Disagreements over turn-by-turn directions prompted Apple to ditch Google Maps
Apple's decision to abandon Google Maps with iOS 6 and implement its own mapping solution was reportedly driven by a disagreement between Apple and Google over turn-by-turn navigation.
Citing multiple sources familiar with the talks held between the two companies, John Paczkowski of All Things D reported on Wednesday that Apple wanted Google to bring spoken turn-by-turn navigation to iOS, but could not broker a deal. As a result, Apple decided to ditch Google Maps so that it could provide users with turn-by-turn directions—a free feature that has been integrated into Google's competing Android platform for years now.
"Requiring iPhone users to look directly at handsets for directions and manually move through each step—while Android users enjoyed native voice-guided instructions—put Apple at a clear disadvantage in the mobile space," Paczkowski wrote. "And having chosen Google as its original mapping partner, the iPhone maker was now in a position where an arch-rival was calling the shots on functionality important to the iOS maps feature set."
Sources reportedly said that Apple "pushed Google hard" to bring turn-by-turn navigations to iOS. However, Google viewed the capability as a "key feature" of its own Android platform, and decided to keep the functionality exclusive to Android handsets.
While Apple wanted voice-guided navigation in its iOS Maps application, Google wanted in-app branding and the addition of its Google Latitude service to the built-in iOS mapping service. Apple reportedly refused to concede either of those to the search company.
This week it was revealed that Apple waived one year of its remaining contract for Google Maps to roll out is own iOS mapping solution. Google is said to be working on its own standalone Google Maps application for iOS, but it is not expected to debut for months at the earliest.
Paczkowski added on Wednesday that Google is currently "scrambling" to build a dedicated Google Maps application for iOS to be released on the App Store. That's partially driven by the large number of Google Maps users that the company just lost when 100 million iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners upgraded to iOS 6 in its first few days of availability.
For more, see, AppleInsider's detailed look at the problems with the feature Inside iOS 6: What's wrong with Apple's new maps.
Citing multiple sources familiar with the talks held between the two companies, John Paczkowski of All Things D reported on Wednesday that Apple wanted Google to bring spoken turn-by-turn navigation to iOS, but could not broker a deal. As a result, Apple decided to ditch Google Maps so that it could provide users with turn-by-turn directions—a free feature that has been integrated into Google's competing Android platform for years now.
"Requiring iPhone users to look directly at handsets for directions and manually move through each step—while Android users enjoyed native voice-guided instructions—put Apple at a clear disadvantage in the mobile space," Paczkowski wrote. "And having chosen Google as its original mapping partner, the iPhone maker was now in a position where an arch-rival was calling the shots on functionality important to the iOS maps feature set."
Sources reportedly said that Apple "pushed Google hard" to bring turn-by-turn navigations to iOS. However, Google viewed the capability as a "key feature" of its own Android platform, and decided to keep the functionality exclusive to Android handsets.
While Apple wanted voice-guided navigation in its iOS Maps application, Google wanted in-app branding and the addition of its Google Latitude service to the built-in iOS mapping service. Apple reportedly refused to concede either of those to the search company.
This week it was revealed that Apple waived one year of its remaining contract for Google Maps to roll out is own iOS mapping solution. Google is said to be working on its own standalone Google Maps application for iOS, but it is not expected to debut for months at the earliest.
Paczkowski added on Wednesday that Google is currently "scrambling" to build a dedicated Google Maps application for iOS to be released on the App Store. That's partially driven by the large number of Google Maps users that the company just lost when 100 million iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners upgraded to iOS 6 in its first few days of availability.
For more, see, AppleInsider's detailed look at the problems with the feature Inside iOS 6: What's wrong with Apple's new maps.
Comments
Too bad for us purchasers of high end hardware now have to deal with a lower end Map software. Should have been extended a year as its clearly barely a beta.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSheldon
I'm sure it could have been brokered if the price were right-
Apple doesn't license most of their key technologies/patents to competitors, for any amount of money. In fact, they'll defend them to the death first.
