According to Michael Jones, the images Google bought from DigitalGlobe cost at least 500 million dollars (not including NASA, NavTeq and others)!
Source: the second email he sent to the GAIA developers.
Full story: http://cocaman.ch/wp/2006/12/what-google-earth-local-maps-costs
Are there any other numbers out ? |
I learnt that Google had to buy companies because they feared to become a "investment funds" (Investment Company Act). Are they obliged to spent their money in purchasing companies, or could they spent the money into the purchase of images for Google Earth?
(long phrase with many mistakes, I can repeat that ^^) |