Google Maps was first announced in 2005 by Google Inc. It provides various mapping services including satellite maps, route planning, and area shapes. Google acquired the predecessor program from two Danish brothers in 2004 and also acquired other companies like Keyhole and ZipDash that year. Google Maps was released for Android in 2008 and became very popular, with over half of global smartphone owners using it. The document discusses GPS, A-GPS, Google Maps API, and how they enable navigation and location-based services on Google Maps. It includes several pictures and references related to these technologies and user experiences.