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| Google Maps launches iPhone app after Apple veered off track | Google Maps launches iPhone app after Apple veered off track |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Google has released a downloadable app that makes its maps available to users of Apple's new iOS software – and has included turn-by-turn navigation and "vector" maps which don't need constant data downloads, just as the iPhone maker had previously wanted. | Google has released a downloadable app that makes its maps available to users of Apple's new iOS software – and has included turn-by-turn navigation and "vector" maps which don't need constant data downloads, just as the iPhone maker had previously wanted. |
| The move comes two and a half months after Apple banished Google from providing the core maps experience on the iPhone and iPad because of a dispute over advertising, revenue shares and the provision of those navigation and vector functions. | |
| But that move led to humiliation for Apple, which included its own Maps system with the iOS 6 software that is used on the iPhone 5 and which has been downloaded by more than 200 million people since September. | But that move led to humiliation for Apple, which included its own Maps system with the iOS 6 software that is used on the iPhone 5 and which has been downloaded by more than 200 million people since September. |
| The maps have come in for widespread criticism because they mislabelled locations, left off some public transport information and in some cases could even put people in life-threatening situations. | The maps have come in for widespread criticism because they mislabelled locations, left off some public transport information and in some cases could even put people in life-threatening situations. |
| Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, was forced into a humiliating public apology, including recommending that dissatisfied users try rival products from Microsoft or Nokia. | Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, was forced into a humiliating public apology, including recommending that dissatisfied users try rival products from Microsoft or Nokia. |
| Soon afterwards Cook fired the head of the iOS 6 software team, Scott Forstall, and more recently was reported to have fired the chief of Apple's maps group. | Soon afterwards Cook fired the head of the iOS 6 software team, Scott Forstall, and more recently was reported to have fired the chief of Apple's maps group. |
| But the Google maps app will not be the default one for mapping on the iPhone; Apple's own will still be the default, providing location data from any other app, and there is no mechanism to let people use Google's instead. | But the Google maps app will not be the default one for mapping on the iPhone; Apple's own will still be the default, providing location data from any other app, and there is no mechanism to let people use Google's instead. |
| But the Google Maps app includes elements that Apple's own lacks, including embedded public transport directions. Crucially, Google has also provided an API – essentially software "hooks" for developers – that will mean that if it is installed, third-party apps can use Google's Maps rather than Apple's to deal with mapping. | But the Google Maps app includes elements that Apple's own lacks, including embedded public transport directions. Crucially, Google has also provided an API – essentially software "hooks" for developers – that will mean that if it is installed, third-party apps can use Google's Maps rather than Apple's to deal with mapping. |
| The app's approval seems to have been accelerated: the Wall Street Journal reported that Google was putting the finishing touches to it four weeks ago in preparation to submit it to Apple's App Store. | The app's approval seems to have been accelerated: the Wall Street Journal reported that Google was putting the finishing touches to it four weeks ago in preparation to submit it to Apple's App Store. |
| Apple's own Maps introduced turn-by-turn navigation for walking and driving and uses "vector" maps, which compress data stored in a file so that they will provide mapping even without a data connection. | |
| Those were precisely the features that Apple had wanted from Google – but the two disagreed over the provision of the features, which had been included on Google's Android mobile operating software since the end of 2010. | Those were precisely the features that Apple had wanted from Google – but the two disagreed over the provision of the features, which had been included on Google's Android mobile operating software since the end of 2010. |
| Google wanted to be able to include adverts on the maps as a source of revenue; that would mean getting data about the location of the phone, among other information. Apple resisted that. The drawn-out dispute between the companies eventually saw Apple decide to build its own Maps content and make that the default on the iPhone and iPad. | Google wanted to be able to include adverts on the maps as a source of revenue; that would mean getting data about the location of the phone, among other information. Apple resisted that. The drawn-out dispute between the companies eventually saw Apple decide to build its own Maps content and make that the default on the iPhone and iPad. |
| The new Google Maps app is so far only available for the iPhone; although it will work on the iPad there is not yet a specific version for Apple's tablet. | The new Google Maps app is so far only available for the iPhone; although it will work on the iPad there is not yet a specific version for Apple's tablet. |