Apple Reportedly Luring Ex-Google Mappers With Jobs

TechCrunch reports that Apple, facing a substantial backlash (and some snarky competitive advertising) over goofs in the mapping software included in iOS 6, is going after the problem with a hiring spree. Here's TechCrunch's lead: "Apple is going after people with experience working on Google Maps to develop its own product, according to a source with connections on both teams. Using recruiters, Apple is pursuing a strategy of luring away Google Maps employees who helped develop the search giant’s product on contract, and many of those individuals seem eager to accept due in part to the opportunity Apple represents to build new product, instead of just doing 'tedious updates' on a largely complete platform." Meanwhile, writes reader EGSonikku "Well known iOS hacker Ryan Perrich has gotten the iOS5 Google Maps application to run on iOS6 using 'a little trickery.' (YouTube demonstration.) He has not released it yet due to crashing issues but states 'it mostly works.'"

Comments

Hiring ex google employees?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's innovative ...

This.

[Tastecicles]

It's not like they don't need help...

I thought he died

[wonkey_monkey]

Apple Reportedly Luring Ex-Google Mappers With Jobs

What did they do, prop him up and pull a string wrapped around his wrist to beckon them over?

Sorry. I need sleep. Or help.

Smart Move

[stephanruby]

At least with Google employees, Apple won't need to email them a pdf map of their office location.

Re:No thanks

[Nerdfest]

Come on, think of the awesome sales pitch these guys are getting. "Don 't be Evil"? Screw that. Come to the dark side. You have no idea of the full financial advantage of the dark side. Watch those that believe in open standards tremble at your feet.

Re:Honestly...

[joh]

God, going from Score:3 (default) to Score: 5, Insightful to Score: 3 within minutes REALLY seems as if people don't like reasonable comments.

Reminds me of getting a dozen thumbs down on The Register just for pointing out that the iPhone 4s was eating every other smartphone for lunch in GPU benchmarks along with a link to Anandtech proving it answering comments that that iPhone were tech of yesteryear (and I even don't own an iPhone 4s).

Re:No thanks

[ifiwereasculptor]

You're thinking of Dead Steve. Zombie Steve is still at Microsoft.

Re:No thanks

[Culture20]

Glad I'm not the only one who imagined Steve Jobs' corpse tied to a string and being dragged along the sidewalk in front of Google's headquarters.
"Oh, hey, Look! A Steve Jobs free for the taking!"

Re:Not really a news story

[93 Escort Wagon]

ianal, but ...

I've found these sorts of posts much more amusing now that I mentally make the substitution "ianal" -> "I'm anal".

Re:That's the thing - it is not "very poor"

[Tim the Gecko]

Google also sometimes cannot find things that I am pretty sure should be easy to find.

You're right. I've been looking for this place called Schadenfreude and I can't seem to find it anywhere. Is it on your Apple map?

Re:Not really a news story

[leromarinvit]

In case of Apple stories, shouldn't it rather be iAnal?

the new HQ looks like an asshole from space, too

[PopeRatzo]

but why the fuck can't an app that ran fine on iOS 5 also run fine on iOS 6?

Apple to Customer: "You know that mapping app everybody uses? The one that's practically the most popular iOS app? The one that works so well? You can't use that any more."

Customer: "Why not?"

Apple to Customer: "Fuck you, that's why not. Now get back in line. And by the way, did you know that you prefer the walled garden because it provides a more seamless end-user experience? Now repeat that after me: "I prefer the walled garden because...""