Microsoft Virtual Earth To Be Offered With ESRI’s ArcGIS Online Services

Updated: Costing and licensing information can be found at the bottom of this post.

An new press release has been published from Microsoft and ESRI which talks about Microsoft’s Virtual Earth’s integration into ArcGIS 9.3. Microsoft and ESRI today announced that ArcGIS users will have access to the mapping and imagery content provided by the Microsoft Virtual Earth platform inside ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server.

REDMOND, Wash., and REDLANDS, Calif. — July 29, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. and ESRI today announced that ESRI ArcGIS users will have access to the robust mapping and imagery content provided by the Microsoft Virtual Earth platform inside ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server. With Virtual Earth seamlessly integrated into ArcGIS 9.3 Desktop, ArcGIS users are now able to easily add base maps, which feature rich aerial and hybrid views, to perform data creation, editing, analysis, authoring and map publishing with one-click access.

To sum this up I would say this is just awesome! Data has always been an issue for certain users out there and now Microsoft and ESRI are teaming up, allowing ESRI users to have Microsoft’s mapping and imagery content available to them inside ArcGIS 9.3.

“Microsoft and ESRI have a long-standing history of delivering complete geographic information systems solutions,” said Erik Jorgenson, corporate vice president at Microsoft Corp. “The integration of Virtual Earth and ArcGIS 9.3 at both desktop application and platform levels enables customers to better view, analyze, understand, interpret and visualize geographic data. This new offering further extends the software-plus-services choices available to our mutual customers.”

“With the new ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services, ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Explorer users will have nearly instant access to some of the world’s finest base map layers,” said S.J. Camarata, Director of Corporate Strategies at ESRI. “Through this collaboration with Microsoft, street maps, vertical imagery and hybrid maps will be available on an affordable, annual subscription fee basis.”

Together, Virtual Earth and ArcGIS Online services will enable customers to access resources that add comprehensive depth to their projects. The seamless integration of Virtual Earth throughout the entire ArcGIS system makes it easier for ArcGIS customers to offer their end users better insight into their services, which can inspire deeper involvement and participation with their valuable GIS data.

The ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services will include high-resolution street maps, imagery and hybrid maps. Street map coverage is available for more than 60 countries and regions including North America, Europe, South America, the Asia Pacific region and Northern Africa. Aerial and satellite imagery includes worldwide coverage but varies by region. ESRI integrates with other Microsoft products that may be part of a user’s Virtual Earth solution to incorporate internal and third-party data—making information more discoverable, more visual, and better to take action upon.

Land planning, site selection, crime analysis, road network analysis and delivery network management are just a few examples of how ArcGIS desktop users, including ArcGIS Explorer users, can leverage ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services. ArcGIS Server users will be able to connect to ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth Map Services at a later date, through a service pack.

Users can preview Virtual Earth street maps, imagery and hybrid map layers at http://resources.esri.com/arcgisonlineservices.

Microsoft has great mapping and imagery content of the world. New Zealand is well covered as well with Microsoft offering a full routing network for the entire country. Microsoft’s mapping and imagery content will be made available as an ArcGIS Online Premium Service under the name of Virtual Earth Maps Collection.

ArcGIS Online Premium Services will be available soon. Please check these pages again in mid-August for info on how to access these services.

The Virtual Earth Maps collection includes street maps, satellite and aerial imagery (does not include bird’s eye imagery), and hybrid maps for the world.

Also for users wondering if ArcGIS 9.2 will be able to use this service.

You must use ArcGIS 9.3 to be able to connect to ArcGIS Online Premium Services.

What’s going to be included in this service?

Microsoft Virtual Earth Roads

Coverage includes four countries in North America and the Caribbean; three countries in South America; five countries in the Asia Pacific region; five countries in Europe; and five countries in Africa.  

Microsoft Virtual Earth Aerial

Worldwide orthographic aerial and satellite imagery. Coverage varies by region, with the most detailed coverage in the United States and the United Kingdom. Coverage in different areas within a country also varies based on availability of imagery for that region. Virtual Earth is continuously adding imagery in new areas and updating coverage for existing areas. Microsoft Virtual Earth Aerial does not include bird’s eye imagery.

Microsoft Virtual Earth Hybrid

Includes imagery overlaid with roads and labels.

Information on costing and licensing.

How much does it cost to add the Microsoft Virtual Earth premium content to my ArcGIS desktop? 

Users can subscribe to Virtual Earth premium content for U.S.$200 per user, per year.

How do I license Virtual Earth in ArcGIS desktop?

Visit the ESRI Store from the ArcGIS Desktop application to subscribe to Virtual Earth premium content.  You can also obtain sales quotes through ESRI sales, business partners, and distributors.

FAQ’s can be found here: f="http://blogs.msdn.com/virtualearth/archive/2008/07/29/esri-arcgis-9-3-desktop-now-features-microsoft-virtual-earth.aspx">http://blogs.msdn.com/virtualearth/… with more information on this new ArcGIS Online Premium Service here: http://www.esri.com/software/…  The Microsoft press release here: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/…