I don't see how Apple can do better than Google Map but if they can pull it off, by any means, I'm totally okay with it since it will bring more competition to the table. Mind you, I'd hate to lose Google Map on my iPhone if their Map turns out to be lame, which is unlikely!
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Apple Replacing Google Maps On iOS With Its Own Solution Later This Year
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Mapping on is overrated, so long as it is functional, accurate and intergrates well with third party apps along with a little Apple customisation, then I see no reason why losing Google will be an issue.
Your examples don't apply at all. The examples you provide relate to interoperability. HP makes their own OS but make their products compatible with competing products. That's not the case with maps. Apple relies on Google's backend to provide maps, which is lining a competitor's pockets with cash. This has nothing to do with collaboration.
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I was responding to a claim that Apple has an NIH attitude, which they don't. Apple contracts with others for things they don't do well, like manufacturing. Apple isn't good at doing manufacturing so they contract it out. Apple is, however, good at designing the hardware so they do that rather than license out the OS.
Maybe so... but when you go to your favorite online or brick&mortar store to buy your TomTom, you can be sure that they are keeping track of your purchases and buying habits and potentially mailing you customized ads. Those keyfobs to give you discounts at your grocery? Again, tracking your purchases (you don't even need one for them to track your purchases though). And your credit/debit cards you used? You bet Amex, Visa, MasterCard, etc are all peeking at it.
Don't believe me? Check out this Forbes article.
If you have an iPhone 4S and want to use the geo-fence feature of the Reminders app, then Apple would have not know the "address" of a particular contact. For example, I have my "work" and "home" addresses listed in my contacts so I can ask Siri to remind me to do something when I leave work, arrive at work or arrive home. I could also siri how to get to a contacts house if I was in the US at the time or if searching for locations worked in Canada.What does my personal contacts have to be used to find locations?
I guess you do as you are told and not question the personal info retrieved that has nothing to do with map locating services.
Apple only needs to know my phones location to assist in finding what I ask, not other personal info. It seems you are blind to allowing apple get whatever they ask of you without justification on the true intent of use of the info retrieved.
Nobody is forcing you to use those features if you are so paranoid.
Listen pal, if the CIA or NSA wanted to know where you were, they would not need to ask Apple for help.
Interestingly, only if you log in to Google. At which point, you're left to trust they'll do what they say they will. Knowing the games they've been playing recently in bypassing browser security settings, I'll pass. I'd rather put my trust in my favorite ad blocker subscription, thank you very much.
These 2 statements are contradictory.
Or did you miss the Google acquisition of Motorola Mobility?
How does GM buying engines from Honda for what was the Saturn Vue V6 (when GM does have V6 engines of its own design) relate to interoperability ?
How does HP providing Windows for the Proliant server line relate to interoperability when they have their own OS for their Integrity server line ?
How doesn't those examples "line competitor's pockets with cash" through collaboration that wasn't necessary ?
The simple fact is : Google is good at back-end stuff, Apple is good at front end stuff. This seems to be a move made out of spite rather than actual technical merit for now. There is nothing wrong with competitors collaborating.
But Apple has not been good at doing Cloud services up to now, maybe they should contract with others with expertise in the field.
Apple does tend to have a NIH attitude about many things (DLNA vs Airplay, ALAC vs FLAC, mDP vs DP, etc..).
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These 2 statements are contradictory.
They are ? 1 statement was about Google's strength, the other was about Apple's strength. How does Google being good at online services contradict Apple being good at systems ?
If I get your line of thinking here, you're saying that if Apple can be good at systems, Google can't be good at online services and vice versa ?
I'm not getting the contradiction here... care to explain what you meant if you even meant something ?
No, I didn't miss Google's massive patent acquisition after they failed at the Nortel patent bid. Or did you think Google primary interest in Motorola was devices ? Look at the price per patent in both the Nortel acquisition vs the Motorola Mobility acquisition, you'll find that Google got the device business essentially for free.
But a standalone application has massive disadvantages because of iOS restricting competition. There's no way to set it as a default for the rest of the OS, so links will constantly take you to the crappy Apple maps application.
Since when did Target, Walmart or other B&M stores start asking for personal info when I make a purchase?
I've never received any customized coupons from any store in the mail. They usually provide these at check out IF I use a keyfob at their store.
You don't have to provide a name or real phone # to use one of those discount keyfobs. I should know, I have plenty with an alias name+phone#.
Debit cards. I guess you got me there but the bank already has my personal info and they send me privacy info about once every 6 months to let me know what they do with the data.
