Ios6Maps
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Taiwan asks Apple to obscure radar defense system in iOS 6 Maps
Another day, another complaint about iOS 6 Maps. Today, the Taiwanese government is asking Apple to obscure details of a new radar system near Hsinchu Air Base on the island that appear in satellite images. Apple's doing nothing illegal; it's just a request to have Apple use lower-resolution images in the map of this area. While we don't know exactly where the radar system is or what it looks like, a quick look at the Hsinchu Air Base in both iOS 6 Maps and Google Maps shows that the Apple images are already at a bit lower resolution than the Google images. In the Google Maps image, I was able to easily discern Taiwanese F-16 fighters sitting next to a taxiway (below). The iOS 6 Maps images (above) were less sharp, although I was able to tell the difference between an F-16, what appears to be F-5E or F, and a Mirage 2000 on a taxiway. A post on The Verge notes that Google has been asked to obscure images before in the past, so this similar request to Apple is nothing out of the ordinary. For the Maps team, it's probably just another few hours of overtime.
Apple reportedly had one year left on Google maps contract
It would appear Apple and Google could have kept the Maps app powered by Google for another year, at least according to sources who spoke to The Verge. The decision was made before WWDC this year, and caught Google unaware (according to sources), which is why we still don't have a Google Maps app. According to the report, Apple felt Google's offering was lagging behind. Plus there's the contractual limitation of turn-by-turn directions (available on Android), as well as the added drama of Google requesting more branding and the inclusion of Latitude. Despite having a year left on the established app, however, Apple decided to go it alone. The Verge, and we here at TUAW, are already seeing progress on data points which were missing or incorrect, but mapping the planet and adding relevant data for businesses and such is -- quite literally -- no small matter.
Editorial: Apple's smart Maps maneuver
More Info Nokia stacks up its maps next to Apple's and Google's, politely suggests it comes out on top (update: more detail) Apple says it's 'just getting started' on Maps for iOS 6, are you willing to wait? (poll) MapQuest picks TomTom Maps to power iPhone and Android turn-by-turn navigation apps It might seem as if Apple chose its iOS 6 release last week to practice the biblical directive to love one's enemy. For, by ejecting Google Maps from updated iPads and iPhones, Apple hath caused glorious comparisons to shine upon its foe. If most people were unaware of comparative feature sets and quality aspects that distinguish Google Maps from Apple Maps, every tech-loving person on God's earth is an expert now. The media love a bloodbath, and Joe Nocera led the rhetorical pack by calling Apple Maps an "unmitigated disaster" in a NY Times piece. He wondered whether such calamity would have ensued if Steve Jobs (who called the 1998 "hockey puck" mouse the world's best pointing device) were guiding the company's product evolution. Mr. Nocera argues the Maps replacement as an indicator that Apple has peaked. I argue that replacing Google Maps with Apple Maps was shrewd, inevitable and an indicator that Apple understands the true battle it wages.
Daily Update for June 12, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple selects TomTom as primary iOS 6 maps provider (update: confirmed)
Been wondering exactly which data service is replacing Google as Apple's map provider? According to these leaked screenshots (shown above) from the iOS 6 developer beta running on an iPhone 4S, it appears to be TomTom. The company is no stranger to iOS, as its navigation app and car kit have been available on the iPhone since 2009. On an interesting note, the maps application specifically mentions "data from TomTom, others," which means there may be other suppliers that aren't getting called out by name. We'll keep you posted as we hear more what's going on behind-the-scenes. Update: TomTom has independently confirmed to us that it indeed "has signed a global agreement with Apple for maps and related information." [Thanks, Anonymous]
