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> But it's true. In iOS 5 I had Google Maps but no vector tiles, no turn-by-turn or voice navigation, and Apple tried to get Google to work with them on that bu

by jonknee 14y ago

> But it's true. In iOS 5 I had Google Maps but no vector tiles, no turn-by-turn or voice navigation, and Apple tried to get Google to work with them on that but (regardless of whose fault it was) negotiations failed. Now, here we are, and as an iPhone user I now have a Google Maps that not only has those features but is arguably, currently, better than the Android version(!) The lack of innovation was exclusively Apple's fault. They neglected to update its Google Maps powered app and decided to enter into war with Google at the detriment to Apple customers. If Steve Jobs hadn't gone nuclear on Google, the Maps debacle would never have happened. > Furthermore, there's now been an explosion of map apps on the app store: Nokia's Here, Waze, etc. Competition is good. In iOS 5, there weren't viable alternatives (or they weren't advertised?), but now I have four good map apps on my phone. And when one of them fails, and it will (even Google, which was useless for me when I visited Japan recently) I now have several alternatives. As a user, for me, it's a win win. Waze was released in 2009. Nokia's Here is new, but most of the others that are popular in the store have been around quite some time. They "exploded" because Apple shafted its user base, it wasn't because of innovation.

justizin 14y ago
"The lack of innovation was exclusively Apple's fault. They neglected to update its Google Maps powered app and decided to enter into war with Google at the detriment to Apple customers. If Steve Jobs hadn't gone nuclear on Google, the Maps debacle would never have happened." Actually, Eric Schmidt left the Apple Board and soured the relationship as soon as Android approached a real priority for Google, and Google's choice to revoke free Maps API access destroyed the iOS Maps user experience (I often was advertised restaurants when trying to find the location of a job interview, for instance). Apple could not have launched a new iOS and phone with the existing Maps experience. They didn't shaft anyone. FWIW, I still think Apple's Maps are better, it took me a couple weeks to decide to take the dive, but I've been happy with it, and neither Apple Maps or Google Maps offer cycling directions, which IMO is the only major advantage of Google's data set in my life.
danilocampos 14y ago
> The lack of innovation was exclusively Apple's fault. They neglected to update its Google Maps powered app and decided to enter into war with Google at the detriment to Apple customers. If Steve Jobs hadn't gone nuclear on Google, the Maps debacle would never have happened. From what body cavity have you pulled this? At this point the calculus is pretty well understood. Apple's license covered bitmap tiles, traffic and transit routing. Apple wanted turn-by-turn and vector maps. Google wanted ads, prominent Google branding and way more user data. Neither side would give ground. So they hit an impasse. That's it.
- jonknee 14y ago
  > Google wanted more prominent branding and way more user data. So yes, Apple decided that it would drop Google. They were in a tough spot, hating Google with every breath but then relying on them for mapping, but it was a bed that they made. Considering that the YouTube and Google Maps applications rocketed to the top of the store instantly, do you think Apple was concerned about its users or concerned about sticking it to Google? Apple's users want Google's applications, Apple does not want to cooperate with Google. It's that simple.
  - danilocampos 14y ago
    > They were in a tough spot, hating Google with every breath I think it's more likely they hated the thought of an ad-heavy maps app that shuttled enormous volumes of their customer data to another party. Apple is an enormous company with significant value tied up in the success of their flagship product, the iPhone. "Hate" – or whatever emotions you're suggesting here – might occupy the minds of leadership, but they're going to make decisions based on what's best for the company. Clearly they thought an ad-heavy maps app was not best.
  - 2muchcoffeeman 14y ago
    Well, I want google mapping data but without the ads and without it asking me to log in ever. I would also like YouTube with no ads. I just don't use the Google YouTube app anymore. I'm all for Apple trying to keep device ad free.

by jonknee 14y ago

justizin 14y ago

"The lack of innovation was exclusively Apple's fault. They neglected to update its Google Maps powered app and decided to enter into war with Google at the detriment to Apple customers. If Steve Jobs hadn't gone nuclear on Google, the Maps debacle would never have happened." Actually, Eric Schmidt left the Apple Board and soured the relationship as soon as Android approached a real priority for Google, and Google's choice to revoke free Maps API access destroyed the iOS Maps user experience (I often was advertised restaurants when trying to find the location of a job interview, for instance). Apple could not have launched a new iOS and phone with the existing Maps experience. They didn't shaft anyone. FWIW, I still think Apple's Maps are better, it took me a couple weeks to decide to take the dive, but I've been happy with it, and neither Apple Maps or Google Maps offer cycling directions, which IMO is the only major advantage of Google's data set in my life.

danilocampos 14y ago

> The lack of innovation was exclusively Apple's fault. They neglected to update its Google Maps powered app and decided to enter into war with Google at the detriment to Apple customers. If Steve Jobs hadn't gone nuclear on Google, the Maps debacle would never have happened. From what body cavity have you pulled this? At this point the calculus is pretty well understood. Apple's license covered bitmap tiles, traffic and transit routing. Apple wanted turn-by-turn and vector maps. Google wanted ads, prominent Google branding and way more user data. Neither side would give ground. So they hit an impasse. That's it.

jonknee 14y ago
> Google wanted more prominent branding and way more user data. So yes, Apple decided that it would drop Google. They were in a tough spot, hating Google with every breath but then relying on them for mapping, but it was a bed that they made. Considering that the YouTube and Google Maps applications rocketed to the top of the store instantly, do you think Apple was concerned about its users or concerned about sticking it to Google? Apple's users want Google's applications, Apple does not want to cooperate with Google. It's that simple.
- danilocampos 14y ago
  > They were in a tough spot, hating Google with every breath I think it's more likely they hated the thought of an ad-heavy maps app that shuttled enormous volumes of their customer data to another party. Apple is an enormous company with significant value tied up in the success of their flagship product, the iPhone. "Hate" – or whatever emotions you're suggesting here – might occupy the minds of leadership, but they're going to make decisions based on what's best for the company. Clearly they thought an ad-heavy maps app was not best.
- 2muchcoffeeman 14y ago
  Well, I want google mapping data but without the ads and without it asking me to log in ever. I would also like YouTube with no ads. I just don't use the Google YouTube app anymore. I'm all for Apple trying to keep device ad free.