Google Has Not Yet Submitted a Google Maps App to Apple [Update]

[MacRumors]

Reuters reports (via TheNextWeb) that Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt has denied claims that the company has already submitted a Google Maps application to Apple's App Store.

Google Inc. has not submitted a new Google Maps application to Apple Inc after the iPhone maker dropped the use of it in launching its newest device, the head of the world's top search engine provider said on Tuesday.

The rumor emerged last week shortly after Apple launched iOS 6. In iOS 6, Apple replaced the Google-based Maps on iOS devices with the company's own solution. Apple's Maps have since drawn criticism for areas of poor coverage.

Schmidt told reporters, "We have not done anything yet" and stated that they've been talking to Apple for a long time and talk to them every day.

Update (Sept 25, 1:34am PT): Bloomberg has a slightly different interpretation of Schmidt's comments. Schmidt said that it was up to Apple to approve the app, though they claim that Schmidt declined to say if Google Maps had been submitted.

"We haven't done anything yet with Google Maps," Schmidt told reporters in Tokyo today. Apple would "have to approve it. It's their choice," Schmidt said, declining to say if the Mountain View, California-based company submitted an application to Apple for sale through its App Store.

Article Link: Google Has Not Yet Submitted a Google Maps App to Apple [Update]

[ct2k7]

I'm sure I heard this a few days ago - either way, it's better not to rush it out.

[lbro]

I'm not updating to 6.0 until Google Maps is on the app store. It really is a deal breaker for me.

[intothepolis]

Didn't Steve Jobs say he would "go to thermonuclear war" with google?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1023111.html

[tibi08]

I'm surprised Google haven't moved quicker on this, if they wait too long then they will lose momentum from the iOS 6 launch. People might actually.... and I have some difficulty saying this.... get used to Apple Maps!

[DavidTheExpert]

Lol, it sounds like Google is just screwing themselves deeper and deeper into the ground. Every minute they waste during all this Maps hooplah is more lost customers.

[Bambalazs]

They want to ride this wave. Nice try.

[tatonka]

There goes that hope ..

[Macman45]

Originally Posted by ct2k7

I'm sure I heard this a few days ago - either way, it's better not to rush it out.

Apple really should have kept Google maps until their own version was at least useable. It's my one gripe about the new phone...The maps are utterly useless...Why incorporate a BETA version in IOS6? Would have been better to wait and polish the app first.

In my area of the UK the images are truly appalling, I would have happily waited until they had produced something of good quality...It's not as if they don't have the resources, but building a large image database takes time...Remember all those Google trucks?..

[yuenadan]

All I can say is hurry up! I haven't upgraded my iPhone OS yet because I'm waiting for a Google Maps app. I'm a Canadian living in Taipei, and I use transit to get everywhere. Google maps is imperative as it lets me enter street names in Pinyin, and it helps me navigate Taipei's very good but very complex bus system. I'd literally get lost without Google Maps and it was one of the big reasons I bought an iPhone in the first place.

Google, don't hate me because I didn't buy an Android phone! I've been an Apple guy since the days of Lycos search. I don't care if you have to load it with ads or whatever you have to do, just please bring Google Maps to iOS 6 so I can upgrade.

[justindocanto]

Think of it this way... If people start jumping ship on iOS because the maps sucks, Google might win a few extra Android sales. They really have no reason to make an maps app for iOS. What benefit would they have?

[entropys]

Originally Posted by justindocanto

Think of it this way... If people start jumping ship on iOS because the maps sucks, Google might win a few extra Android sales. They really have no reason to make an maps app for iOS. What benefit would they have?

Quite so.

In fact, do we really know who really ended the relationship for the maps app? Would Google allow Apple to access turn by turn data? You could argue that Google knew Apple was developing its own map data, and forced them to launch prematurely. /conspiracy theory

Anyway, realistically I find it hard to see how Apple could fix the missing info without first making the app available. It needs millions of people using it to improve it.

[unlimitedx]

Originally Posted by justindocanto

Think of it this way... If people start jumping ship on iOS because the maps sucks, Google might win a few extra Android sales. They really have no reason to make an maps app for iOS. What benefit would they have?

To collect the user data and mine it

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by intothepolis

Didn't Steve Jobs say he would "go to thermonuclear war" with google?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1023111.html

Yes, but Jobs said a lot of stuff, even sometimes to the point of totally contradicting himself months later.

That said of course, I have no doubt he had some real hate towards Google and/or Schmidt.

[FrankieTDouglas]

Hopefully they will release one. I haven't updated to IOS 6 specifically because of Apple Maps. If Google launches, I'll update.

[gpat]

If I were Google, I'd not submit any app at all.

[yuenadan]

Originally Posted by unlimitedx

To collect the user data and mine it

Exactly. Google makes money through advertising, they don't make any money from selling Android phones. AFAIK the OS is free to handset makers.

[Tenedon]

The benefits of making a IOS maps app are huge, considering google lives from advertising and google maps provides quite a big percentage of that revenue, i am absolutely positive they are hard at work making the app but this might as well be just a marketing stunt , they cold very well wait for people to see how crappy the IOS maps application is so they wold consider the google on absolutely fabulous when it will be release .

[mavis]

Oh, fantastic. So if I want maps that are actually populated with accurate data - hell, any data at all - I'm stuck with Google Maps' web app. Joy.

[tangerineyum]

I'm interested to know how apple maps is not usable to anyone. I deliver pizza for a living. and I use apple maps. No, i dont use turn by turn. All i need is the general area for my delivery and im off. And Apple maps seems to do that well enough.

[mavis]

Originally Posted by tangerineyum

I'm interested to know how apple maps is not usable to anyone. I deliver pizza for a living. and I use apple maps. No, i dont use turn by turn. All i need is the general area for my delivery and im off. And Apple maps seems to do that well enough.

In Japan at least, there's very little data, even less accurate data, and fuzzy satellite imagery. It's pretty bad.

[unlimitedx]

Originally Posted by tangerineyum

I'm interested to know how apple maps is not usable to anyone. I deliver pizza for a living. and I use apple maps. No, i dont use turn by turn. All i need is the general area for my delivery and im off. And Apple maps seems to do that well enough.

I think a big part of it is simply the huge change in the interface and look/feel of it. But certainly users on the forum have pointed out some glaring inaccuracies in the apple maps as well.

[Nevzorus]

Apple payed to have Google Maps on every iOS device so why would they put it in the App Store? It will probably cost 5-10 dollars to buy it.

[uberman15]

Originally Posted by yuenadan

Exactly. Google makes money through advertising, they don't make any money from selling Android phones. AFAIK the OS is free to handset makers.

While what you said is true, it's a bit misleading. After all, Google would prefer that people switch to Android phones over the iPhone.

Google will have to eventually release a maps application. There's too much data to collect to not do so and, if they wait too long, most people will simply prefer to use Apple's maps in its place. For example, I've yet to encounter an issue with it and that may very well be true of most U.S. residents.

However, Google is waiting for one obvious reason - they want to see how this impacts user behavior.

[Oletros]

Originally Posted by yuenadan

Exactly. Google makes money through advertising, they don't make any money from selling Android phones. AFAIK the OS is free to handset makers.

Android is free, Google services are not free.