Google to Show Off 'Next Dimension' of Maps on June 6

[burnside]

Originally Posted by gotluck

um? Apple is the 'me too' when it comes to maps.

Exactly. Google Maps on Android is very good. It's different than what we get on our iPhones. It will take a lot out of Apple to pass up Google.

[Blorzoga]

Originally Posted by paul4339

The shame is that Google is known to have one of the better mapping solutions; they just need to relentlessly make it better.

By scheduling a 'demo of things to come soon' on the coat tail of a Apple's presentation it makes them look like a bunch of followers with a 'me too' solution...they shouldn't need to do that, they are (were?) already in the lead.

Wouldn't being on the "coat tails" of Apple's presentation mean that their presentation would have to come after Apple's? It's before Apple's presentation.

[spazzcat]

They should wait until after, not before. No one will remember what Google showed after iOS6 is shown...

[tido2012]

Awesome! Looking forward to a map app on my next iphone that doesn't suck.

[SGMD1]

Well this is embarrassing for Apple.

[chrmjenkins]

Originally Posted by djrod

Standalone Maps app for iOS :wink:

While I would love that, I think they see built-in nav as a key differentiator between platforms. Not something they'll just give away.

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by mbarriault

The timing is way too suspicious for this to have been independently scheduled.

And the likely, most hilarious thing is, Google will be having their collective asses handed to them just days later.

You feeling ok?

Lets look at this with facts and look at this from an open perspective.

On one side we have Apple, who have little to know experience with maps, and who had to purchase a mapping company to get into the market.

On the other side we have Google, who have been producing maps for over 7 years, and again have been producing, and working on 3d mapping technology for at least 7 years. Google have obviously been playing around with 3d mapping for a hell of a lot longer than Apple, and have a more experienced team working on it.

Sorry, but no matter how much of a Google or Apple fan anyone may be, facts are facts. The statistics say that Google will provide a better service than Apple here.

Lets also look at how it works. The maps are fed by a cloud network. Google obviously have one of these. Apple does not, Apple has a single datacenter (note: A true cloud has servers all over the world, not just in one location). For international users Google Maps will obviously run much, much faster (assuming Apple dont use an existing 3rd party global cloud instead of their own facility). On top of this, Apple's experience with online services isn't exactly good. The entire network regularly experiences massive slowdowns and was even crippled when they launched iCloud with most not being able to access any Apple online services for several hours.

Now, I'm not saying that'll happen, but if they dont start investing serious money into MULTIPLE facilities all over the world, they wont get anywhere.


Am I an Apple 'fan-boy'? No.
Am I a Google 'fan-boy'? No.

I use products by both companies every single day, I have no 'love' or commitment to either, they provide what I need to get my work done, and that's all. If something better came along, I'd use that.

[eekcat]

Sorry, Google lost me when it began hijacking search results and even routes in the Maps app. If I'm trying to get to a friend's house, I have no interest in getting routed to a dental office several miles away.

[dBeats]

Vaporware. Just like Google's version of Airplay and those hideous, hideous glasses.

[gotluck]

Originally Posted by paul4339

Agreed. That's why Google doesn't need to follow with a presentation shortly after Apple's, they (google) is already in the lead.

Yea fair enough, I misunderstood you.

[paul4339]

Originally Posted by Blorzoga

Wouldn't being on the "coat tails" of Apple's presentation mean that their presentation would have to come after Apple's? It's before Apple's presentation.

sorry, you are correct.. but it's basically to placed to remove apple's thunder.

This kind of reminds me of the release of Palm Pre phone, the day/week before the iPhone 3G.

[LaWally]

Apple should give us the best maps in iOS, regardless of provider. If that's Google now then okay. If Apple wants to move away from Google eventually and do their own maps that's okay too. I just do not want an Apple "beta" map product in iOS just so Apple can spite Google.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by dBeats

Vaporware. Just like Google's version of Airplay and those hideous, hideous glasses.

Google knows you've said this and will be looking for you.

