And now Google Maps Navigation might NOT be coming to iPhone...
No sooner did the UK announcement of Google Maps Navigation bring word that an iPhone version would follow... some day, then Google goes into disaster recovery mode and says, um, uh... maybe not:
"We did not say we would bring it to iPhone, we said to date we've had it on Android and that in the future it may come to other platforms but did not confirm this will be coming to iPhone at all."
In all fairness, it's likely far more complicated to get Google Maps Navigation on the iPhone because, while Google can do what they want on their own Android Platform, Apple builds the Maps UI on the iPhone and controls the App Store, and that means Google and Apple likely have to work together to get this done and delivered. They've done that in the past with the built-in Street View and the separate Google Mobile app, but utterly failed to do it with Latitude, for example. (Never mind the colossal cluster-frak that was Google Voice).
But none of that means Google PR shouldn't get it together. Maybe navigate over to a nice cup of coffee, hash things out, and then get back to us?
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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I think this is long overdue! We're going into the 4th generation iPhone and we still don't even have Latitude? Apple and Google need to get their working relations straight! Google Navigation would be clutch on an iPhone!
Who cares. I have tom tom and motionx gps drive. Which work awesome on the iphone. Why do I need this? The only reason why people are crying about having this cause it's FREE. And one thing I have noticed about people who own a iphone they always want something for nothing. Do you think it's free to develop all these stuff? Cheap areses.
So many of the new features of Google maps that have been added over the last two years were slipped in with no effort on the part of Apple.
A side by side comparison will show virtualy perfect identity between maps on the iPhone an on android.
So whatever part Apple played in the app development was small. Google has slipped update after update, feature after feature into maps on the iPhone with no help from Apple between releases.
They do this with the datastream, which is all pure graphics: take it or leave it Apple!
I'm sure they could slip nav by the gatekeepers too.
@Macboy15: I'll gladly be a cheap "arse" as everything these days is more expensive! So whatever I can get for free, I will clamor for it; and accept it with open arms!
It's Google's loss, million and millions of iPhone ad revenue will be missed out on.
I can't even guess how long it will take these too to partner up and actually work out an app everyone will enjoy. Them not being able to come to a consensus makes me wonder about google maps on the iPhone completely.
Google maps nav is probably the biggest thing drawing me to android. I don't need a nav app frequently enough to warrant spending $30-$80 on it but when I do need one the preloaded maps directions are limited. Having to look down at the screen frequently while driving is dangerous. I know mapquest has a free turn by turn app but I don't like te routing.
I would love to see the iPhone get google maps navigation.
My buddy has the Droid and the Google navigation is super slick. He points and laughs everytime I pull out my iPhone.
@Macboy15 I own an iPhone and I don't always want free stuff. I've probably spent close to $30 on apps (almost all of them are games), but that's very conservative compared to some people.
@Joe mcG Dude who gives a **** if ur lame friend points and laughs about ur iPhone regarding maps. U should should point and laugh every time that tool opens one of his apps!! ALL apps for Andriod are gay as ****!!!!!! Not to mention the touch interface AND apps are a direct rip off off apples OS and app store. Nuff said.
It's Google's ball anyway. If they want to take their ball and go home, then let them. There are plenty of other alternatives out there.
Between stupid moves like this and the self inflicted fragmentation of Android OS across multiple hardware schemes, Google is setting up their Android powered devices to be nitch products that capture a small piece of the pie. H3ll, there isn't enough Android supporting uber-geeks out there to push them to the top. They need the support of the average Joe and they don't have it, Apple does.
This is where Bing should pop in jump out with their navi app
Kicking Google off the iPhone as the maps provider will be a mistake.
google maps being free is not really the truth in my country we need to pay around $1 per mb download. so a trip trough Europe would cost me more then all alternatives together adding rooming cost.
Choosing between maps is like choosing between bottle water. Big deal.
Even if Google's are the best (so people say), that doesn't mean others aren't really good. I mean, they're just maps, for godssake. Apple can use other maps if they had to. iPhone users aren't going to scream and cry if their maps suddenly aren't Google's.
The problem with Apple including this in Google Maps out of the box now, especially with it being quite a good navigation app, is that it would devistate the sales of many of the GPS navigation apps already in the App Store. Ok so it doesn't store maps locally, but it is still plenty good enough for most people so some fairly big companies would see that revenue drop off overnight.
Now it could be offered as a free download as a separate app, but then you seemingly have some duplication that Apple doesn't like. I think this is also why iBooks was a download, so that Apple was seen as trying to compete evenly with the likes of Amazon and Stanza, etc.
Visi, it not the consumers loss, Apple never promised Google Navigation when you bought a iPhone there are other free Navigation systems just not as good. This is a gift from Google if they want to build it, but obviously they feel like the iPhone is competition now and that is a mistake to me, because they are still a advertising company and like I said the iPhone is a big part of mobile browsing (in the news today, the iPhone is 72% of the smart phone market for the Japanese (72%)).
Yes, I would like to have it but it's not a loss to me, we have things Android doesn't have and Android has things we don't have. Everyone just needs to pick the phone that is best for them.
@fastlane
you sir are wrong. The google map is more than just any map. With streetview and the speed it loads data , it's better than the competition even without the voice guidence. Apple needs to cooperate with google or they will regret this down the road. No one cab compete with google in mapping and navigation department.
