While we might use it every day without thinking, some quarters believe Maps might have done more to change our lives than any other product from Google.

So today we're taking a journey into the pulsating heart of Google Maps.

Maps to the Stars

Maps had humble beginnings, in Sydney of all places. It was conceived by two Danish brothers at Sydney-based startup Where 2 Technologies.

In 2004 Google acquired the company and rebranded its product Google Maps.

Global reach

Maps has now chartered over 26 million miles of driving directions in close to 200 countries.

If you combined all the satellite, aerial and street level imagery, Maps has amassed over 20 petabytes of data. Or around 21 million gigabytes.

App it up

Google Maps is the most popular smartphone app in the world, with a market share of 54%. This puts it ahead of Facebook's 44%.

Street View

Street View was introduced in 2007, allowing users to virtually explore Maps from a first-person perspective.

While aerial and satellite imagery are updated fortnightly, weather conditions dictate how often Google's Street View team hit the streets.

At launch Street View used 5-megapixel cameras. Today's Street View team uses 15 lenses capable of 65 megapixels to create panoramic images.  

Inside job

Not content with bitumen, Maps is also available off-road. When cars aren't an option, the Google Maps team employ bikes, trolleys and even snowmobiles for navigating terrain including national parks and snow-capped mountains.

At the other end of the scale, users can also virtually explore the interior of buildings including the White House and the Louvre.

Map measurement

No one can accuse Google of lacking a sense of humour.

Google Maps Labs lets users measure distances via dozens of different units – including Beard-seconds.