in 2006—both specialists in 3D imaging. Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D, a feature of Windows Live Maps launched last September, offers users a bird's-eye view of 15 cities, reproduced in a combination of photographic images and computer graphics.

Microsoft's head start didn't help it gain much ground on Google. According to Nielsen//NetRatings (NTRT) NetView, for the week ending June 1, Google Maps had 11.1 million unique viewers, more than six times the traffic to Windows Live Local. But Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D is engaging these visitors for longer: In the same week, average users spent more than six minutes on Windows Live Local, while users spent two-and-a-half at Google Maps.

Off the Map

Immersive Media may have an exclusive deal with Google, but that's not stopping it from trying to push the technology into new arenas, including entertainment and advertising. McGovern says immersive imaging will some day be streamed to set-top boxes. "In sporting events and documentary shows, we will allow you to see what's developing behind the scenes," he says. During a baseball game, for example, you might want to check out what's happening in the dugout, in the bullpen, or in the nosebleed seats.

The final piece of the puzzle appears to be advertising. "Immersive is something we're certainly looking at," says Jason Tafler, senior vice-president of global business operations and strategy for PointRoll, the rich media advertising provider that popularized Internet rollover ads. The benefit would be to engage viewers in an entire scene built around a product or service, where you can walk around and get different perspectives. Adds Tafler: "Anything that adds a layer of interactivity to online video is a big opportunity."

MacMillan is a reporter at BusinessWeek.com in New York.