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Google Outs 3D Maps For iOS Ahead of Apple

hypnosec writes "Apple announced during WWDC 2012 that it is going to ditch Google maps and bring out its own under iOS 6. So, Google started working and in fact raced ahead of Apple in providing 3D maps for iOS. Through a blog post, Google announced that it has now made 3D imagery available on its Google Earth for iOS app. Users of iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or new iPad, while using Google Earth for iOS app, will feel that they are virtually flying over cities.The feature, as of now, works only for 12 regions. Cities for which the 3D imagery is provided are from US with an expectation of a city in Rome. The U.S. cities include: Boulder, Colo., Boston, Charlotte, N.C., Lawrence, Kan., Long Beach, Calif., Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., San Diego, Santa Cruz, Calif., Tampa, Fla., Tucson, Ariz., and San Francisco, plus its East Bay and Peninsula neighbors, notes the blog post."

14 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Do I need a geography lesson that bad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    How many cities does Rome have???

    1. Re:Do I need a geography lesson that bad? by spauldo · · Score: 4, Informative

      It contains itself, as well as Vatacan City, so 2?

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
  2. Re:Google trying to save face, except it won't wor by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They control their destiny.

    Apple dictates what apps can and can't be installed on your phone. If you're an iOS user, they control yours.

  3. Fanboy Article? by Belial6 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This article reeks of fanboyism. Why would we think that Google didn't start working on 3D maps until Apple announced it? Why isn't this pointing out that Apple is crapping on their customers by trying to sell them a new phone just to run software that should run just fine on the iPhone 1? And why would they think that Google only now found out about Apple's mapping plans? Apple said they were working on maps when we found out that Apple tracks users. They said that the reason they would continue to track users was to collect data for creating mapping software.

  4. Re:Lawrence Kansas? by Darkness404 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Perhaps because its a pretty big college town and my guess is one of the developers studied at KU or a KU student provided the 3-D models of the town.

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  5. Re:Google trying to save face, except it won't wor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You do know that Apple is the author of the IOS maps app? They just use google data. If Apple wanted to make a maps app similar to the one on android that uses vector graphics and so on, they could have, but they didn't. Blame them. Google couldn't have written an improved maps app, because it would have been rejected as being too similar to the IOS app. Google was in a no win situation.

  6. Re:Lawrence Kansas? by mickmel · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's where Brian McClendon (he co-founded Keyhole, which became Google Earth) grew up. In fact, if you load up Google Earth on your home computer and simply zoom in ([Page Up] or [+]), you'll land in the Lawrence-based apartment complex where he was raised.

  7. Re:All Really Good - its about the Freshness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Rapideye, at least change your characteristic style with the commas and punctuation if you want to act like someone else.

  8. Re:Google trying to save face, except it won't wor by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wow, you were so happy with Apple not providing you with turn-by-turn navigation? And now with iOS 6, you suddenly are really happy that you get turn-by-turn navigation. Talk about fanbois.
     
    And yes, it was Apple that did not provide you turn-by-turn navigation. Apple licensed Google Maps data, and build their own app to provide Google Maps services, and for some reason did not think navigation was important enough (until now of course).

  9. Re:Google trying to save face, except it won't wor by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 4, Informative

    If Apple wanted to make a maps app similar to the one on android that uses vector graphics and so on, they could have, but they didn't.

    In Apple's defense, from Google Maps' Terms of Use:

    2. Restrictions on Use. Unless you have received prior written authorization from Google (or, as applicable, from the provider of particular Content), you must not: [...]
    (f) use the Service or Content with any products, systems, or applications for or in connection with (i) real time navigation or route guidance, including but not limited to turn-by-turn route guidance that is synchronized to the position of a user's sensor-enabled device

    So the question is, did Apple try to get prior written authorization and Google declined their request? Or did they just say, "We'll get our map data from somewhere else because we don't like Google anymore."

    In Google's defense, they license some of their data from elsewhere and they may be restricted as to what they can allow others to do. For example, looking at Japan, down in the lower right of the screen we see "Map Data © 2012 Google, ZENRIN" Zenrin is a company that Google uses, I assume, for some Japanese map data. They can use the data for their purposes, but they cannot sublicense that data for other purposes. If Apple wanted to use that data the same way as Google via Google's Maps API, they'd have to also license the data from Zenrin.

    A quick jaunt around the world will show you that Google has licensed map data from lots of different companies: GeoBasis, TeleAtlas, AfriGIS, MapLink, Mapcity, Inav/Geosistemas, INEGI, and I'm sure some others I have missed. Apple could run around and try to sign similar licenses with all those companies to use Google's map data, or they could just find someone else.

  10. Re:All Really Good - its about the Freshness by lostfayth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It could simply be that the images for Canada are newer. Google tends to start projects in the US first and then expand them later - and later comes better cameras, faster and denser storage, and so on.

  11. Re:Google trying to save face, except it won't wor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    And yes, it was Apple that did not provide you turn-by-turn navigation.

    Google did not allow Apple's maps to include turn-by-turn navigation, their license forbade it.

    That's fair enough — Google dictates the terms of use for their data. But Apple had to build their own system to get around this restriction (or license from elsewhere).

  12. The new iPad.... by MatthiasF · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..is the iPad 3.

    SAY IT! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SAY IT!

    No more of this "the new" crap.