LegalDisclaimer
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iOS 5 legal disclaimer lists new third-party mapping companies
A recent discovery in the legal disclaimer section of iOS 5 suggests Apple may be looking beyond Google Maps in future versions of the mobile OS. The legal section references a variety of mapping companies in its map data section, including CoreLogic, Getchee, Localeze and Urban Mapping. Most of these new services provide local point-of-interest information, demographics and traffic data. One notable company also included on this list is Tom Tom whose name needs no explanation. Despite this discovery, Google Maps is still in the game for the time being. It has a long history with the iPhone and appears front and center in iOS 5. Eric Schmidt also recently confirmed Apple has extended its mapping agreement with the search giant. Apple is still relying on Google Maps, but there is little doubt it is working on its own solution. In the past several years, Apple has bought two mapping companies: Placebase and Poly9. It has also hired engineers with navigation and mapping experience to join its iOS development team. Coupled with earlier rumors, these latest legal disclaimer references suggest a Google Maps companion and perhaps even a replacement is in the works.
