Apple to Drop Google Maps?

Recently Simon Baker addressed the fact that Nestoria were moving away from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap as their mapping platform provider.

Last week 9TO5 Mac reported on Apple being rumoured to have a feature in development for iOS 6: a completely in-house maps application.

Apparently, Apple will drop the Google Maps program in favour of a new Maps app with an Apple backend. The app design seems to be similar to the Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it seems to be a cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience.

With property portals launching iPhone and iPad apps more and more, and these applications using GPS technology allowing users to search for nearby properties to buy or rent based on their current location thanks to Google Maps; how will the rumoured decision by Apple affect the property portals which have developed smart phone applications?

Companies such as Property24.com, Trulia, Zillow, HotPads and Apartments.com, among others, have recognised that the on-the-go convenience of an app allows their users greater search capability, and therefore greater movement of properties.

“Smartphones have become ubiquitous in South Africa, with many consumers relying on these devices as their primary point of Internet access,” says Property24.com’s General Manager JP Farinha. “We want to be able to offer our audience the freedom to access the full functionality of the Property24.com portal, irrespective of time and location, and the advanced features afforded by today’s smartphones have allowed us to do that and more.”

Below is the 9TO5Mac reported article:

Rough mockup showing the user-enabled 3D mode (on the right)

According to trusted sources, Apple has an incredible headline feature in development for iOS 6: a completely in-house maps application. Apple will drop the Google Maps program running on iOS since 2007 in favor for a new Maps app with an Apple backend. The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience.

Read on after the break for all of the details!

While Apple has always had full control of the actual iOS Maps application design, the backend has belonged to Google. That will change with iOS 6 thanks to their purchases of Placebase, C3 Technologies, and Poly9; acquisitions that Apple has used to create a complete mapping database. Now that the application is fully in-house, it is being referred to simply as “Maps” (some people call the current version Google Maps because of the backend). We reported prior to the launch of iOS 5 that Apple and Google had extended their Maps deal, and now it is obvious when that deal ends.

Signifying the application’s complete re-write is a new logo for iOS Maps: it is basically a redesigned version of the current iOS Maps icon with a view of Apple’s 1 Infinite Loop Campus, but redrawn with a new color scheme. Apple’s replacement for Google Street View will likely also be an in-house solution. C3 Technologies worked on street view capability as shown in the image above.

The most important aspect of the new Maps application is a powerful new 3D mode. The 3D mode does not come enabled by default, but users simply need to click a 3D button that is conveniently and visibly stored in the app. Perhaps under the fold like the current traffic, pin, and map view buttons. This 3D mode is said to essentially be technology straight from C3 Technologies: beautiful, realisitic graphics based on de-classified missile target algorithms. This is how the Apple acquired company C3 Technologies described their technology:

C3 Technologies is the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world for search, navigation and geographic information systems. Since 2007 when it was spun out of the aerospace and defense company Saab AB, venture-backed C3 has redefined mapping by applying previously classified image processing technology to the development of 3D maps as a platform for new social and commercial applications. The Sweden-based company’s automated software and advanced algorithms enable C3 to rapidly assemble extremely precise 3D models, and seamlessly integrate them with traditional 2D maps, satellite images, street level photography and user generated images, that together are forever changing how people use maps and explore the world.

On the topic of C3 technologies, a few weeks ago we heard that most of the C3 Technologies top executives that came to Apple as a part of the acquisition have left for new opportunities. It is common sight in the Silicon Valley to see acquired team members leave companies once their “job is done.” The C3 Technologies team leaving just ahead of iOS integration would be similar to Siri co-founder Dag Kittlaus leaving following Siri’s launch on the iPhone 4S late last year.

iOS 6 will likely be introduced at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference in mid-June. We’ve heard that many versions of what will become a final iOS 6 product have been floating around Apple’s Cupertino labs (the iOS team likes to work on many projects and then pull them all together at the end of a development cycle), but those expecting major home screen changes or Android-like widgets might be disappointed… briefly, anyway.

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Why the iPad Works for Writing

When the first iPad launched in 2010, critics were quick to lampoon the device for being geared too heavily toward content consumption. The criticisms weren't entirely without merit, especially considering that the first-generation iPad didn't even have a camera, and external media slots are still nowhere to be found. 

Over time, the iPad has evolved into something that's much more creation-friendly. It still doesn't compare to a desktop or laptop computer for many things, but it's great for quite a few others. Writing is one of them. 

I happen to write things for a living, but the practice is far from limited to those who earn a paycheck by doing it. Some of us just enjoy emptying the thoughts from our heads, while many others have a professional obligation to be good at communicating with words. Whatever one's purpose - journaling, drafting stories or composing work-related documents - the iPad is a pretty good place to put words together.

It's Easier to Focus

One of the aforementioned early criticisms actually turns out to be part of what makes the iPad ideal for writing. Unlike a desktop computer, the device is designed to allow the user to focus on only one thing at a time. When one needs to focus on stringing together words without the distractions that so easily flood a desktop computer, the one-task-at-a-time nature of the iPad is a blessing. 

To be sure, there are distraction-free writing apps for Windows and Mac desktops, and it's not exactly rocket science to simply close one's IM, email and Twitter clients for an hour or two. Still, fine-tuning the desktop for optimal focus requires effort, while tablets just sort of work that way by default. It's a great alternative to the desktop, especially with the right tools. 

From Apps to Accessories, the Tools Make the Experience 

When you unbox an iPad, it's not necessarily ready for an optimal experience of sustained writing. It's pretty close, though. The native Notes app is fine enough, and the touchscreen keyboard gets the job done, but to really make the most of the device's potential, third-party accessories and writing-specific apps are required. 

