Google have quietly parted company with their SketchUp product to Navigation company Trimble, best known for their range of navigation and survey grade GPS hardware. Now this raises all sorts of interesting questions. What are Google up to parting with a significant piece of the jigsaw that is the Google Earth hegemony? What are Trimble up to, not noted for their consumer grade or navigation GPS, with a corresponding requirement for 3D urban environments, why are they interested in SketchUp and what market are they aiming to break in to?
The sale of SketchUp has some interesting implications for users. For the time being, at least, Trimble have committed to honoring the free basic version of SketchUp and educational licensing, while obviously promoting the premium Pro version. More interesting are the implications for 3D Warehouse contributors as Trimble have acquired, along with SketchUp, the assigned rights to the Warehouse. Now this is interesting. Google are a company that pride themselves on making money without being evil and their support of the free product, educational and philanthropic funding and general goodness is manifold (although let's not be naive here, they get up to some less shiny stuff too). Trimble among their portfolio of products include a substantial defense element. Now, how do you feel about your carefully crafted 3D models working alongside an unmanned drone, say circling silently over the streets of Gaza or the West Bank...Just asking. Warehouse users have a limited period to op out of licensing their models to Trimble before its a done deal.
