During Eric Schmidt's interview at AllThingsD 9, he revealed that Google had just renewed their Map and Search agreements with Apple. Quote per Engadget:
"We just renewed our Map and Search agreements with Apple, and we hope those continue for a long time."
This confirms rumors that Apple would be continuing to use Google Map data in iOS 5. There had been a number of Apple acquisitions and hirings that have suggested that Apple is actively working in this area. The news also suggests that Google's search remains the default choice rather than Microsoft's Bing which was said to be under consideration at one point.
Top Rated Comments
Map app = bad
Improved map app using google maps = great
+1 for Google Maps. IMO.
Most people would never dream of searching with anything but Google and to do better than Google Maps would be one hell of an ask of Apple.
I'd love it if there could be a locally stored vector-based map of my country or something, so if I don't have signal I can still see exactly where I am and work out how to get home. Waiting for maps to load around my blue dot is frustrating especially when I know they've all been loaded before.
That's what China thought too when they built the Great Wall. And look where that got them.
They became the world's factory, including the manufacturer of iPhones and iPods, and a major economic powerhouse?And what does keeping Mongolians out have to do with anything?