Google can't be expected to act any differently.
Yesterday I criticized Apple, but today I'm going to criticize Google, based on this new information.
Google basically told all Apple users to go and F*ck themselves. No, we will not provide voice guided navigation for Apple users, we want it exclusively for Fandroids. Apple users have to look at their screens while driving, and if they crash their cars and die, then too bad.
And remember, Google Maps app on iOS was also not vector based.
So then Apple told Google to go F*ck themselves, because Apple realized that they had no choice but to release their own Maps app.
The Apple Maps app has a very strong foundation, it's fast, it's smooth and it's vector based. As the Apple map app improves, with more and better data, then it will be quite good. Soon, 99% of all normal people, besides a few moronic Fandroids, will have forgotten all about Map-Gate, just as people have forgotten about all of the other "Gates" that came before that.
Google can not longer hold Apple to ransom and thats what Page and the gang were trying to do.
It's always interesting to learn more about the situation but I'm glad we're pressing on. The Maps app does need improvement but, wow, the first iteration is already fantastic and I'm sure that Apple is going to do good things now that they have full control over it.
Turn by turn on an iOS device is not that useful. Unless you have dedicated mounting brackets in your auto so that the device is more at eye level, using turn by turn and looking down at the device sitting on the passenger seat or holding your phone while driving is a dangerous habit to get into. Personally, I have built in navigation in all my autos so I don't need it at all. I can see a case for all vehicles having built in navigation within the next 5 years or so. Perhaps this new Apple Maps service is the precursor to striking a deal with auto makers to provide built in iOS devices in the cars..
Quote:
Originally Posted by John.B
Creepy Google Latitude is creepy.
Certainly nothing I'd use. It's similar to Find my Friends on iOS isn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
Certainly nothing I'd use. It's similar to Find my Friends on iOS isn't it?
Except that Google Latitude entrusts your 24/7 location history to Eric Schimdt's minions.
Quote:
Originally posted by Eric Schmidt
"We don't need you to type at all. We know where you are. We know where you've been. We can more or less know what you're thinking about."
Quote:
Originally posted by Eric Schmidt
"It's a future where you don't forget anything. In this new future you're never lost...We will know your position down to the foot and down to the inch over time..."
Quote:Originally posted by Eric Schmidt
"I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their questions ... They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next."
Quote:
Originally posted by Eric Schmidt
"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place."
This is the man that was demanding real-time location data from iOS users, in exchange for turn-by-turn directions on the iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by souliisoul
I hope Apple ensures Google go through intense review for the proposed Google Maps standalone app and in the mean time improve their Maps App and say a big FU to Google. 100 Million customers no longer using your app,is not a small number.
Google can not longer hold Apple to ransom and thats what Page and the gang were trying to do.
Dear Google,
We are sorry to inform you that Google Maps was rejected from the App Store because it duplicates core functionality, uses undocumented APIs, and violates user privacy in the following ways...
Sincerely,
Tim
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Yesterday I criticized Apple, but today I'm going to criticize Google, based on this new information.
Google basically told all Apple users to go and F*ck themselves. No, we will not provide voice guided navigation for Apple users, we want it exclusively for Fandroids. Apple users have to look at their screens while driving, and if they crash their cars and die, then too bad.
And remember, Google Maps app on iOS was also not vector based.
So then Apple told Google to go F*ck themselves, because Apple realized that they had no choice but to release their own Maps app.
The Apple Maps app has a very strong foundation, it's fast, it's smooth and it's vector based. As the Apple map app improves, with more and better data, then it will be quite good. Soon, 99% of all normal people, besides a few moronic Fandroids, will have forgotten all about Map-Gate, just as people have forgotten about all of the other "Gates" that came before that.
If you link back to the source article and read it there's not a claim that Google wouldn't offer Turn-by-Turn navigation to iOS users under any circumstances according to their sources. Instead it's says that if they did Google wanted certain things from Apple in return and Apple wasn't biting.