Unlike apple where they silently reach in to your personal data and gather it for their use or sharing with their partners. Viewing map data does not require downloading personal contacts, friends or other non related items off your device. This is a bold attemp at covert data mining.
Apple counts on their user base to not read the privacy disclosure in which on page 28 of a 30 page document they state their intent, which most people don't even get past the first sentence.
Since when did Target, Walmart or other B&M stores start asking for personal info when I make a purchase?
Started around 10 years ago as far as I've noticed. Started small, "What's your postal code" and then more and more information. These days, I show them the proverbial middle finger, pay and get out.
The issue is not the government agencies asking PRIVATE corps for personal info.
It's Apple using it to profile a consumer & gather information for the sole purpose of capitalizing on selling it or solicite people in your contacts, which you agreed to in their privacy disclosure without even knowing it because of the creative statements they write to not expose their true intent with your personal info.
Indeed, Apple's slow uptake on the fact there's a world outside the US may mean limited service for "the rest of the world"
The linked article said "Target assigns every customer a Guest ID number, tied to their credit card, name, or email address that becomes a bucket that stores a history of everything theyve bought and any demographic information Target has collected from them or bought from other sources."Since when did Target, Walmart or other B&M stores start asking for personal info when I make a purchase?
I've never received any customized coupons from any store in the mail.
You might have gotten customized coupons but just didn't notice it! The article also said that the customized coupons are now designed not to freak out customers who think the company may be spying on them: Then we started mixing in all these ads for things we knew pregnant women would never buy, so the baby ads looked random. Wed put an ad for a lawn mower next to diapers. Wed put a coupon for wineglasses next to infant clothes. That way, it looked like all the products were chosen by chance."
I suppose you are right though.... if you take the right steps, you can probably avoid getting mined for data from stores. But unfortunately, it's getting more and more difficult to do so it seems.
I'd assume Google Maps would have a separate app in the App Store.
I'd say a first goal would be to match Bing Maps, which i think is strong, if not the strongest competitor in mapping right now (though apparently international is its biggest weakness, but they are getting new data from Nokia).
Google Maps is really tough to beat though.
I'd say a first goal would be to match Bing Maps, which i think is strong, if not the strongest competitor in mapping right now (though apparently international is its biggest weakness, but they are getting new data from Nokia).
Google Maps is really tough to beat though.
C3 is apparently also really good at maps. That's why apple bought them. Because, yes, without C3, they had no hope of being able to compete with Google in maps.
Now, the tables have turned.
Also, Apple needs to give us a Siri-Enabled Turn by Turn GPS as part of the maps app. It's a crying shame we don't have those features already.
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The linked article said "Target assigns every customer a Guest ID number, tied to their credit card, name, or email address that becomes a bucket that stores a history of everything theyve bought and any demographic information Target has collected from them or bought from other sources."
You might have gotten customized coupons but just didn't notice it! The article also said that the customized coupons are now designed not to freak out customers who think the company may be spying on them: Then we started mixing in all these ads for things we knew pregnant women would never buy, so the baby ads looked random. Wed put an ad for a lawn mower next to diapers. Wed put a coupon for wineglasses next to infant clothes. That way, it looked like all the products were chosen by chance."
I suppose you are right though.... if you take the right steps, you can probably avoid getting mined for data from stores. But unfortunately, it's getting more and more difficult to do so it seems.
Data mining by businesses isn't a bad thing. It saves us money. The "bad" part is if the data isn't stored securely, or handed to the government.
This is also exactly why people should not directly compare Android and iOS update frequency.
Android devices get constant Google Maps updates, and because such apps are allowed to register themselves as info sources and targets, they are automatically integrated with all other apps that call for any map functionality.
OTOH, iOS requires an OS update for any new integrated functionality. Just updating a standalone app won't do it.
I think it's interesting that Google and Apple make money off our info, yet do not always give us a quid pro quo. (A free app in exchange for ads does count as payment.)
With only a bit of tongue in cheek, I think Apple and Google should pay us each time we contribute to the crowd sourcing of of their WiFi and Cell databases... from which they make money via Location Based Services.
It's like when car dealers try to stick their name on the back of your new/used car. No sir, not without paying me for the advertising!
Because if you go to google.com and search a place a map will come up in Google's search results. Is Apple's map going to do that, I don't think so.
Google claims that is is Apple that will not allow them to add features like turn by turn to Maps. I am hoping that by dropping Google Maps we will be able to get the same features that Android gets from Google. Even if it costs I will gladly pay. I have been in the mapping game for more than 40 years and I say it is not so easy to just make a Google Maps or Earth. Google maps predate mobil by many years, Apple has a big hill to climb.
