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Understand, BUT at this point in the game, Apple have to move quickly or people WILL be upset. Most will perceive shortcomings as feature removals. "The last version of the software could do it, why cant this." Most will neither know, nor care, that the underlying map provider has changed. That is the reality, and Apple need to step up and be competitive. They don't have a "couple of years to catch up".

Yeah, from the consumer standpoint this is true. I hope they allow Google to put their Maps app in the app store so people can use the one that they like.
 
Having used both, Apple's solution blows google maps out of the water. There is literally no reason to use google maps instead.

I'll dispute that completely. I posted in another thread examples of Apple's poor cartography (fundamental digitising errors) and low res satellite imagery. Google Maps (as much as I hate it) is a better solution at this time

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Google have been doing maps for years so I doubt Apple will ever come close to googles standard on android. I guess its better than the current iOS maps though..

Sadly it isn't better at this time.
 
The issue will be if Google will assign the resources to create the App.

It will have to be written from scratch seeing as the existing Maps app is technically Apples code.
 
Hoping that's the case. TomTom actually license a lot of their map data from other companies though, so hopefully that isn't a barrier to Apple's use.

That isn't actually true. TomTom own Tele-Atlas who gather the data, and they also rely on crowd sourced data.

I don't accept that the reason so much information is missing is because it's a Beta.

When it goes to the public beta stage, and as far as Apple is concerned, developer previews are the closest you'll get to a public beta, the underlying data should be complete.

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The issue will be if Google will assign the resources to create the App.

It will have to be written from scratch seeing as the existing Maps app is technically Apples code.

Google have already said they want to...
 
I'd be shocked if Apple allowed a full on version of Google Maps onto iOS.

It would almost completely defeat the purpose for them offering a native option
 
it's just a question of when...

If you read the Engadget live blog from the last Google Maps event you should get the answer you seek:
QA section:
Yet another question about Maps on iOS: "Will you make the iOS version of Maps as good as the one on Android?"


Brian: "Again, we'd like to bring all services to all platforms."
He also said that he's "working very hard" to bring offline Maps to iOS -- "it's just a question of when that'll happen." Hmmm...

And one more Quote from the event:
"In the coming weeks, we'll bring this 3D imagery to both Android and iOS devices."

And we should not forget the demo device on the event was an iPad.
 
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Even if Apple allows the app (certainly not a given), I'm not sure that google will release anything remotely good. Google's gmail and google voice apps aren't exactly good ones.
 
If you read the Engadget live blog from the last Google Maps event you should get the answer you seek:
QA section:
Yet another question about Maps on iOS: "Will you make the iOS version of Maps as good as the one on Android?"


Brian: "Again, we'd like to bring all services to all platforms."
He also said that he's "working very hard" to bring offline Maps to iOS -- "it's just a question of when that'll happen." Hmmm...

And one more Quote from the event:
"In the coming weeks, we'll bring this 3D imagery to both Android and iOS devices."

And we should not forget the demo device on the event was an iPad.

The demos that they showed were in the Google Earth app.

It's already on the App Store, so it'd only need an update to add the new 3D images.

Offline maps are a different story though.
 
They removed transit directions? Well that stinks. Please tell me that they at least kept walking directions

From what I've heard, walking directions work in Apple's Maps. But clicking the little bus icon for transit directions sends you to the App Store and provides a blank screen, where I'm assuming at some point you'll get to pick a transit app.

Google Maps also works perfectly from their mobile site, including transit and waking directions. And I'm sure some apps will still pull data directly from Google rather than use Apple.
 
And I'm sure some apps will still pull data directly from Google rather than use Apple.

I don't think you can do that. Google map is not free for commercial usage. If any app tries to pull the data from g maps, they will need to pay.
 
I think the chance of Google releasing their standalone Maps app is very high. Don't know if Apple will allow it or not though.
 
Google have been doing maps for years so I doubt Apple will ever come close to googles standard on android. I guess its better than the current iOS maps though..

Motorola, Sony, LG, Blackberry, Nokia, Microsoft, and others were doing phones and phone OSes for years before Apple stepped on the scene with the iPhone and now look what happened. I would say doing an entire phone is much harder than doing maps.

Google has to be extremely worried about Apple getting into the mapping business if you ask me.
 
Thats a stupid argument, because it's basically saying everything Apple touches turns to gold, and that's that. I don't feel compelled. We've seen Apple hand. We know Google's offering.
 
In the few months or years that Apple makes its maps perfect, we still need a mature alternative... and Google has Street View which I use it very often. :(

I'd say I'm pretty certain Google will be allowed to have a Maps app on the app store :)
 
Google will probably make an app and put it on the App Store just to publicly embarrass Apple for their mapping solution and to get all those users back.
 
Apple decides to make turn-by-turn navigation and flyover iPhone 4S only.

Google releases their own app that can do it for the iPhone 4.

I still profit.

I think Apple should have really kicked Google and made turn by turn for everyone.

What happens when people who want those features but Apple blocks them and google comes out with an app? Doesnt it make it look like Google is "caring"?
 
Unless Google is maki a ton of money having a maps app in iOS why would they do it? Just more of an incentive to get people to buy an Android phone. And would Apple even allow it in the app store if it's in direct competiton with Apple's new maps app?
 
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