iOS 6 was launched a few days back and while feedback overall is positive, its Apple-made Maps app has received a lot of negative feedback. Users dislike the distinct lack of transit directions, inaccurate data, lack of points of interest especially when compared with Google Maps on iOS 5 and especially with the even stronger Maps app on Android smartphones.
Now, just like when Apple removed YouTube from the list of stock apps in iOS 6 and Google responded by releasing the official YouTube app on the App Store, users are expecting Google to release another such app on the App Store for Maps.
Google or to be more specific, its Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, however, very clearly busted rumors yesterday claiming that the company hasn’t submitted Google Maps for iOS to the App Store.
Now, today, we’ve come across reports that give more information on Google Maps for iOS.
The report comes from New York Times in which they cite people familiar with knowledge of Google’s projects who claim that Google Maps on iOS is very much in development, but it isn’t going to be ready for another few months. The reason? Apparently, Google didn’t know about Maps being removed from iOS until Apple’s first public demo of iOS 6 at WWDC earlier this year. The company is also looking to integrate 3D imagery from Google Earth in order to compete with Apple Maps’ Flyover feature. Such an integration will take time since 3D imagery is included in Google Earth: a project separate from Google Maps.
Besides not having a jailbreak for the iPhone 4S, the lack of Google Maps is one of the biggest reasons why many iOS device owners are sticking to iOS 5. The community is already working on it, of course, with the iPhone 5 already being jailbroken and older A4-based devices having access to a tethered jailbreak.
We’ve already asked our readers if they’ve upgraded to iOS 6 or not. Majority of the people who voted said they were going to stick to iOS 5 until Apple Maps improves or Google releases Maps for iOS, and until an untethered jailbreak becomes available.
In related news, respected developer Ryan Petrich recently gave users a glimpse of a iOS 5 Google Maps port to iOS 6. It is buggy and unstable at the moment, but with enough development should see a public release in the near future.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
