A map application by itself is certainly useful, but streetview provides certain benefits that a map alone doesn't provide. For my uses it is critical. Every

A map application by itself is certainly useful, but streetview provides certain benefits that a map alone doesn't provide. For my uses it is critical. Every year I take a 7 day vacation with my father on our motorcycles. Streetview allows me to gauge to scenic quality of the road, if the satellite quality is bad, it allows me to see if the road it paved. It allows me to find out if Folsom, Torreon, or Lukachukai and other tiny towns we pass through have a gas station. I don't know much about the 3D stuff apple is working on, but I have my doubts that it will be able to do the above in remote places. I'm sure it will still work well as a map, but streetview provides real benefits that cant really be gotten without driving the road.