A fleet of Google’s mapping cars…now Apple is doing the same Photo: westbayhomes.org
Apple, whose 2012 Maps application got no love as a replacement for Google Maps on Apple devices, is still trying hard to keep its app on the road.
Literally. Taking a leaf from the Google StreetView cars, Apple has put a fleet of cars equipped with mapping cameras on the road all over the world, collecting local data. It’s promised, though, to blur out faces and license plates as a privacy measure.
When first released, the Apple app drew fire for inaccurate directions, missing information and for not including transit direction, which Google has had for years. In fact, that lack led Apple to buy the HopStop transit info app (and promptly angered many by cancelling the Android version of the app). Meanwhile, Google Maps has been one of the most popular downloads on various iDevices.