Google Map has been dumped from iOS 6 version and now, Apple Map is into the  hands of users. A significant number of early adopters (iPhone 5 owners) in Australia has reported the vulnerabilities of Apple’s new mapping map. The maps app includes errors such as misplacement of several hospitals, absence of several police stations, in-accurate navigation, outdated satellite photos, misplaced of businesses, towns and landmarks, wrong public transport stations, ignorances of toll roads and more.
Just a few days before, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt advocated for Google Map that Apple’s should have continued to use it in iOS rather than ‘Apple Map’. But, as reports are coming from different sources, one thing is clear that something is going wrong between Apple and Google. Multiple sources say that Apple felt that it had no choice but to replace Google Map with its own maps app in iOS 6. Both the companies (Apple and Google) had disagreement over some points such as voice guided turn-by-turn driving directions, in-app branding, placement of Google latitude and more.
For a few years now, Google offers spoken turn-by-turn navigation to Andorid users for free of cost, but the navigation feature was never part of Google Map deal for iOS. Android users were ahead of iOS device owners in terms of turn-by-turn navigation functionality; iOS users need to look directly on handset for directions and move through each steps manually, while Android users can access by just native voice-guided instructions. Apple forced Google to provide the data that were needed to fetch voice-guided  navigation on iOS platform. But, sources say that Google didn’t like to deliver such massive data to Apple because it has invested hoard of dollars for creating such incredible app.
Indeed, Google was not willing to simply hand over back-end data to competing platform. Google asked Apple for in-app branding and also suggested to add ‘Google Latitude’ in the iOS map feature, but Apple refused Google’s all demands. However, both are rivals to each other due to fierce competition in the mobile segment, besides the contention on mapping app escalated more to their relationship.
After enstrangement with Google, Apple secretly started acquring mapping companies and embarked fast track developemnt of an in-house maps apps with voice guided naviagtion for its haluled iOS 6. After working for a long time on its mapping app, Apple realized that it could achieve its goal, then it decided to dump Google Map from its iOS 6. Apple already knows the facts that it really needs to work hard on its mapping app, despite it decided to drop Google Map. Do you think that Apple took misstep beacuse Google Map was being used by majority of iPhone users?
It’s true that Google has invested huge amounts to create Google Map over the past 7 years. Google’s Street View Car had travelled 5 million miles of distances and captured over 20 petabytes of images as of June this year. It’s said that the company had 6 million “view codes” and 20 million addresses and the number is increasing day-over-day. Really, I don’t know what’s happening inside the Apple and Google’s headquaters and I’m also not willing to know what sources are saying, but I’ll only say “Google really deserves appreciation”. Apple will only reach to Google’s level in mapping segment if it will invest as much of effort as Google has invested on its mapping app.
