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Close on the heels of claims of revamped notifications and widgets in iOS 5, 9to5Google now reports that Apple will continue relying on Google's mapping service for iOS 5, noting that any efforts to sever geolocation ties with Google by moving things entirely in-house have not yet resulted in a finished product.
Now, sources have told 9to5Google that although Apple is working to improve the iOS Maps application, iOS 5 will not bring an Apple developed maps service and Google Maps is still in. Besides Apple's purchase of both Placebase and Poly9, some speculated that Apple is building their own maps service to either compete with Google or step away from their input into iOS.
Apple has given several indications that it is looking to make major improvements to the Maps application included in iOS and also revealed that it is building a crowd-sourced traffic database from iOS devices with an eye to rolling out a traffic service presumably linked to a turn-by-turn GPS mapping offering.
Top Rated Comments
That's a pity. This app hasn't seen much update action for a while....
And Apple only has itself to blame. They are the one creating Google Maps on iPhone. Hopefully there will be a revision on iOS 5. Google Maps on Android is simply awesome.
The article should be more clear about the fact that Apple has always made the map app on the iPhone. This story is about where the map data will be coming from. Instead of from Google it may eventually come from an Apple-run service
Really ?Do you know how much effort Google is putting into Google Maps, worldwide, to upgrade it ? All the business places, streetview, mymaps editor, etc.
It's almost impossible for Apple to reach the level of Google Maps.
What's wrong with Google Maps? I think it's perfect, I just wish it had Turn By Turn GPS.
The data itself is good, but have a look at the Android version of the client. The iPhone version now looks extremely feature-poor in comparison.
The distinction is important because it means that improvements to the maps app in iOS 5 have nothing to do with this rumor. They may update it or they may not but that doesn't depend on where they get the data from.
I, for one, sure hope the app gets some new features this year even if it's not their super-big overhaul project.