why is google earth imagery 5 years out of date on my ipad but up to date on my imac

Google Maps and Google Earth are essentially web-Applications. Each App on each platform will access an appropriate geo-id dataset for that application. Whilst the application might be able to download image and mapping data from the web, the installable applications are very unlikely to have embedded mapping data.

It might be a logical assumption that Google would maintain only a single data-set, but this may not be the case. In this instance, you might wish to contact Google and/or search Google’s knowledge-base for answers.

LP

Okay - a little simpler...

Your Google Earth sorftware applications don’t, themselves, have any built-in data. The images of Earth are all downloaded from the Internet - and displayed by the Google Earth software on the computer.

Each platform that you have (be that a PC, Mac, iPad etc.), because they are all different, will all have different a different version of the Google Earth software - each designed to work for the specific computer platform to which they relate. It would be logical to assume that each of the different software versions would download its Earth image data from a common source of data at Google - but that might not be the case.

If the different versions of Google Earth software do in fact access different sources of imagery, then it is possible that you will see differences in the displayed imagery. To find out, you may need to do some research - or simply contact Google to ask.

I hope this is a little clearer - and might be of some help to you.

Okay - last try, then I’m completely out of ideas...

If you haven’t done so already, go and find Google Maps in Apple App Store - and install it. This is a different App to Google Earth, but in the main has many of the same features.

On your iPad, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and ensure that it us turned ON (select WiFi or the default Wifi & Mobile Data as necessary). Next, below the Background App Refresh setting is a list of Apps; find Google Earth and Google Maps - and ensure that their associated toggles are also switched ON.

Now you can compare the imagery for the same area on two seperate Google Apps on your iPad. What you see may, or may not, have differences. Don’t be suprised when you zoom-in or switch the StreetMap level detail if what you see changes - Google’s StreetMap imagery is definitively a different data source - but SteerMap imagery should be the same no matter what App, Application or Web Browser that you use.

Hope this helps you further - if not, and Google themselves remain unresponsive, I’m sure you’ll find a Google User forum that might be able to assist. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Google, like Apple, rarely engage directly with the end-user community or the services that they lure you to utilise.

Please remember, to Google, you aren’t the customer - but are a rich source of data and behaviour that can be directly mined for commercially useful information; they watch everything that you do, record every search you make - and if you use Gmail they read your email as well...

LP

Hi. Good to hear that we have resolved your problem - albeit by installation of an alternative App from Google.

If you would like to mark this discussion as “solved”, it may help others with similar issues to find both this information and the “fix” that resolves it.

I reciprocate your best wishes for this festive season. LP.

Hi 56Bert,

Thanks for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. I understand that you're seeing a discrepancy in the images used in Google Earth on your iPad as opposed to viewing on your iMac. I can see why you'd reach out about this; I'd like to help. First, I'd recommend verifying that the Google Earth app is up-to-date on your iPad by looking in the App Store for available updates. If it appears to be up-to-date, you can try removing and reinstalling the app as well:

How to delete apps on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Redownload apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books

If the issue persists after reinstalling the app, reach out to the app developers for further assistance with this discrepancy: How to contact an app developer

Best Regards.