No, and they won't. That is the biggest fun in this case, many people expect Google to make an app and publish it. But there is the "no duplication" rule in App Store, so a Google Maps app is highly unlikely.
Most of the new features that have been missing in the stock installed Maps (<iOS6) are in the web app.. I've been using on my 3G for a while and have found it just better!
Not quite correct (Speaking as an iOS developer). Apple reserve the right to refuse an app based on duplicated functionality but it's a very rare thing for them to do so. This is how google have a gmail app in the store, and you get dozens of stock, clock, reminder, music, browser, notes, mapping, video playback, eReader, camera, video chat, messaging and calendar apps. What they will refuse is yet more sound-board, virtual fart and 'pint' apps that add nothing new and nothing of value to the store.
To be fair to apple, google did have a 7 year head start on developing Google Maps - although I think it's interesting that apple have renamed Berlin to "Schoeneiche”. ...uh?
Yes, they had. But that doesn't mean a iOS5 user who had access to current maping data will be satisfied to get subpar data. Like, this is acceptable according to you ? Yes, that is an actual screenshot from the Maps application from this location : http://goo.gl/maps/qfU7W
so I searched for Newcastle, it took me to Newcastle Charleston, new south wales, austarlia so I searched Newcastle United Kingdom, it took me to Newcastle northern Ireland united kingdom
And that isn't even the funniest part. They should provide a more fine zooming for satellite data. They have the quality source data, but they give you the garbage version if you zoom a bit above the quality data limit ? City level quality : Let's zoom in a bit : And this is a minimal extra zoom of the picture above : The last picture is really just a minimal bit of extra pinch to zoom compared to the previous picture. Like maybe a 2-4% extra zoom.
Will be interesting to see how the app develops - maps is one of googles fortes and wont be beaten easily, especially with the witty elements built in, such as kayaking the atlantic and not walking into mordor Anyway, *generic and witty comment about apple filing a lawsuit against google for their maps looking the same*.
I'm pretty sure you love to make some bold assumptions there yourself. Keep in mind these "developing countries" actually have an economy, and manufacture goods for global export. I wouldn't exactly cheer for the UK economy.
Maps looks like it has been thrown together in the shortest time possible just to get rid of something google-based as quickly as possible. I can't help but wonder, would Steve Jobs have let this happen? I know he wanted to destroy the competition but would he have let something so effectively useless and awful be put on the new iPhone? I won't even start on the flat-out lie about the iPhone 5 being the thinnest iPhone in the world...
Google has an iOS 6 Maps app awaiting approval. It is solely up to Apple to approve. Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple says “nope” however. More here.
OK, so TomTom PR must be shitting themselves over this. Surely apple could have at least bought all the data from one place?
Well. In tomtom satnav, you dont get as detailed satellite pictures as what people are showing here. There must be other sources. For your amusements: http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/
80% of the world's population live on less than $10 a day. Well over 50% live on less than $2.50 a day. Huge numbers of children and geriatrics make up a hefty proportion of the world's population. I'll wager that very few of the above are or will ever be able to afford/use an Apple device in the foreseeable future. So whilst I don't disagree with your point about economies, my point about people prioritising food and staying alive still stands.
Apple has issued a statement, sayign (paraphrased) that they're aware of it, and that the more people use it, the better it becomes. Things to consider here: They don't need to update the OS to update maps. They simply need to update the server side. Sattellites make regular passes, and I am sure that in a couple of months, the whole thing will look better. With more people using it, they can firstly focus attention where it's most needed: i.e. areas with high iOS6 density. secondly, the can identify one-way streets, inaccuracies pertaining to the maps, etc... Yes, they launched too early. there's no question about that... and yet, I feel that while it's not as great as Google Maps, Google maps has a 5-year MINIMUM head-start here...
BentAnat, the primary issue is that they completely dropped public transport, walk only streets etc. That happens when you base your data on a car-only satnav data.
