Apple adds OpenStreetMap attribution to iPhoto for iOS

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
An update to the iPhoto application for iOS has added proper attribution to the OpenStreetMap Foundation for mapping data included in the software.

When iPhoto for iOS was released in March, the software lacked required attribution to the OpenStreetMap Foundation. The organization highlighted Apple's switch to OSM, and the missing necessary credit, in an official company blog post.

But this week's update to iPhoto rectified the error, and viewing the software's "Acknowledgements" in the iOS Settings application shows the proper attribution.

The change was made after OpenStreetMap reached out to Apple directly through the foundation, and also through a third-party developer, according to Talking Points Memo. Richard Fairhurst, a board member at the foundation, said he believes it was the involvement of an iOS developer, who is also one of the group's volunteer mappers, that led to Apple adding the attribution.

"Obviously we'd rather that Apple had attributed right from the start, but nonetheless this is a big step forward," Fairhurst said. "If the biggest computer company in the world, one with a perfectionist instinct, feels that OpenStreetMap data meets its needs and is happy to publicly attribute us, then that's a great vote of confidence in our community's work."

OSM


Once iPhoto for iOS was released, users immediately began to notice that the software uses a different style of map that isn't credited to anyone. That's a change from all of Apple's previous iOS devices, which have relied on mapping data from Google Maps.

The shift could be a sign of things to come, as Apple is expected to be developing its own mapping solutions in a transition away from Google Maps, after the company acquired a number of mapping companies. In addition, last April Apple publicly admitted it is building a "crowd-sourced traffic" service for iPhone users.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Now if only it were actually vector images.

  • Reply 2 of 9
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member


    I don't understand this. Google is a service provider. Apple is a hardware maker. These two companies can be matched with great result considering Google make a lot of money from OSX and iOS, much more than their own Android anyway. Yes, I understand that Google see mobile as a future and want to control it, or don't want others to completely control it. What I don't understand is it's really wise to break up with your partner who makes a great products?


    It's sure looks very wise for Google to be a friend to everybody rather than be a foe. Now Apple has no choice but to make their own map and search (Siri) and Samsung looks to be about to fork their own Android version. I just don't understand Google.

  • Reply 3 of 9
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Now if only it were actually vector images.



    OSM is user contributed so there are a variety of different map types being served. Even Google maps is not 'vector' because it is not SVG. It is 12 different tile based levels using a proprietary kml data structure with text superimposed. OSM is just that, 'open' and apparently Google feels threaten by their gaining popularity.


     


    Read about Google vandalizing OSM data:


    http://opengeodata.org/google-ip-vandalizing-openstreetmap

  • Reply 4 of 9
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by matrix07 View Post

    Post.



     


    Wrong thread, maybe?


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

    Read about Goole vandalizing OSM data:


    http://opengeodata.org/google-ip-vandalizing-openstreetmap



     


    I'm sorry, I was raised to know that if something got vandalized and we knew who did it, that person got charged an amount equal to or greater than the loss of whatever it was they ruined, and often they had to fix it themselves.


     


    So explain to me why Google isn't being sued for incalculable sums of money for this infantile behavior before I pop a gasket… 

  • Reply 5 of 9
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post




    ... before I pop a gasket… 



    Better to pop a gasket than to 'blow a seal'.


     


    'Just fix the damn thing and leave my personal life out of it'  image


     


    Great line from the wet dream video posted yesterday.

  • Reply 6 of 9
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    Riveting.  The title should have been done in 60 point type at the top of the article ...


     


    "SMALL UNINTENTIONAL OVERSIGHT CORRECTED"  


     


    What news this is.  


    These kind of scoops are why I keep coming back to AppleInsider. 

  • Reply 7 of 9
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,384member


    It would be a massive blow to Google if Apple replaced the standards maps app from Google maps to another standard across all their future iOS devices. Massive. Hope they do it. 

  • Reply 8 of 9
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post

    It would be a massive blow to Google if Apple replaced the standards maps app from Google maps to another standard across all their future iOS devices. Massive. Hope they do it. 




    Well, Apple owns three mapping companies. One of them has full 3D maps of much of the world. That's topography AND buildings. Hopefully we'll see the full move to an Apple solution in iOS 6.

  • Reply 9 of 9
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member


    OpenStreet Maps are pretty bad, I updated my street name so it's now correct but I don't know how to fix this:-


     


    OpenStreet eg.tiff


     


    Bing


     


    Bing eg.tiff


     


    Google


     


    Google Maps eg.tiff

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