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Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

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Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#31

Post by blhack »

krmmalik wrote: post #29
seiji wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My first thought was along the same lines. What if this was a long con to get Google to release what Apple wanted for free? Any bets on if Apple Maps is gone in iOS 7 and google maps becomes the system mapping provider again?

Now that I've read this, I was starting to think the same thing. Apple is completely capable of creating good software. They have all the resources they need, and "polish" is what their company is all about, so why release a sub-par app? Yes it's far fetched, but not beyond possible.

That reality distortion field is pretty powerful. Wow.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#33

Post by kjackson2012 »

Frankly, Tim Cook should shut down the entire Apple Maps division. Who in their right mind is going to use Apple Maps at this point?

Try searching "Pier 39 San Francisco". The query can't be any more specific, and it's the most iconic location for tourists, and Apple Maps will bring you to a pretty shady area of town, only a mile or two away from Hunter's Point, one of the more violent areas of SF.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#34

Post by netcan »

speg wrote: post #9
netcan wrote: post #6

Could there have been a (pro android) business case for not releasing this app? Edit: accidentally wrote 'pr android.'

I don't think Google cares what platform you're accessing their services from. As long as they get your data, they're happy.

I'm sure the android part cares about how many people buy android and how cool it is compared to iOS.

Apple use their apps as a competitive advantage and Google aren't. Itunes supported Apple podcast & music players would help android. Obviously Google maps helps iOS.

I guess what I'm asking is "Is this helping maps at the expense of Android?"

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#35

Post by quux »

Gigablah wrote: post #23
hpagey wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google submitting a turn by turn direction enabled google maps app is some sort of win nonetheless.

For Google, yes.

And users. I suppose any win for users of iOS is a win of some kind for Apple too.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#36

Post by TallGuyShort »

seiji wrote: post #17
kyriakos wrote: post #4

This simply shows how bad apple's decision was to switch to their own solution before it was ready.

Or it shows the effectiveness of a giant anti-apple PR machine present in the world.

Just as much as the success of the iPhone shows the effectiveness of a giant pro-apple PR machine present in the world.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#37

Post by Alaskan005 »

kjackson2012 wrote: post #33

Frankly, Tim Cook should shut down the entire Apple Maps division. Who in their right mind is going to use Apple Maps at this point? Try searching "Pier 39 San Francisco". The query can't be any more specific, and it's the most iconic location for tourists, and Apple Maps will bring you to a pretty shady area of town, only a mile or two away from Hunter's Point, one of the more violent areas of SF.

No wonder he is the CEO and you aren't. Think LOOOOONG term, in a few years Apple will catch Google for the most part (hello AAPL bank accounts and increase of usage!) and Apple will not depend on a major competitor for a crucial aspect of the mobile world. Google is the loser, despite Apple having a few growing pains.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#38

Post by seiji »

krmmalik wrote: post #29
seiji wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My first thought was along the same lines. What if this was a long con to get Google to release what Apple wanted for free? Any bets on if Apple Maps is gone in iOS 7 and google maps becomes the system mapping provider again?

Now that I've read this, I was starting to think the same thing. Apple is completely capable of creating good software. They have all the resources they need, and "polish" is what their company is all about, so why release a sub-par app? Yes it's far fetched, but not beyond possible.

Of the difficult data problems in the world, creating an online mirror map of the physical world is probably in the top three.

Let's say Apple tried. They didn't know how hard it would be, so they bought all the companies they could. They realized, "shit--this still won't be good enough, but we can't give in to mountain view." Their only move? Release 98% done maps anyway and hope Google misses the iOS map spying ad traffic. iOS maps is perfectly usable, but it's not perfect for every situation (park layouts, transit, inside building directions, more sane turn-by-turn routing).

Google has been doing massive data collection for years (mapping individual internal building layouts? street view gps trails by bike? insane on a world scale.) How can anybody possibly get close to the polish of Google's mapping data (varying wildly by country though)? Apple should have made every Apple Store a base of mapping operations. They should have sent people out with gps loggers to run, bike, walk, drive everywhere they could. Someday a company will buy google just for its mapping capability and toss the rest in the bitbucket.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#39

Post by mtgx »

kyrra wrote: post #24
hpagey wrote: post #13

Actually I think Apple won here. Google was refusing to release a turn by turn direction update to their apps. By developing an Apple Map App with turn by turn, they kind of forced GooG to provide it on iOS platform. Also, it is very difficult for google to ignore ios users.

How is that a win? Apple got egg on their face from all the bad press. They had to shell out a ton of money for 2 map companies they bought, money for all the map data they are buying, plus all the engineering resources to create the product. Google Maps lets google have full branding on the iphone and can gather all the data they want from users. And they can have all the branding on the Maps that they want. If I re…

Not to mention they had to fire one of their VP's over it.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#40

Post by xutopia »

kjackson2012 wrote: post #33

Frankly, Tim Cook should shut down the entire Apple Maps division. Who in their right mind is going to use Apple Maps at this point? Try searching "Pier 39 San Francisco". The query can't be any more specific, and it's the most iconic location for tourists, and Apple Maps will bring you to a pretty shady area of town, only a mile or two away from Hunter's Point, one of the more violent areas of SF.

This is nothing. Try to look up many of the hospital in Quebec and it will send you to random places (car dealer, ice cream shop, etc...)
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