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Google says Maps not waiting in wings for iPhone 5

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Google says Maps not waiting in wings for iPhone 5 | Reuters

(Reuters) - Google Inc has made no move to provide Google Maps for the iPhone 5 after Apple Inc dropped the application in favor of a home-grown but controversial alternative, Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said.

Apple launched its own mapping service earlier this month when it began providing the highly anticipated update to its mobile software platform iOS 6 and started selling the iPhone 5.

But users have complained that Apple's new map service, based on Dutch navigation equipment and digital map maker TomTom NV's data, contains glaring geographical errors and lacks features that made Google Maps so popular.

"We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?" Schmidt told a small group of reporters in Tokyo. "What were we going to do, force them not to change their mind? It's their call."

Schmidt said Google and Apple were in constant communication "at all kinds of levels." But he said any decision on whether Google Maps would be accepted as an application in the Apple App Store would have to be made by Apple.

"We have not done anything yet," he said.

Google and Apple were close partners with the original iPhone in 2007 and its inclusion of YouTube and Google Maps. But the ties between the two have been strained by the rise of Google's Android mobile operating system, now the world's leading platform for smartphones.

Schmidt said he hoped Google would remain Apple's search partner on the iPhone but said that question was up to Apple.

"I'm not doing any predictions. We want them to be our partner. We welcome that. I'm not going to speculate at all what they're going to do. They can answer that question as they see fit," he said.

Google provides Android free of charge and allows developers to add applications on an open basis, betting that by cultivating a bigger pool of users - now at over 500 million globally - it can make more money by providing search functions and selling advertising.

"Apple is the exception, and the Android system is the common model, which is why our market share is so much higher," Schmidt said, adding that success was often ignored by the media, which he said was "obsessed with Apple's marketing events and Apple's branding."

"That's great for Apple but the numbers are on our side," he said.

At one point, Schmidt, who was in Japan to announce the launch of Google's Nexus tablet here, used the device to show off a new function of Google Maps.

The feature allows users to shift their view of an area by moving the device in the air without touching the screen, similar to the effect of looking around.

"Take that Apple," he said, adding quickly, "That was a joke by the way."

I think someone at Apple didn't think something through as well as it should have been.
 
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Personally, I'm glad Apple finally made the move to create a maps app independent of Google. Maybe it isn't fully-baked right now. But with Apple's ingenuity, you know it's going to be amazing. It works great now on my iPhone 4 and it's only going to improve with each iOS update in the future.
 
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Personally, I'm glad Apple finally made the move to create a maps app independent of Google. Maybe it isn't fully-baked right now. But with Apple's ingenuity, you know it's going to be amazing. It works great now on my iPhone 4 and it's only going to improve with each iOS update in the future.

I'm more concerned about relying on TomTom for map data than I am about Apple's ability to improve the app itself. TomTom has for years been the laughing stock of navigation solutions in North America, and for good reason. No amount of software ingenuity on Apple's part will fix that.
 

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I doubt Apple would approve it away since it directly replicates built-in functionality.
 

chscag

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The way I see it is the competition between Apple and Google is good for all of us. I think most of can remember what happened when Microsoft killed all the operating system competition off and became the "evil monopoly". ;D
 

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They did approve the Google You Tube player so who knows. Time will tell, but in the mean time, if Maps works bad for you, install the app from the maps.google.com page and have google maps back. I did but mostly for comparison as here the Apple Maps is working great.
 

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I have the Google Maps work-around, but unfortunately I haven't found a good way to get Street View (the only thing I miss or want out of Google Maps). I paid $0.99 for a Street View APP that is better than nothing (but not a lot better than nothing).
 

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The way I see it is the competition between Apple and Google is good for all of us.
This. Competition is always a good thing. I don't care what Apple and Google do with/against each other because their "feud" means that, as a consumer, I benefit.

They did approve the Google You Tube player so who knows.
True but Apple removed the YouTube application so the Google app doesn't hit the "replication" restriction I mentioned earlier.
 
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I doubt Apple would approve it away since it directly replicates built-in functionality.

I don't see the logic in this. It's more of pick and choose than anything. I mean, look at all of the apps that pop up in the Navigation category. They replicate as well (and do it better) but are exceptionS?

Not buying that one. Waze is great, so is MapQuest. Two free ones that put both Apple's and Google's Map apps to shame. (technically Google maps is great on an Android device, so I'm speaking about it from an iOS pov)

Doug
 

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I don't see the logic in this. It's more of pick and choose than anything. I mean, look at all of the apps that pop up in the Navigation category. They replicate as well (and do it better) but are exceptionS?
It certainly isn't logical but I'm guessing that Apple may claim that since it duplicates built in functionality, they have the right to reject it (well, they can reject anything from their store). They've done it before and if they're truly determine to purge iOS of anything Google, they'll use past actions as a precedent.
 
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It certainly isn't logical but I'm guessing that Apple may claim that since it duplicates built in functionality, they have the right to reject it (well, they can reject anything from their store). They've done it before and if they're truly determine to purge iOS of anything Google, they'll use past actions as a precedent.

Then why does Apple allow Chrome for iOS? It directly competes with Safari.
 

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Beats me but they've done it before.

The rule used to reject these apps seems to be specific to apps in the App Store (and not the stock ones) but that doesn't seem to have stopped Apple.
 

chscag

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Then why does Apple allow Chrome for iOS? It directly competes with Safari.

Have you used Chrome for iOS? It's a dog. (Sorry dog lovers.) I use it on my iMac but no way would I use it on my iPad.
 

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It's surprisingly slow on Android as well. The speed of the desktop client certainly hasn't translated into mobile speed.
 
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Have you used Chrome for iOS? It's a dog. (Sorry dog lovers.) I use it on my iMac but no way would I use it on my iPad.

True, though that's more a result of Apple's restrictions on web browsers on iOS. Google was allowed to use neither their own javascript engine nor Safari's "Nitro" optimizations. Not very healthy for a platform when the platform makers don't follow the golden rule of "Eat your own dog food." :\
 
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I'm willing to give Apple as much time as they need to perfect their Maps app. I don't know how many of you have gps systems in your cars, but even the new Maps app's ease of use puts them all to shame. No fiddling around with multiple screens for separate inputs of information.

I just wish all locations could be seen in 3D.
 

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