Google were being commercially difficult with respect to their mapping data. They would not allow turn by turn navigation without Apple giving them more control over the iOS platform being one example.
More control. The reality is not that Google wanted more control, it's that Apple wanted the control for themselves. People seem to imply here that Google would have been doing nasty things to iOS devices. Guess what, Apple is doing those nasty things instead and that's how they wanted it.
As a consumer, Apple getting the data rather than Google doesn't seem better to me, nor worse. It's the same situation. Someone is profiting from my data for their advertising metrics.
BUT, since Apple's position in taking "control" of that data resulted in me getting a sub-par mapping experience, then yes, I'm starting to care about their boneheaded move. I've lost a ton of functionality and accurate data, but I've gained nothing for Apple to gain something. And that is really something to be denounced, that Apple would lessen the experience of its users for its own corporate benefit. I don't care about Apple's bottom line. If it hurts me as a consumer, then I'm not going to sit there and call their poo gold.
In the end, Google wanted more branding so that you knew you were using Google Maps and not some Apple app with mapping data that could come from anywhere else and they wanted Apple to implement Google Latitude instead of going for their own "Find my Friends" (both services are pretty much the same). Reasonable demands for the level of services they would have been getting (vector maps, much more accurate mapping data, READABLE maps graphics (the part of Apple Maps I despise most, the things are nigh unreadable), and yes, turn by turn navigation (I personally don't see what's the big deal about this, on any platform)).
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Unfortunately Apple started playing the "everyone tries to copy us" game and now their loyal fans fight their fight. However they've had and will be tasting their own medicine. This has been equally misjudged as the launch of Apple Maps in their current state.
Yes they did, but some people will still say that "Apple rips off no one!" and that patent infringement, when it's an Apple patent is "BLATANT COPYING!" but when it's Apple that's guilty is "It's just a patent troll attacking people because they're a big target!".
Most people that can't hold a consistent position in their view of the world but always twists things to be on Apple's side just deserve to be ignored if you ask me. Responding to them only promotes their behavior and valides it. It took a while, but people started getting a clue with *LTD* and he had to go overboard to "get heard", resulting in his... dismissal. The forum has just been much better ever since. It's hard to promote high level discussions about issues involving Apple and its competition when people try to dumb it down to levels of "Apple Good! Rest Bad!" all the time.