To turn the iPad into a true writing machine, a physical keyboard of some kind is necessary. I've always been happy with Apple's own Bluetooth keyboard, but there are, of course, other options, includingcases that come with a built-in keyboard.

For personal journaling, DayOne is is a fantastic app. A few of us here at ReadWriteWeb use it and love it. It sports a sleek design, helpful writing prompts and cross-device syncing via DropBox or iCloud. Other popular options includeMomento and Maxjournal.

There's still something to be said for keeping a paper-and-pen journal, but taking one's journal into the digital realm is nice because our devices tend to be integrated a little more seamlessly into our lives than paper-based books. It's easy enough to keep a paper journal in your bag, but have you ever tried jotting down your thoughts with a pen on a moving subway car? Not so smooth. You might not carry your iPad everywhere you go, but most good writing apps for iOS can sync across devices, enabling access from virtually anywhere. 

For less personal writing, apps like iA Writer are worthy of their hype. I often use iA Writer to draft stories on my iPad and then return to them later on my laptop, where I put them into our content management system, do some basic formatting and publish them. 

The formatting ability is a crucial distinction between tablets and desktops/laptops. When it comes to loading content into a print layout or website CMS, or adding images and other formatting, those things are still best handled on a "real" computer. 

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7 reasons to hang on to your old iPad

The question facing many existing iPad users is not just whether they should go out and grab the latest tablet from the Cupertino stable but also whether they need to keep their older iPads around any more. 

While investing in the new iPad depends on your requirements, love for the latest and depth of your wallet, we advise you against getting rid of your old iPad, be it the original iPad or the iPad 2. There is life yet in them - enough to keep you going, even if you want to wait awhile and save up for the next (fourth generation) iPad. 

It still looks great 

For all the talk about beauty being skindeep, fact is that appearance makes a big difference to the user. In that department, even the original iPad still looks very good, while the iPad 2 is in fact slimmer and lighter than the new (third generation) iPad. Put the three in cases, switch off the displays (which are exactly the same size, incidentally), and we wager that most people would be hard pressed to distinguish between them. 

Apple has adhered to the same design principle while making the iPad, with a few minor tweaks here and there. So if looks are what matter, the original iPad and the iPad 2 will still do very well - just make sure you take good care of them, and in case of the original iPad, hide its relative bulk in a good case. 

It has the latest operating system 

Unlike Android tablets which run on a variety of versions of the OS, some of which are out of date, all three versions of the iPad can be upgraded to the latest version of iOS, version 5.1. So, in essence, what you are getting on your older iPads (yes, even the first one) is the same buttery smooth, icon-driven interface that exists on the latest one. 

Yes, the screen resolution does make iOS look a whole lot better on the new iPad, but in most cases, it will work just as smoothly on the original iPad and the iPad 2. You also can access most of the new features brought in by iOS upgrades, such as multitasking, the notification bar and iBooks. In essence, you will get most of the latest iOS experience on your older iPad or iPad 2. 

Web, mail and SNS are still superb 

If you use your iPad mainly for the Web, social networks and e-mail, frankly, you have no real need of the new iPad. The browser (Safari) remains as good as ever as does the e-mail client, which lets you check emails in split-screen. As for social networks, all the apps work perfectly fine across all the three iPads, although obviously those with tweaks made for retina displays (Facebook, for instance) will look better on the new iPad. In terms of interface and information, there is very little that you will miss even if you are using an older iPad. 

Most of the apps work on all iPads 


One of the biggest advantages that the iPad has over its competition is the number of apps that have been specifically developed for it. Most of them still work just fine with earlier versions of the device, unless restricted by hardware (no FaceTime video calling on the camera-less original iPad, for instance). Yes, you will have the odd stutter if you try to get into high-definition gaming on the original iPad or start editing multimedia, but that apart, even the oldest iPad is able to run more apps today than many other Android tablets in town. 

And the apps will continue to work 

There are currently more owners of the iPad and the iPad 2 than the new iPad. It is therefore highly unlikely that both will be rendered obsolete or be ignored by app developers. Take our word for it - most forthcoming apps will continue to support the original iPad and the iPad 2 for a while, even though some might claim to be 'optimised' for the new iPad. That said, we advise you to start saving for the new iPad if you're still using the original iPad - that's the one that will be shown the door first. 

All iPads have great battery life 

The new iPad has a better graphics and the display is awesome, but there's one benchmark on which the older iPads still match it - battery life. The new iPad does have a larger battery than its predecessors, but in terms of battery life, it is about the same - around ten hours on a Wi-Fi connection. Which remains extremely impressive for all those who hit the road often and work frequently while on it. 

Competition is still lagging behind 

This is the biggest reason why hanging on to your older iPad makes sense. While the past year has seen a number of tablets hit the market, we have to be brutally blunt and state that most of them do not match up to even the original iPad in terms of ease of use and application availability (even though many of them boast of better specifications). 

The only tablet that has put a dent in the iPad's dominance worldwide is the Kindle Fire, and that alas, is not available in India. Bottom line is - if you have an iPad - even the original - be rest assured that you have a tablet just as good, and in many cases better, than anything that the competition has to offer 

You need the new iPad if 

You actually want to explore the idea of taking photographs with a tablet 

You want to mess around with high-definition applications - games, videos, the works. 

You want to do a lot of reading (the retina display makes a huge difference) 

You want to be relatively futureproof - the new iPad will survive a bit longer than the older iPads 

You want to try out every single app that gets released on the App Store - not all of them will work on the older iPads 

You pride yourself on owning the latest device 


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