So here's the thing: Google are on multiple platforms through Android and Browsers, that alone means Google has a larger base updating their maps - let's just say if all iPhone users would update Apple Maps, they would still be outmatched 10:1 by people ACTUALLY updating Google Maps.
In large parts of the world, the iPhone isn't something within reach for that many people, but they can get online and they do use Google and their services - this is why the weirdest places in Africa are stating to pop up. Updating Google Maps is also helped by a very easy and straightforward tool and a very large and local admin hierarchy.
If Google Maps were to arrive and 50% of iPhone users switched to that - well then those 50% will use and update Google Maps and not Apple Maps - that will still sit there getting a little better yes, but at an alarmingly slow rate. The fact? that Apple only did this over turn-by-turn is so much worse because doing this the right way requires a way to activate your large user base - starting by pissing them off is plain dumb. Apple needs to reach out to more users on the web to gain an advantage - they need this to run on OSX and they need to come out with tools and innovations to make this useful and give people an incentive to make editions and updates - this is how crowd-sourcing works and Apple doesn't know **** about it apparently.
It seems Google have just launched a service that helps you navigate inside buildings (Nokia have announced the same some months ago), this is what Apple are facing - fierce competition at a very fast pace. This is also why people saying that this thing will be up to date in a short while are clueless. I really wish this was what would happen - but Apple burned their users this time and it doesn't look like they know how to get out of this mess.
night interwebz
