You wanted other map types in the Static Maps API? You got it!
September 10th, 2008 | Published in Google Maps
So, it appears that a few thousand of you developers were sending our static map server requests with "&maptype=satellite" in them. Why would you do that? Did you think that we'd see all the requests and just decide to start returning satellite imagery to you? Well, fine. You were right. Here you go:
http://maps.google.com/staticmap?center=27.87515,86.871815&zoom=10&size=500x100&maptype=satellite
(Mount Everest looks significantly more interesting from satellite view than map view; I hear it's hard to build roads there.)
And just to anticipate those of you who are thinking to yourself about what a mighty fine plan that was, and how you're going to start sending "&maptype=hybrid" and "&maptype=terrain", here, have those map types too:
http://maps.google.com/staticmap?center=27.87515,86.871815&zoom=10&size=500x100&maptype=hybrid
http://maps.google.com/staticmap?center=27.87515,86.871815&zoom=10&size=500x100&maptype=terrain
Okay? Happy now?? Statistically, many developers should be — since "add other map types" has been our top starred static maps feature request in the public issue tracker since the launch of the Static Maps API.
So check out the documentation and start using the new map types for your thumbnail maps, mobile maps, or any of the other reasons we mentioned in our last static maps post. You can also check out the other goodies in this release in the Static Maps API changelog. Enjoy, and let us know in the forum if you have any questions (or just nifty examples to share with us).