Questions Arise Over Google's Plans to Bring Free Turn-By-Turn GPS Navigation to iPhone
Last October, Google announced free turn-by-turn GPS navigation capabilities for its Android 2.0 operating system in the United States, launching the feature on the Motorola Droid handset the following month. At the time, Google vice president Vic Gundotra revealed that his company was working with Apple to bring the feature to the iPhone, noting that the implementation required more work than a simple App Store submission due to the built-in nature of the Maps application.
MacUser yesterday reported that Google has announced that it is bringing the free service to the United Kingdom on Android and continues to have plans to bring it to the iPhone and other platforms.
Google confirmed at a London press conference that it plans to bring free satnav to other smartphone platforms, including the iPhone, although it wouldn't say when.
According to PCWorld, however, Google has backpedaled on those claims and in fact seems to be distancing itself from the possibility of bringing the service to the iPhone."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," a Google spokesperson told PCWorld.
While users continue to wait for Google to decide whether to make its service available on the iPhone, other companies have been stepping forward in the competitive GPS navigation market. In addition to paid options from such companies as TomTom, Magellan, and Navigon, MapQuest last month began offering free basic turn-by-turn directions.Top Rated Comments
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Heh, one reason I'm dismayed to see something about Apple and Google fighting is that a big thing that makes my iphone so useful is the google maps app and google search is pretty much the search engine I use. As well as gmail.
And I honestly like google :).
Anyhow, Google Maps Nav is the SHITE! way better than the tom tom app my buddy has on his Iphone, and he paid 80 dollars for it!
PCWorld: "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," a Google spokesperson told PCWorld.
So who's likely the liar; CNET, PCWorld, or Google?
Google is a company that we should admire, going up against Chinese censorship and really haven't done anything "evil". They seem to have found a way to make money and still look out for the general good.
Steve Jobs has the audacity to call Google evil for bringing some competition in the mobile phone industry. I don't even think Google wants to dominate the industry, they just want to make sure a system like Apple does not become the end all be all. They just want to make sure people have choices.
If Google somehow blocks Gmail and Google Maps from the iPhone, the phone would just be a brick for a lot of people.
As much as I love my Macbook, Macbook Pro, iPhones, iPods, and iPad in my house... I hope Google starts playing hardball with Apple.
Google is a company that we should admire, going up against Chinese censorship and really haven't done anything "evil". They seem to have found a way to make money and still look out for the general good.
Steve Jobs has the audacity to call Google evil for bringing some competition in the mobile phone industry. I don't even think Google wants to dominate the industry, they just want to make sure a system like Apple does not become the end all be all. They just want to make sure people have choices.
If Google somehow blocks Gmail and Google Maps from the iPhone, the phone would just be a brick for a lot of people.
Exactly. Google is an infinitely superior software company, and Apple is becoming the lumbering a-holes of the industry. Going to be great when it bites them in the ass.
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