3 ms·
I'm not sure the Maps API gives you access to the raw vector data.
by longsword 2y ago
I'm not sure the Maps API gives you access to the raw vector data.
- shtack 2y agoAlso, at least the last time I checked, the Google Maps API was exorbitantly expensive. Niantic would likely get a discount, but avoiding this exploit doesn’t override all of the other benefits of OSM.
- InsertUser 2y agoIIRC many of the original employees were ex-Googlers and the original Ingress game did use Google Maps data so at some level they were able to get what they need. I think there were rumours about them using undocumented abilities too in the early days, but my memory is fuzzy at this point. They moved to OSM later.
- eythian 2y agoI think Niantic was a company within Google originally, then it spun off into its own thing when Google restructured with Alphabet.