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How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

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Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#31

Post by SoftwareMaven »

andreyf wrote: post #17
arrrg wrote: post #2

First, to get it out of the way: People are very right in mocking Apple. They deserve every bit of that. What they delivered with their Maps app is embarrassing. I do not want to defend that. The problem, however, is that this article assumes something to be unequivocally true even though we do not know whether it is: That Apple decided to build their own maps in order to hurt Google. It takes two to play. Both Apple…

the old Maps app was perpetually stuck in 2007 while Android phones gained 3D views and (much more important) vector maps and turn by turn navigation I don't need or care about 3D view or vector maps or turn-by-turn navigation (although I see how the last one could be useful for a lot of users). I, like most city dwellers, need directions that take public transit into account. I can't believe Apple released an "upgra…

The whole point is they may have had no choice. Yes, it sucks, but if they don't have a contract, their choices are very limited.

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#32

Post by fl3tch »

milesskorpen wrote: post #21

This article makes a legitimate point about the maps application. But I don't get the strange tangent on Google+ — why would anyone expect Apple to anoint the social network of a competitor which isn't even that popular?

It should be noted that Mike Elgan is a prolific user and advocate of G+ with a big following.

https://plus.google.com/+MikeElgan/posts

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#33

Post by wklauss »

snogglethorpe wrote: post #16
wklauss wrote: post #5

I'm afraid the obsession is not on Apple over Google but on the media and blogs over Apple and every single thing they do. Of course Apple will watch its competitor closely, especially since both are now headed in same direction. And of course they need competing services. Likewise, I'm sure that Google is watching closely every move Apple makes. But nobody in their right mind would say Google has an "obsession" with…

> If you cannot go forward on the current path, and standing still is not an option, the only possible move is take a step back and find a new route. Simple as that. Painful, sure, but it had to be done sooner or later. Of course, they have good reasons to make their own mapping infrastructure. However, working on it does not mean they have to release it before it's ready (and it clearly isn't). They could have used…

I don't want to end up being the one defending the quality of iOS maps. I've been using it since iOS6 beta 1. There's been a lot of progress and other than the fun mishaps we are reading now, they are functional.

Are they as good as Google? Not even close, especially when trying to search for something specific (I think the dataset is not the problem, the search engine is). But I also wouldn't say that the product is not on a reasonable shape. It's comparable in accuracy with other maps solutions out there.

And we seem to be forgetting that Google Maps come with errors and funny gaffes as well:

http://www.cio.com/article/686778/6_Memorable_Google_Maps_Mi...

They are just the standard, the bar we measure any other map service against. And thats good, because they are really fantastic, but I think it would be naive to expect Apple to launch something of that level of quality in the first attempt.

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#34

Post by J-H »

SoftwareMaven wrote: post #31
andreyf wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the old Maps app was perpetually stuck in 2007 while Android phones gained 3D views and (much more important) vector maps and turn by turn navigation I don't need or care about 3D view or vector maps or turn-by-turn navigation (although I see how the last one could be useful for a lot of users). I, like most city dwellers, need directions that take public transit into account. I can't believe Apple released an "upgra…

The whole point is they may have had no choice . Yes, it sucks, but if they don't have a contract, their choices are very limited.

Then why didn't they move to OSM or Bing Maps?

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#35

Post by SoftwareMaven »

ef4 wrote: post #18

The argument that Apple needs their own map for strategic reasons is fine, but it doesn't explain why they needed to ship it before it was any good. I can imagine three explanations: (1) They think they need to start gathering user-generated map content. "Add your business to Apple Maps if you want iPhone users to find it." (2) An internal struggle at Apple. If the supporters of the maps project thought it was at ris…

(4) Google and Apple couldn't come to terms (or Google refused to provide terms), so Apple put some lipstick on a pig and called it beautiful, knowing (1) would happen as well.

As a product manager, I can't imagine a company being that blind to the real state of the product, so I can't believe (3). Maps is too important for phones today to make (2) believable.

Some aspect of (1) could have influenced what both parties were willing to do in my (4) case. Apple may have said, "It's not worth $XXX million dollars for another contract when we are 50% of the way there, and the last 30% will require a shipped product, anyway, to get all the POI data."

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#36

Post by vegardx »

brisance wrote: post #15
batgaijin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you serious? What do you call the patent war between Samsung, HTC and every manufacturer of Android phones and Apple besides a proxy war?

It's overblown because if Apple were really upset at Samsung they wouldn't be supplying parts for iPhone 5. Remember, according to court filings Apple approached Samsung first to try to settle it before resorting to legal means.

I think you don't realize just how big Samsung is. If you're making hardware, it's not like you can just drop a partner like Samsung because of legal troubles in another department. They are huge, and it's hard to replace them over night.

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#37

Post by beedogs »

cageface wrote: post #29
brisance wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's overblown because if Apple were really upset at Samsung they wouldn't be supplying parts for iPhone 5. Remember, according to court filings Apple approached Samsung first to try to settle it before resorting to legal means.

Happening already: The Korean Times is reporting this morning that "Apple has reduced purchases of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels for tablet computers from Samsung Display amid the deepening patent disputes, said a leading market research firm, Friday. Market experts said that the move is aimed at minimizing its reliance on Samsung parts." http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/09/apple-cu...

At a certain point, Apple is going to run out of partners to piss off.

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#38

Post by Xcelerate »

I hardly got to the article because I couldn't quit laughing at the image at the top! Apparently that was an old painting that an 80 year old woman "restored": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecce_Homo_(El%C3%ADas_Garc%C3%A...

It's a very interesting story in and of itself.

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#39

Post by ceol »

batgaijin wrote: post #11
wklauss wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here we go again. Other than Jobs tantrum in his book and countless of headlines and blog post, where is this fantastic "jihad"? I see the same level of love/hate between Apple and Google than between Microsoft/Google or Google/Amazon. We just overanalyze it to disturbing extremes, but thats about it.

Are you serious? What do you call the patent war between Samsung, HTC and every manufacturer of Android phones and Apple besides a proxy war?

I would call it the same shit that's been happening between almost every tech company since the early 2000s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone_wars

Re: How Apple's Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple

#40

Post by trg2 »

wklauss wrote: post #14
batgaijin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you serious? What do you call the patent war between Samsung, HTC and every manufacturer of Android phones and Apple besides a proxy war?

I will call it a patent war, not a jihad (I'm tired of reading religious analogies attached to technology, they are an easy trick to perform on the readers mind) And, you know, there are PLENTY of companies involved in patent wars and we don't routinely position them on the "obsessed against their competition" category. They are just litigious. In some of the examples you mention the Android manufacturers are the one…

Totally agree. I work at an eBay Inc. company, and I feel like we announce both a new partnership and a new lawsuit with Google every week. Welcome to the valley.
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