[suzerain]

Given the perspective of the map in the announcement, I'd say it's pretty obvious this is a public demo of the isometric sort of city/building view they've been quietly rolling out (which, in itself is more similar to features in Bing than having anything to do with Apple...that we've seen, anyway).

Strategically, this is timed to take away some of Apple's thunder, and rightly so. I'd do the exact same thing if I was running Google Maps.

[Rocketman]

Maybe I am missing something but even if Apple has their own "map app" which is a GUI, what's stopping them from continuing to use Google or Mapquest or anyone else to add layers or fill holes using existing or new APIs?

Nothing. Also Google will still have the website and its own standalone app. Consumer choice will increase. The only news here is what's integrated into the OS itself and to "services" offered globally to all apps.

The real news here is Apple is shifting more hits to its own servers first. Now that they have built one or two.

Rocketman

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by gotluck

um? Apple is the 'me too' when it comes to maps.

Come on don't you know Google traveled to the future to see what Apple wad doing years before it happened so they could copy them.

This also is have the defense against fan boys that they copied Apple with the new stuff.

I have a feeling Apple map app will be a copy of what is already in android.

[BornAgainApple]

First shot fired. Let's see how Apple retaliates

[KnightWRX]

Good timing by Google. If Apple does annouce something at WWDC, at least now no one will say Google scrambled and "copied" Apple in less than a week. I guess we dodged that bullet.

Originally Posted by Tarzanman

Apple doesn't have to beat google maps (nor could they, unless they threw an epic ton of money and time trying to do so). They just need to offer a usable alternative.

Or you know... they could stick with Google Maps and dedicate the ressources to another project, making iOS even better.

Why *must* Apple even replace their maps back-end ? Google Maps work. They need to fix the front-end to put in the features that are missing that the back-end already supports (turn-by-turn navigation, etc..).

[dBeats]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

google knows you've said this and will be looking for you.

[palmerc2]

For those people who are thinking Google is trying to shaft Apple in some way by being the first to demo their new mapping platform, you apple fanboy's need to relax. No one knows if Apple is releasing their own mapping software at WWDC, if at all. It is all speculation.

I'm looking forward to both launching revolutionary mapping software, it's great competition.

[KnightWRX]

Originally Posted by dBeats

Vaporware. Just like Google's version of Airplay and those hideous, hideous glasses.

Vaporware what ?

http://maps.google.com

Seems to exist to me.

[dBeats]

Google charges Apple for each Map query. Maybe Apple should make you pay for each query through your iTunes account. I wonder what you would think of it then?

[chrmjenkins]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Good timing by Google. If Apple does annouce something at WWDC, at least now no one will say Google scrambled and "copied" Apple in less than a week. I guess we dodged that bullet.

I don't think it's an issue of being accused of copying this close together. I think it's an issue of google being drowned out if they don't go first. If they waited long enough to not be drowned out (say at least 2 weeks to a month), eventually the accusation of copying would come up eventually. However, there's just no good scenario if they debut it after apple does.

[AP_piano295]

Originally Posted by Tarzanman

Apple doesn't have to beat google maps (nor could they, unless they threw an epic ton of money and time trying to do so). They just need to offer a usable alternative. I expect that Apple will be forced to allow Google apps/maps onto the iphone because Google still does make good software that many users will not want to go without.

They have to beat it if they wan't me to use it.

Things I use most on my phone in order:

1) Communications (text, talk, email)
2) Listening to audio
3) Maps and navigation
4) Web browsing
5) Basic personal organization

Apple and android are pretty comparable in these areas but in mapping apple is (currently) hopelessly outclassed. I wont be encouraged to switch unless they release something that is significantly better than what google offers. And considering the effort and investment google has put into mapping, that seems very challenging.

[dBeats]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Vaporware what ?

http://maps.google.com

Seems to exist to me.

Read the invitation. Notice words like "Vision" "Sneak Peak". Dead giveaways...
Also, might I remind you of when Google announced "Android @Home" in 2010. How's that working out for them?