Google Earth's Desktop App Is Being Phased Out as the Web Browser Takes Over

Google has shifted Earth's flight simulator to the browser, completing a years-long migration of advanced geospatial tools from desktop software to web. The native app now offers little that cannot run online—a pattern Google completed with Maps long ago. The experimental label carries some risk, but Google has consistently stabilized and promoted browser features to permanent status. For developers and educators, shareable URLs now replace desktop installs as the standard way to embed geospatial content.