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The wording was a bit confusing, but I think the GP meant that Google _thinks_ they have no competition so can get away with sudden price gouging.
by callalex 8y ago
The wording was a bit confusing, but I think the GP meant that Google _thinks_ they have no competition so can get away with sudden price gouging.
- emn13 8y agoSince API's aren't standardized and conversion from one product to another likely requires development work and probably impacts your usage in some way even then - the barriers to switching are high enough that the availability of alternative maps still doesn't represent a whole lot of competition.
- pliny 8y agoThis argument is symmetric, it implies all other map providers (who are competitors of google maps and of each other) also have no competitors.
- emn13 8y agoSure, typically yes. It's not necessary - interoperable APIs exist, and for underdogs they're even attractive as a selling point - but market leaders tend not to play by those rules.
- thecrazyone 8y agoA good competitor can make a drop in replacement possible by aligning their api with that of google's