Of the many new features in Google Maps of late, none seemed more important than the recent change in underlying data providers and Google taking over these tasks themselves. This change shows in Maps visually with the inclusion of new land & property parcel data, the change of the copyright message in US maps and a new 30 days to fix, “Report an Error” capability easily accessible from within Maps. These changes were significant in their own right.

However, they also carry with them a mirror of all the technological, competitive and societal dynamics associated with the rising importance of geo-spatial data in our lives. And of course, with that, the continuing rise of Google to dominance in gathering and managing these critical foundational data. It is this change that so intrigued me.

You can “read all about it” in a new piece at SearchEnginland, Tectonic Shifts Altering The Terrain At Google Maps, where I interview Mike Dobson of TeleMapics, a mapping industry veteran.

The bottom line? Google is succeeding in mapping the planet. This information, gathered in a range of different ways, is enhanced, in typical Google fashion, by users the world over. The article explores both the technical basis for these technologies and the competitive implications of Google’s moves.

Geospatial information is the building block for the whole next generation of user experience from smart phones to virtual reality. Hopefully the interview will help you form an understanding of this important technology. I know that it did for me.

Let me know what you think.