How to change info Window style in Google Maps API?

Why doesn't Google's Static Maps API deliver the same imagery as Google Maps?

• There's often a big difference if I compare Google's public Maps data vs. the data Google delivers via Static Maps API, e.g. http://maps.google.com/?q=Tel+Aviv%2C+Israel&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Tel+Aviv%2C+Israel&z=12 vs. http://goo.gl/g2Suy

• Answer:

  I don't work for Google, but I've used the maps API a bit, and here's my speculation: In a lot of cases Google licenses data from other companies. You can see the companies involved from the copyright notice in the right hand corner of the map window. For example in my location with satellite view on it reads "©2011 Google - Imagery ©2011  DigitalGlobe, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, GeoEye, Getmapping plc, Map data ©2011 Tele Atlas" When negotiating a licensing agreement for copyrighted map data the two companies have to come to a mutually satisfactory agreement. In some cases, a company might be willing to license data for use in regular Google Maps but not through the Google API. For example, in the UK you have to buy a license to access the post code (Zip code) to longitude/latitude database. Google has precise info for regular Google Maps, but if you do the same query through the API you get a much less precise longitude/latitude. Why? Well if I'm the company with the post code to longitude/latitude database and I currently charge people for access, then Google starts giving away access for free, probably no-one's going to want to pay me for access to it any more. So I'd only agree to let Google give away my product for free if they gave me at least as much money as I make by charging for the product! TLDR: Mapa GISrael, who supply the map data for the Tel Aviv map, may not have licensed it for use through the static maps API.