Google yesterday announced it has extended the outreach of its popular service Google Earth to the iPhone and iPod touch. Users will be able to download Google Earth from the iTunes App Store, sit back and enjoy the application without having to connect to a computer.

When Google Earth first came out three years ago, it was not only a bold, but also a revolutionary project. Now, the application is used by millions of people all over the world on their personal computers.

But as the mobile world takes over, applications such as Google Earth start finding a place on mobile devices as well. Google Earth for iPhone allows a 3D experience just like on regular computers, but also has an amazing advantage:  the touch-screen.
According to Google, the touch-screen will allow users to naturally interact with the Earth, just by moving their finger across the screen, and choosing a destination anywhere on the globe.

Google Earth for iPhone offers zoom in/out capabilities, as well as a My Locations feature, which instantly connects the user with the place they are in at that moment. Furthermore, 8 million Panoramio geo-located photos are easily accessible from the iPhone.

The application also comes with a search function, just like in Google Maps, as well as full detail page for businesses, providing access to reviews, photos, user content, business hours and other information. The “search near me” feature allows users to find businesses near their location without having to navigate there first or type in the name of the city. Google Earth for iPhone comes in 18 languages, and 22 countries.

As Google Earth gained popularity over the years, it also got new features. Earlier this year, Google released a new browser plug-in for a direct access to Google Earth from inside a webpage. The new features enable the creation of polygons, lines and marks in the 3D space, while at the same time allowing the conversion of Maps API sites to 3D Earth.

In Google Earth 4.3 Beta, Google introduced hundreds of new buildings from the world's cities, including San Francisco, Boston, Orlando, Munich, Zurich, and dozens more. Furthermore, Google introduced new navigation controls, as well as a Sunlight feature, allowing users to watch the sunrise and sunset from anywhere in the world.

The Street View, available in Google Maps, is now available in Google Earth too, offering panoramic images of select cities and 360-degree tours.

Google Earth is more than just watching from a distance, it is also an organism that gets involved in charity programs, raises awareness and encourages donations. For example, a new initiative was launched in April in Geneva which will track refugees from around the world, to aid in humanitarian operations. The project is a partnership with the United Nations.