Santa will have a new Google-provided “route algorithm” as he crosses the globe on Christmas Eve, as the Internet giant prepares to track Father Christmas for the sixth consecutive year.
Google has been tracking Santa since 2004 through Google Earth, but for Christmas this year a team of Google Maps engineers have constructed a new route algorithm in order to chart his global journey.
“On his sleigh, arguably the fastest airborne vehicle in the world, Santa whips from city to city delivering presents to millions of homes. You’ll be able to follow him on Google Maps and Google Earth and get his stats starting at 2am PST (12pm GMT) Christmas Eve at google.com/santatracker,” said Brian McClendon, Vice President of Google Maps and Google Earth.
The Google Santa Tracker is currently counting down the days and hours until Santa begins his journey. Google will then officially launch the tracker on December 24.
“In addition, with some help from developer elves, we’ve built a few other tools to help you track Santa from wherever you may be,” said McClendon.
The new Chrome extension is required to track Santa, and Android users are able to download an app to track the old man in red. Users can obtain the latest updates on Santa’s trip by following Google Maps on Google+, Facebook and Twitter.
Google has also made it possible for users to send messages from Santa to their family and friends. The Google Santa Tracker is free and will also show Santa’s location in the world as he is delivering presents to children.
The tracker will also reveal how many presents Santa delivers as his journey unfolds and the amount of time he spends in each city.
