It’s no secret that Apple’s iOS 6 Maps application — which replaces the Google Maps app that has featured on iOS since day dot — is a bit of a let down, to say the least. Major criticism pretty much sums it up. It fails to find directions between things, buildings, ships and road ways look melted and deformed, and businesses and other locations are frequently in the wrong spot. In short, Apple’s new Maps service sucks.
Motorola has decided, quite cleverly, to take advantage of this state of affairs with a bit of competitive marketing, pointing out that the new Droid RAZR M (like virtually all Android devices) comes with Google Maps, and it works a hell of a lot better than iOS 6 Maps does (and may ever).
https://twitter.com/Motorola/status/249302023760146432
Undoubtedly, Motorola’s message is more advertising for the RAZR M than anything else, but taking advantage of the #iLost hashtag, which is seeing some pretty amusing tweets already, is a clever move.
We at Ausdroid find ourselves wondering, as are many other blogs around the ‘net, whether Google will throw Apple a lifeline in the form of a Google Maps app in the App Store. It seems almost certain, but the question is how much will they let Apple bleed before they do it?
Google have already announced that their Google Maps iOS 6 app has been submitted to the iStore and is waiting Apple’s approval.
Lol – nice one, Google.
The comment about google letting them bleed ignores the point. Google wants to be in maps on the iPhone because maps is an advertising stream with a data-gathering side-revenue stream. Google will want in as soon as possible – this is core business for Google. And its why Apple investing a lot of money in improving their maps may be a losing situation for them – or at least a poor, loss-leader type of investment. They don’t have a business model (yet) that makes money out of things as mundane as maps and map search. The whole maps/navigation thing is… Read more »
That’s a valid point Greg – thanks for making it. Google wants to be on iOS, especially in maps… no doubt. It’s one of the biggest data sources for Maps they probably had (or have). Google might still want to let Apple bleed a little though .. Apple could have had Google Maps on iOS 6 if they wanted to. Presumably they just didn’t want it badly enough, and I think the speculation that maybe Apple don’t understand 100% what it means to be in the mapping business is probably also accurate..
Google should be getting their Maps replacement for iOS 6 out there ASAP – have people install it and then set it as the default Maps App for iPhone (well that’s the Android way of doing things – does it work in a similar manner for iPhones?) If all the Apple fanbois then go with Google maps, then Google get their data and ad revenue and Apple maps will just whither as there will be a lack of crowd data to make the app functional. If Apple plays hardball and doesn’t sharpen up Apple Maps quick smart, or at least… Read more »
There’s also the question that even if Google go and submit a google map app in the app store, will apple approve it since it’ll rival their map application. it may suck, buy you won’t hear apple admit that.
Comparing what is now a mid range android phone to the newest iphone. I like it