Apple Acquired Mapping Company Placebase in July

[MacRumors]

Computerworld reveals that Apple quietly acquired mapping company Placebase back in July.

Placebase is similar to Google Maps in that it is a mapping service and has the world mapped out. You can zoom in and out and it has different layers you can superimpose over your mapping data.

Placebase CEO Jaron Waldman LinkedIn profile now listed his position as part of the "Geo Team" at Apple.

The obvious interest Apple would have in the company would be the mapping content and expertise that they are currently relying on Google for in their iPhone maps application. Placebase, however, also offered additional functionality that is not currently available in Google's offerings that Apple could theoretically take advantage of. This primarily involves the aggregating of different data sets onto maps. PolicyMap was given as an example of this aggregate functionality.

Article Link: Apple Acquired Mapping Company Placebase in July

 

[jav6454]

This is an interesting move.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Seems interesting. It would be nice to have some more features in applications like Keynote and iMovie, but I imagine this is for the iPhone.

 

[azentropy]

Good move by Apple.

Apple has a ton of cash on hand, surprised there hasn't been more acquisitions like this recently.

 

[Darkroom]

i smell iPhone SDK's MapKit framework becoming more interesting in the near future.

 

[LanPhantom]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7C144 Safari/528.16)

Screw GoogleMaps, let them have it for they're doomed Android OS phone. Hello Apple Maps!!

 

[designgeek]

Exciting! I'm a whore for cross referenced data... Especially in map form.

 

[dwman]

Hm, could this be the beginning of the end for the Apple/Google relationship? I hope not. They make a great team.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Hm, could this be the beginning of the end for the Apple/Google relationship? I hope not. They make a great team.

This is called leverage and inevitability.

Google has a strangle hold on Mapping [Yahoo yes, but that's got Microsoft all over it] and with Google's everything is should be a distributed networking client/server model this ensures Apple and it's upcoming Data Centers are ready to flip the switch as an additional back-end service for Apple customers.

The US Government was smart to used OpenstreetMap to aid in their neutrality for web services.

This keeps Google humble and weakens their "leverage" over Apple.

Placebase has a nice API: http://collections.pushpin.com/

 

[iphones4evry1]

Put Steve in charge of mapping!

Let him focus 100% of his efforts just on mapping!

(but what will happen to Google Street View? )
I like Street View. And so does augmented reality.

Apple may really like the idea of having their own, in-house mapping, but we can't ignore that Google has one hell of a great mapping (and data and Google) search and info/data services built into their mapping.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Put Steve in charge of mapping!

Let him focus 100% of his efforts just on mapping!

(but what will happen to Google Street View? )
I like Street View. And so does augmented reality.

Apple may really like the idea of having their own, in-house mapping, but we can't ignore that Google has one hell of a great mapping (and data and Google) search and info/data services built into their mapping.

Apple sends out their own teams to do the same with mapping.

 

[LagunaSol]

Hm, could this be the beginning of the end for the Apple/Google relationship? I hope not. They make a great team.

Now that they're competitors, that whole "team" thing doesn't seem to have a very bright future.

Seems Google is expanding its war to multiple fronts - Apple would be wise to build up the defenses.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

wonder how long until Apple blocks the Google map app from the iphone.

This followed by blocking TomTom and other GPS mapping software from the iPhone claiming it "core function" bs like they did with the GV

 

[pake]

Now that they're competitors, that whole "team" thing doesn't seem to have a very bright future.

Seems Google is expanding its war to multiple fronts - Apple would be wise to build up the defenses.

I fully agree. We don't want Google deciding one day and saying to Apple: "this is it, we are competitors and we can't share this anymore"; and Apple not being ready.

 

[MacFly123]

This is an interesting move.

Sure is. I think they are just hedging their bets. Did anyone see a dollar figure anywhere???

I think it will be best if Apple just lets the company keep functioning like a subsidiary and doesn't try to be the king of maps. Focus on your strengths Apple and let these map guys keep doing their thing! Sounds like this is what they are doing.

 

[LEStudios]

Hm, could this be the beginning of the end for the Apple/Google relationship? I hope not. They make a great team.

Was that the part where Google told FCC that Apple denied their Google Voice App? Now if Apple make a better Search engine than Google!

 

[TwinCities Dan]

Very interesting, especially with the Google CEO leaving the Apple Board.

 

[BTW]

What's a better app than a mapping one to use a compass in? Seems to me Apple will incorporate the API into the iPhone OS and let developers have at it.

 

[iphones4evry1]

Now that they're competitors, that whole "team" thing doesn't seem to have a very bright future.

Seems Google is expanding its war to multiple fronts - Apple would be wise to build up the defenses.

I can just see the future now... Apple - Google feud results in Google blocking iPhones from accessing any and all Google websites
on the premise that Apple blocks Android from iTunes.

 

[SandynJosh]

I can just see the future now... Apple - Google feud results in Google blocking iPhones from accessing any and all Google websites
on the premise that Apple blocks Android from iTunes.

Such a move would be stupid. What Apple did was buy some insurance AND now have the capability to enhance their map api in patented ways that will give the iPhoneOS unique advantages. It may be years before anyone sees the fruits of this; just like with their purchase of the chip company. Strategic planning means moving large blocks into place before they are needed.

 

[TB Apple]

Policy map is scary,as in Orwell's<u>1984</u>) good.

Its worth watching the quick demo then playing with it a bit.

The free version at this link is all you need: Policy map

I'm sure Apple will make some obvious and not-so-obvious improvements on Google Maps with the, now in-house, creators at Placebase

 

[eastercat]

As it's been said, having a backup plan for Google Maps is a good thing.

 

[guet]

I fully agree. We don't want Google deciding one day and saying to Apple: "this is it, we are competitors and we can't share this anymore"; and Apple not being ready.

Apparently Apple has already decided this (that they can't share) - see Google Voice and now this. It's a shame really, as Google has a lot to offer Apple, and it looks like Apple's customers will be shut out from useful services because of the rivalry.

 

[RazHyena]

I smell tension between Apple and Google...

 

[Thex1138]

Googleug-glug-glug

Google Maps relationship souring?... even before Schmidtty left?