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iPhoto for iOS Not Using Google Maps
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I think you may have misunderstood the reason people use geo-tagging data in photos. For some people it helps them locate a location to see the same sights shown in the photo, those sites can be architectural or even a restaurant if it's a photo of food for example. Not to mention what foreigner might think if they aren't familiar with a region and the map shows terrain that has changed drastically compared to today.
So it's a little bit of a problem if you take a photo in an obviously urban location (like a baseball stadium) and the iPhoto map claims you were standing in the middle of a cornfield. Businesses also realize that tourist pictures with geo-tagging data have the potential to advertise for them: "If you shoot it, they will come" so to speak.
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This is a good step to take, it protects iOS users from potential service interruptions in the future. Google is jumping into the mobile market whole heatedly now buy purchasing Motorola Mobility, I wouldn't put it past them to deny service to Apple at some point to get the upper hand.
Google gave up on not being evil a long time ago.
This is a good step to take, it protects iOS users from potential service interruptions in the future. Google is jumping into the mobile market whole heatedly now buy purchasing Motorola Mobility, I wouldn't put it past them to deny service to Apple at some point to get the upper hand.
Google gave up on not being evil a long time ago.
I think this is all more to do with iPhoto being a paid app and the fact Google Maps SDK is only allowed to be used on free apps.
Yes, the tiles are badly rendered versions of OpenStreetMap data from April 2010 as far as we can tell, at least in many parts of the world. Up-to-date versions would look a lot better.
The OSM licence requires attribution of the source, which so far I have failed to find.
It's old OpenStreetMap for the world outside the US, as mackerski says (we've dated it to April 2010). US data is probably raw TIGER (US Census Bureau).
Update: Gruber reports that the map data is still from Google maps.
That doesn't make it true. He was given one assurance which appears to be misinformed.
Try this tool for a comparison between today's OpenStreetMap data and the stuff from 2010 that Apple is using:
http://ivan.sanchezortega.es/leaflet-apple.php?lat=49.76607618404073&lon=9.930181503295898&z=14
Can you demonstrate a location where this is true? Because the map as seen here:
http://ivan.sanchezortega.es/leaflet-apple.php?lat=54.200809414880766&lon=-6.358680725097656&z=14
Contains a then (April 2010) unfinished road that I mapped.
To be clear, we are talking about the iOS version of iPhoto as released today.
looks like Apple is in the transition to a new mapping program. I'm sure it will get better by June
have some patience . this is only in iphoto and will get better. it will be worth it.
have some patience . this is only in iphoto and will get better. it will be worth it.
Really?
These maps are obviously stylized and meant to look like old maps to show a generalized location and not meant for directions or even exact location as a lot of details are left out. They're only being used in Journals and Slideshows portions of iPhoto which is a "flashy" part of the application. They end up as fixed/static images for viewing and decoration purposes only.
Somethings aren't meant to be taken so damned literal all the time.
Yes, *IF* this was Apple's best and only attempt at a mapping system, then it would completely suck, but you, I nor anyone else knows what Apple actually has or plans. To automatically assume this WILL be their new mapping system is stupid and ridiculous.
These maps are obviously stylized and meant to look like old maps to show a generalized location and not meant for directions or even exact location as a lot of details are left out. They're only being used in Journals and Slideshows portions of iPhoto which is a "flashy" part of the application. They end up as fixed/static images for viewing and decoration purposes only.
Somethings aren't meant to be taken so damned literal all the time.
Yes, *IF* this was Apple's best and only attempt at a mapping system, then it would completely suck, but you, I nor anyone else knows what Apple actually has or plans. To automatically assume this WILL be their new mapping system is stupid and ridiculous.
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People here seem to not understand a few things. First, Google Maps licensing requires that if using their maps it must be for free software unless licensed otherwise. With Apple's cold relationship with Google it is obvious why they might choose a different service. Second, Google maps has a lot of information that is unnecessary for something as simple as seeing the general area where a photo was taken. My guess would be that Apple did not want all the clutter in iPhoto as it is not necessary. If you want a detailed map copy and paste the location into Google or Bing maps.
Apple goes for clean, clear, polished presentations. iPhoto for iOS is no exception.
Your understanding of the 1800s makes me sad. That may have been appropriate in the 1400s, but by the 1800s we had a firm grasp that "here be dragons" would be inaccurate.
People here seem to not understand a few things. First, Google Maps licensing requires that if using their maps it must be for free software unless licensed otherwise. With Apple's cold relationship with Google it is obvious why they might choose a different service. Second, Google maps has a lot of information that is unnecessary for something as simple as seeing the general area where a photo was taken. My guess would be that Apple did not want all the clutter in iPhoto as it is not necessary. If you want a detailed map copy and paste the location into Google or Bing maps.
Apple goes for clean, clear, polished presentations. iPhoto for iOS is no exception.
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This is great. The roads where are I live are completely wrong on the map lol. Roads that don't even exist or are joined in weird places.
Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.
I've noticed that the US iPad page doesn't mention the Google Maps app as one of its Retina display examples...
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/
But it's there on the UK version of the same page...
http://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/features/
Maybe the US is getting its own non-Google maps app?
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/
But it's there on the UK version of the same page...
http://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/features/
Maybe the US is getting its own non-Google maps app?
I can't see how in a million years this would have passed Steve's quality test. Particularly when he rang the CEO of Google at 2am in the middle of the night to ask him to change the Google icon...
But if it isn't some kind of test for things to come, what possible reason would there be for including it instead of Google?
But if it isn't some kind of test for things to come, what possible reason would there be for including it instead of Google?
Interesting! Although if you access the same US page on an iPad (iPad 1 at least), it does show a static image of Google maps with an non-interactive version of the magnifying glass image highlighting the difference in quality between the 2 screens instead.
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