On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
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On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
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Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#2I dont get why Maps releases are tied to OS releases. If the Maps api to other apps doesn't change, why can't maps be updated as other apps are?
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#3I dont get why Maps releases are tied to OS releases. If the Maps api to other apps doesn't change, why can't maps be updated as other apps are?
Any big feature change makes for a good slide or two in the keynotes. They get once or twice a year to make a big impression on the press - dribbling out updates to core apps in the meantime would remove the buzz.
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#4If I'm reading this right, does that mean when the contract expires, Google stops serving map tiles to iOS clients using the Google Maps client?
That would mean the iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and the original iPad (none of which support iOS 6) will lose all mapping ability starting next year. Unless, of course, Apple backports their maps app to iOS 5 (and even that wouldn't help original iPhone users--if there are any left).
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#5Gruber essentially tiptoes around the main problem. The iOS 6 map app was released before it was polished up to what people expect from Apple. "Oh Apple had to release it now or else Apple would have to release in a non major release!" Are you kidding me?
The alternative being to release a terrible version that tarnishes their brand, that is way better alternative
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#6If I'm reading this right, does that mean when the contract expires, Google stops serving map tiles to iOS clients using the Google Maps client? That would mean the iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and the original iPad (none of which support iOS 6) will lose all mapping ability starting next year. Unless, of course, Apple backports their maps app to iOS 5 (and even that wouldn't help original iPhone users--if there are any le…
You're reading Gruber's assumptions correctly. Whether those assumptions are accurate or not is another matter entirely.
I can't imagine apple would have ever negotiated any deal where their maps simply stopped working when a contract expires.
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#7If I'm reading this right, does that mean when the contract expires, Google stops serving map tiles to iOS clients using the Google Maps client? That would mean the iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and the original iPad (none of which support iOS 6) will lose all mapping ability starting next year. Unless, of course, Apple backports their maps app to iOS 5 (and even that wouldn't help original iPhone users--if there are any le…
Check the footnote. Devices using still Google Maps will most likely function without a change for a few years, but Apple won't be allowed to sell/activate more phones using Google Maps.
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#8Gruber essentially tiptoes around the main problem. The iOS 6 map app was released before it was polished up to what people expect from Apple. "Oh Apple had to release it now or else Apple would have to release in a non major release!" Are you kidding me? The alternative being to release a terrible version that tarnishes their brand, that is way better alternative
His main suggestion is that Apple couldn't get enough data to make it good without launching the app, and they had to go ahead and release it at some point. The software works quite well - it's the dataset that's inferior.
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#9Problem with this analysis is that if the replacing maps on iOS6 was always going to be this year then it just compounds the culpability of Apple for shipping it half baked with no fallback. ie. in trying to assuage the criticism of Apple for shipping maps too early (what I read as the main point of his piece here), Gruber only begs the question of why they weren't better prepared for it.
Re: On the Timing of Apple’s Map Switch
#10If I'm reading this right, does that mean when the contract expires, Google stops serving map tiles to iOS clients using the Google Maps client? That would mean the iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and the original iPad (none of which support iOS 6) will lose all mapping ability starting next year. Unless, of course, Apple backports their maps app to iOS 5 (and even that wouldn't help original iPhone users--if there are any le…
Check the footnote. Devices using still Google Maps will most likely function without a change for a few years, but Apple won't be allowed to sell/activate more phones using Google Maps.
Yeah I just saw that.
I'm sure the deal takes into account legacy devices, but I wonder how long that extended support would last.