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It is not a race to become the universal map. When Steve Jobs was breathing, there were a few fierce words about 'Android'. Having Google Maps or a Google brows

It is not a race to become the universal map. When Steve Jobs was breathing, there were a few fierce words about 'Android'. Having Google Maps or a Google browser on the phone was to be avoided at all costs so Apple shopped for maps and put something together so they would not be at the mercy of Google deciding to discontinue their maps app on iOS/Safari. So the Apple maps were never born out of vision, just spiteful thinking and a perceived need to have indigenous maps that were not supplied by the old sparring partner (Microsoft) or the evil Google. I think that the Apple map product was designed in that era of skuomorphic thinking that went on until recently in iOS. So the maps are designed to be a familiar map, much like the atlas you had as a kid when it comes to typography. The Google Maps evolved from looking like paper maps a long time ago and are about showing you the information you want, not everything that can be crammed on screen. This challenges us to think about how we see the world, for a long time 'A-Z' maps were the thing and you had page numbers and 'square' numbers, e.g. B7, page 126 instead of 'hyperlinks'. Apple maps are more in line with that 'old persons' way of dealing with cartography issues, the Google maps are pioneering a better UX for visualising the world.

eridius 10y ago
It wasn't spite. Google introduced a large new feature as Android-only (turn-by-turn directions) and refused to put it on iOS. So this wasn't just a fear that Google would use its position to screw over Apple, Google was actually actively doing that.
- Oletros 10y ago
  No, they didn't refused, Apple and Google didn't agree in the terms to put the feature in iOs. The maps apps was developed by Apple
  - eridius 10y ago
    Where are you getting your information? Because that's wrong. Google introduced turn-by-turn on Android and deliberately kept it out of iOS because they were trying to make Android more attractive. Google and Apple had an existing contract at that time, there were no terms to negotiate. And so when the contract did expire, Apple dropped Google Maps and introduced their own Apple Maps because Google had already demonstrated their willingness to screw over Apple.
    - Oletros 10y ago
      The app was done by Apple, not by Google. Apple used the Google Maps API and that API doesn't allow turn by turn. So no, Google did not screwed Apple, both companies didn't agree to for the terms to use the turn by turn. That's all, none of them were guilty of anything.
      - eridius 10y ago
        The app's code was written by Apple, yes, but it was done so in close collaboration with Google. It's not like Apple was just another API consumer. And if Google hadn't had their heads up their asses, they would have given turn-by-turn to Apple and perhaps enjoyed still being the default mapping app on iOS. Also FWIW it wasn't just turn-by-turn, it was also the fact that Google wanted Apple to give them more user data, which Apple didn't want to do. So even with turn-by-turn it's possible Apple may have chosen to do their own maps anyway, but turn-by-turn was definitely a major reason why Apple dropped Google and built their own service.
        Oletros 10y ago
        My God, I have said that both didn't agree in the terms, Apple wanted turn by turn and Google wanted more user data for giving it. But yes. Evil Google sdcreweed Poor Little Apple. They had to give ALL the features without receiving anything, who they tought they were?
        eridius 10y ago
        You are aware that Google makes a large portion of its mobile profits from iOS, right? Even though Google wasn't getting as much user data as they wanted from Apple, being the default mapping app on iOS was still a big benefit for them. It's not like Google was being generous by providing maps for iOS. So Google just screwed themselves. Google thought they could force Apple to do what Google wanted, because they thought Apple didn't have a reasonable alternative. But it turns out that Apple did, which was to build their own independent mapping service.

eridius 10y ago

It wasn't spite. Google introduced a large new feature as Android-only (turn-by-turn directions) and refused to put it on iOS. So this wasn't just a fear that Google would use its position to screw over Apple, Google was actually actively doing that.

Oletros 10y ago
No, they didn't refused, Apple and Google didn't agree in the terms to put the feature in iOs. The maps apps was developed by Apple
- eridius 10y ago
  Where are you getting your information? Because that's wrong. Google introduced turn-by-turn on Android and deliberately kept it out of iOS because they were trying to make Android more attractive. Google and Apple had an existing contract at that time, there were no terms to negotiate. And so when the contract did expire, Apple dropped Google Maps and introduced their own Apple Maps because Google had already demonstrated their willingness to screw over Apple.
  - Oletros 10y ago
    The app was done by Apple, not by Google. Apple used the Google Maps API and that API doesn't allow turn by turn. So no, Google did not screwed Apple, both companies didn't agree to for the terms to use the turn by turn. That's all, none of them were guilty of anything.
    - eridius 10y ago
      The app's code was written by Apple, yes, but it was done so in close collaboration with Google. It's not like Apple was just another API consumer. And if Google hadn't had their heads up their asses, they would have given turn-by-turn to Apple and perhaps enjoyed still being the default mapping app on iOS. Also FWIW it wasn't just turn-by-turn, it was also the fact that Google wanted Apple to give them more user data, which Apple didn't want to do. So even with turn-by-turn it's possible Apple may have chosen to do their own maps anyway, but turn-by-turn was definitely a major reason why Apple dropped Google and built their own service.
      - Oletros 10y ago
        My God, I have said that both didn't agree in the terms, Apple wanted turn by turn and Google wanted more user data for giving it. But yes. Evil Google sdcreweed Poor Little Apple. They had to give ALL the features without receiving anything, who they tought they were?
        eridius 10y ago
        You are aware that Google makes a large portion of its mobile profits from iOS, right? Even though Google wasn't getting as much user data as they wanted from Apple, being the default mapping app on iOS was still a big benefit for them. It's not like Google was being generous by providing maps for iOS. So Google just screwed themselves. Google thought they could force Apple to do what Google wanted, because they thought Apple didn't have a reasonable alternative. But it turns out that Apple did, which was to build their own independent mapping service.