Tech Report: Google Maps Gets Upgrade As Apple Map Rumors Swirl
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — Google has announced some upgrades to its popular digital mapping service at a press event in San Francisco on Wednesday. But rumors are swirling that Apple may be dropping Google Maps from the iPhone.
Google Earth will begin implementing some amazing 3-D mapping. They actually have a fleet of airplanes flying over major cities taking pictures of every building at every angle. Then, they create a map to show what the city looks like from the air. For instance, San Francisco's City Hall rendered beautifully.
Another feature unveiled is how the new Google maps will allow users to download a map of their destination on Android devices, allowing users to navigate without having an internet connection.
KCBS Tech Report:
It's a great feature for someone who is traveling overseas. After all, you could end up paying a fortune for data during travel.
Interestingly enough, Google made no mention of the strong rumors about Apple ditching their maps. I was hoping they would come out and say it's no big deal because they would be coming out with a killer app for the iPhone, but they didn't. Furthermore, when other journalists asked them about it they were very evasive, saying only that they want to be on all platforms.
Meanwhile rumors over at Apple point to a backup plan would include its own geo-location navigation system. Some time ago they were searching for people to help develop geo-location systems. You should expect more on Apple mapping next week at the Moscone Center during their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) set to take place June 11-15.
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