3 ms·

They actually had about a year left on their license. Source -> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57520590-501465/apple-google-maps-contract-had-one-year-l

• panacea 14y ago
  Having a few months up your sleeve on current licensing terms doesn't mean you could sit back and wait for the expiry date before acting.
  • drivebyacct2 14y ago
    Really? Jeez the doublethink in this thread is strong. Why is the alternative to "keep what works until you can't", "ditch it with months on the license to push an inferior, downgraded experience"? Why couldn't they have spent that time getting data partnerships that apparently is going to solve all of their problems?
    • cleverjake 14y ago
      I would imagine they were working from a standpoint of "this is the last major launch before the license is up.". Could you imagine if the google maps app was shut down? people would go bannanas. >>Why couldn't they have spent that time getting data partnerships that apparently is going to solve all of their problems? I would imagine they have been spending years on this already. Google has just been spending nearly a decade doing the same thing. When you are both world class development companies, a several year lead is insurmountable for a very long time.
      • drivebyacct2 14y ago
        So, now Apple, Godly Apple, is rushing incomplete, knowingly broken products out just to fit with their hardware release schedule? I don't have a dog in the race, but maybe I'm realizing why Scott was fired.
  • fpgeek 14y ago
    True, but releasing a beta of your potential replacement (for example), is another way of acting.