Regarding API

[Jann Lipka]

I've seen Your recent webinar.
I'm also somewhat confused regarding API - thingy .

You mention that depending on usage
GG API can be withdrawn ( Sounds a bit scary if you do client work )

I need to understand is there any hints when this would happen ?

I have been using GoThru previously for my Street View work - never any API warnings there.

Some of my restaurants I shot earlier have hundreds of thousands of views.
Would that affect your bill for API usage ?
or does it happen only for embedded tours ?

I shoot Street View more seldom now and have a small 4 node project that I guess could have 1000 views a week .
I thought that would be a perfect time to test Pano2 VR

Do i need to mess with my own API ?

I also could use Street View app on my iPhone for those 4 images.
why on earth I don't need any API using that ?

browsing this topic on some FB groups feels like opening a can of worms .....

[Hopki]

Hi Jann,
All software requires an API.
With GoThrou and other subscription services this cost is built in to your payments.

With Pano2VR you do not pay for uploading once you have the software.

We are happy for people to use our API if they are low volume users.

But if this is your business and main income then it makes sense for you to have your own key where you are in control of it.

Once the key has been set up and you are a low to moderate user then the chances are you won’t get charged anyway as Google gives you the $200.00 credit a month.

So the bottom line is the subscription services include this in their costs. So even though you do not manage it, you pay for it. As this cost is covered in your uploads you may be paying for this when you don’t need to. As said Google gives you $200.00 credit which is quite a few uploads.

The Street View app is Google’s own product so they can do whatever they want with it.

Pano2VR is not subscription so it is your choice to use our key for free or get your own key which may also be free depending on use.

Is it a can of worms, I don’t think so it’s just with Pano2VR you have to manage the key.
People have had issues with it because of other reasons such as No linked payment method to their account.

But also to be clear, the API key is only required for uploading the tour, there are not any ongoing costs.

Regards,

[Jann Lipka]

thanks- still a bit unclear
What is low volume use -
I could see that for example you have millions of views ?
is a 1000 views / week low or high volume ?

with GoThru - yes i pay for using it while moderating etc.
but I can quit the program without being afraid that the tour will be removed because
of API issue ...

[Hopki]

Volume is the number of uploads.
The API key is only used when you build the tour and upload. Once the tour is up that’s it done and the API key is no longer required.
The number of views does not come into it.

but I can quit the program without being afraid that the tour will be removed because
of API issue ...

This is the same for Pano2VR.
I think what you were referring to was a big longstanding issue where Google was wrongly rejecting panoramas, even ones that had been up a long time.

This effected all platforms, not just us, this has nothing to do with the API key.