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Google Decides to Monetize Maps

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Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#111

Post by greiskul »

coldtea wrote: post #69
technotony wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they offer a free maps service? They are a business with shareholder responsibilities, not a charity, and maps must cost them a ton of money to operate.

> Why should they offer a free maps service? The shouldn't. They should be forced to close, and Maps and Search should be provided by a non-profit, internationally controlled (UN etc), organization, not a for-profit company. That's my opinion of what would be best. Some services (like "indexing the world's knowledge") are too important to be left to private interests and be monetized via ads...

Some services like "indexing the world's knowledge" are too important to have a government (UN?) enforced monopoly on. Doing this would be one of the best way of killing any innovation in the area.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#112

Post by soulofmischief »

manigandham wrote: post #98
coldtea wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why should they offer a free maps service? The shouldn't. They should be forced to close, and Maps and Search should be provided by a non-profit, internationally controlled (UN etc), organization, not a for-profit company. That's my opinion of what would be best. Some services (like "indexing the world's knowledge") are too important to be left to private interests and be monetized via ads...

Forced to close? Why? That's a terrible authoritarian idea. The only solution is more competition, not less. Trying to limit who can do what has only ever led to worse outcomes. There's nothing stopping a non-profit group from creating maps today if they wanted to.

Forced to close by economic forces, not legislative or political pressure. That isn't terrible at all, that's the basis of the capitalist, quasi-competitive economy which these companies champion so much. The most viable service wins. Nothing authoritarian about that.

> There's nothing stopping a non-profit group from creating maps today if they wanted to.

Apple and Google probably feel very differently. We've already seen them fight it out, wait till they join together to start keeping their boots on the up and comers.

In the end I don't give a rat's ass about their profit line and I put advancement of Earth and its people as my top priority.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#113

Post by georgeecollins »

Tsubasachan wrote: post #54
cageface wrote: post #17

Google is really leaving the door open here for Apple to step in and offer a services bundle with a monthly fee that doesn’t involve stuffing advertising into every nook and cranny of the user experience. I generally prefer Google’s services to Apple’s but there might be a tipping point soon where I’m willing to sacrifice some features in exchange for a generally less creepy product.

You are assuming people would pay for an ad free GMAPS. Google tried this with YouTube Red. It doesn't work. Apple users may be willing to pay for apps, Android users don't swing that way.

You are assuming Google can't make enough money from scraping location data to pay for Google maps. I doubt that. Adding ads just makes them more money on top.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#114

Post by manigandham »

soulofmischief wrote: post #112
manigandham wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Forced to close? Why? That's a terrible authoritarian idea. The only solution is more competition, not less. Trying to limit who can do what has only ever led to worse outcomes. There's nothing stopping a non-profit group from creating maps today if they wanted to.

Forced to close by economic forces, not legislative or political pressure. That isn't terrible at all, that's the basis of the capitalist, quasi-competitive economy which these companies champion so much. The most viable service wins. Nothing authoritarian about that. > There's nothing stopping a non-profit group from creating maps today if they wanted to. Apple and Google probably feel very differently. We've alread…

"Forced to close by economic forces" is not what the other poster was saying. Competition is good. And yes, Apple and Google will put up a fight because that's how competition works.

>> I put advancement of Earth and its people as my top priority.

Great. Are you working on a mapping service?

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#115

Post by aw3c2 »

tzfld wrote: post #56
jfoster wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OSM has impressive geographical data now, but in the meantime Google Maps has gone well beyond "we can help you find that street address." Their places data, reviews, photos, navigation, and street view are all adding a massive amount of value. They have shifted the goal posts.

>Their places data, reviews, photos, navigation, and street view are all adding a massive amount of value. This is where OSM should move.

No, OSM should focus on what it is and what it does well. Reviews and photos are bound to attract a lot of garbage and problems. Navigation sure, there is lots of that available on OSM data already. Street view is also already covered by mapilliary and openstreetcam.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#116

Post by JustSomeNobody »

cageface wrote: post #17

Google is really leaving the door open here for Apple to step in and offer a services bundle with a monthly fee that doesn’t involve stuffing advertising into every nook and cranny of the user experience. I generally prefer Google’s services to Apple’s but there might be a tipping point soon where I’m willing to sacrifice some features in exchange for a generally less creepy product.

What about HERE Maps? I don't, ahem, hear much about them anymore since they were bought by an auto consortium.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#118

Post by openbasic »

twothamendment wrote: post #73
technotony wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they offer a free maps service? They are a business with shareholder responsibilities, not a charity, and maps must cost them a ton of money to operate.

You are correct. The reverse is true too, why should contribute data to their maps service for free? I've done lot of work to add and correct roads, update business info and addresses in my area. If they want to fill the map with ads they have that right - but when they drive me (and people like me) away, their product will suffer.

Why didn't you contribute to OpenStreetMap?

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#119

Post by elcomet »

maracuja-juice wrote: post #72
cageface wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple maps is inferior to Google in almost every respect in Asia. I open it now and again just to see if it’s improved and always switch back immediately to Gmaps. With hardware sales slowing Apple has a lot more incentive to improve it than they did when the iPhone gravy train seemed unstoppable though.

In China I experienced that it's exactly the other way around.

Isn't Google maps blocked in China?

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#120

Post by openbasic »

coldtea wrote: post #69
technotony wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they offer a free maps service? They are a business with shareholder responsibilities, not a charity, and maps must cost them a ton of money to operate.

> Why should they offer a free maps service? The shouldn't. They should be forced to close, and Maps and Search should be provided by a non-profit, internationally controlled (UN etc), organization, not a for-profit company. That's my opinion of what would be best. Some services (like "indexing the world's knowledge") are too important to be left to private interests and be monetized via ads...

Well, you can start by donating money or your time to OpenStreetMap and DuckDuckGo.
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