"But according to people familiar with Google’s thinking, the search giant, which had invested massive sums in creating that data and views it as a key feature of Android, wasn’t willing to simply hand it over to a competing platform.
And if there were terms under which it might have agreed to do so, Apple wasn’t offering them. Sources tell AllThingsD that Google, for example, wanted more say in the iOS maps feature set. It wasn’t happy simply providing back-end data. It asked for in-app branding. Apple declined. It suggested adding Google Latitude. Again, Apple declined."
http://allthingsd.com/20120926/apple-google-maps-talks-crashed-over-voice-guided-directions/
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Turn by turn on an iOS device is not that useful. Unless you have dedicated mounting brackets in your auto so that the device is more at eye level, using turn by turn and looking down at the device sitting on the passenger seat or holding your phone while driving is a dangerous habit to get into. Personally, I have built in navigation in all my autos so I don't need it at all. I can see a case for all vehicles having built in navigation within the next 5 years or so. Perhaps this new Apple Maps service is the precursor to striking a deal with auto makers to provide built in iOS devices in the cars..
That's the whole point. You just listen to what it tells you "Turn left at 300 meters". No need to look down at it. I've used it on Apple Maps and it's pretty darn good.
Personally, I'm glad they just ripped the band-aid off. Google had no intentions of providing us Apple users with the technology, at least not until they had the "next big thing" to give to android keeping iOS one step behind. And I highly doubt that they'll push out a maps app. They are hoping to get many people to switch over to Android.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
If you link back to the source article and read it there's not a claim that Google wouldn't offer Turn-by-Turn navigation to iOS users under any circumstances according to their sources. Instead it's says that if they did Google wanted certain things from Apple in return and Apple wasn't biting.
"But according to people familiar with Google’s thinking, the search giant, which had invested massive sums in creating that data and views it as a key feature of Android, wasn’t willing to simply hand it over to a competing platform.
And if there were terms under which it might have agreed to do so, Apple wasn’t offering them. Sources tell AllThingsD that Google, for example, wanted more say in the iOS maps feature set. It wasn’t happy simply providing back-end data. It asked for in-app branding. Apple declined. It suggested adding Google Latitude. Again, Apple declined."
http://allthingsd.com/20120926/apple-google-maps-talks-crashed-over-voice-guided-directions/
Sounds like Apple did the right thing to protect its users.
I do not believe this. I mean, look, if Google ever make a Maps App for iOS, there will be turn-by-turn navigation. So, what's the point for google to hold it back? No point.
It's more believable that Apple axed the old Maps App because Google wants the data wired to them in a certain way and Apple thinks that'd give Google too much advantage. It's ok to axe it because of competitive reasons, I don't blame Apple. But I don't buy this turn-by-turn thing, and the facts will confirm what I said once Google finally releases a Maps App for iOS with turn-by-turn navigation.
Fine, them keep paying as is until you get it right. iPhone users don't care about the voice we care about street view. Siri can't hear us on a street anyway to give us directions at least not in Manhattan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drobforever
I do not believe this. I mean, look, if Google ever make a Maps App for iOS, there will be turn-by-turn navigation. So, what's the point for google to hold it back? No point.
It's more believable that Apple axed the old Maps App because Google wants the data wired to them in a certain way and Apple thinks that'd give Google too much advantage. It's ok to axe it because of competitive reasons, I don't blame Apple. But I don't buy this turn-by-turn thing, and the facts will confirm what I said once Google finally releases a Maps App for iOS with turn-by-turn navigation.
Well yeah, now that they will have to compete against Apple's app which has it.
I think it says Apple learned their lesson of the 90s...play your own game, don't trust your business to another company. I'll say what I've said all along: I love the new Maps, love the turn by turn, and I love that Google doesn't get more of my information than they already get.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSheldon
Fine, them keep paying as is until you get it right. iPhone users don't care about the voice we care about street view. Siri can't hear us on a street anyway to give us directions at least not in Manhattan.
Speak for yourself. I didn't use street view, I love my turn by turn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSheldon
iPhone users don't care about street view.
Fixed.