@Art VanBurenBoy:
Wrong about what? I never said Google maps weren't better.
I suppose you're too young to remember when the masses thought Apple was a big joke that could never compete with Microsoft.
Everything Google currently does can be competed with. Do you really need Street View to find where you're going? Will you be completely lost without Street View? How did you ever get around before Street View? Did you just stay home?
Most people won't care if Apple uses Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, or Joe Six-Pack's Maps. They're just freakin' maps, dude.
If you wanna go that route then I guess you're too young to remember the days we would get by just fine without cellphones and we could find a place with just an old atlas.
Google is way ahead in the maps dept cause of google earth and their advanced satrelote imaging systems
Screw Gloogle (not a misspelling). Didn't Apple buy a software mapping company not too long ago?
Yep they did. But they realized that the mapping software they were using was a step backward. I hardly believe anyone would like that. Even a fanboy like yourself
And you know this how? Work for Gloogle do you? Or even worse, Gizmodo?
I work for Ford. I have no insider info. Apple will depend on Google when it comes to Maps.at least for the next decade. Wanna bet ?!
@Art VanBurnenBoy
You're about as likely to win that bet as you are finding a Ford that's still running after 80,000 miles. Apple is already working on an alternative.
@Art VanBurenBoy:
Absolutely. But that doesn't mean nobody else can compete with them (or perhaps even dominate them in the future). Despite Coca-Cola, Pepsi is still selling their products after 120 years of competing. My point being, that Apple doesn't HAVE to provide the "very best" map service to satisfy its customers. Hence, my earlier comment that others can still be "really good", even if they are the 'Pepsi' of maps and navigation.
I still say "they're just maps."
No big deal.
Sent from my MacBook Pro.
FastLane you're right. They DONT HAVE TO provide the best map app. BUT we all know that apple always strives to provide us with the best when it comes to anything. They're not gonna just give up being way above and way ahead of the competition. If map apps were only apps and noting important they wouldn't have even bothered with including it in their free included app.
CJ Ford is the leading brand of auto makers as we speak when it comes to technology , safety and innovation. I suggest you take a test drive in the amazing Taurus SHO and maybe that will change your mind and gets you to trade in your civic
@Art VanBurenBoy:
Exactly. So, why wouldn't they strive to be the best at maps or navigation if that were a priority of theirs? You were the one who said nobody else could compete with Google, not me.
They don't have to give up. They could simply be outdone because they're involved with many more things. Their Aperture isn't better than Photoshop, their GarageBand isn't as advanced as other multitrack applications. Their 'Pages' can't compete with Adobe InDesign. And as far as reviews are concerned, their Numbers app isn't as advanced as Excel...
So why should their maps necessarily be more advanced than Google's? What's the big deal with being second, or third? That's nothing new for Apple, and nothing new for any other software company for that matter.
I've been using Macs only since 1987, and have NEVER used Windows machines, ever. But Apple isn't the best at all software because it's not their only focus. However, they can compete with anyone they choose to when they decide to put forth the effort and money.
If they decide to compete with Google with maps and navigation, they will. if they don't, they won't. The bottom line is that maps aren't a big deal. Most people won't give a damn if their maps are Google maps with street view, or some other moderate 'quality' maps.
Bottled water.
@Buffdaddydeluxe, that's one of the biggest contradictions if ever I've seen one. You say all Android app's are sh!t, then you say: "Not to mention the touch interface AND apps are a direct rip off off apples OS and app store. Nuff said."
Exactly, "NUFF" said!
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This is also very little about any Apple v Android spat, or any past Apple-Google friction. This is about one thing, and one thing only: analytics.
Providing turn-by-turn costs money, and Google has always provided services for free to consumers, funding their efforts with unmatched data mining skills and scale. This quarter, Appke has declared that no app (iAd services excepted, of course) can do any sort of information passing. Yes, we can bitch and moan that such tracking is evil (except when Apple does it), but that is how Google pays the freight. Apple's new restrictions make it impossible for Google to recoup their costs - or gain much of any benefit whatsoever - from an iPhone turn-by-turn app. If Apple would allow them analytics, Google would have a submission ready by the end of the month. If Apple does not, it will be a loooooong time before we see one.
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I never use iphone or other smartphone for navigation, never compromise with drying battery, data usage and small screen. That all stupid To use phone for car navigate
i use 5 inch garmin Nuvi in my car.
Motorola just gave Google "the boot". So much for that.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/motorola-gives-google-the-boot-turns-to-skyhook-for-location-se/
I am a G1(Android 2.0) user and I've always wanting to move onto an iPhone 4. I have a MacBook Pro and I love Apple! But most of my life rely on Google (Gmail, Google Talk, Latitue, Buzz, Google Map, G.Map Nav, etc) and Android has them as native service in backgroud. I decided to change phone to very sleek and sexy iPhone 4.... Now I am researching for how to use Google app on iphone or (at least) Gmail is available (by google. I don't want to third party or MS exchange way)... No luck.... I better get a Galaxy S.. (I heard from sales guy today that this phone is now more popular than iPhone... and Optus.com.au says iPhone is in stock but no Galaxy S).
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