Google announced Wednesday new features to its maps services including an offline mobile version of Maps and 3-D upgrade to Google Earth. Unfortunately, iPhone and iPad users will probably not be able to enjoy these functions as Apple is expected to replace Google Maps in its built-in applications with its own mapping technology.
There are rumors that Apple will replace Google services from its iOS operating system, which means dropping Google Maps is just one move of a long march toward nixing the search engine giant as a default service provider.
According to Gene Munster, a financial analyst at Piper Jaffray, Apple’s iOS platform generates 40% of Google’s mobile revenue, which is $1.6 billion.
Currently Apple’s iPad and iPhone run plenty of Google’s apps which Google offers to the iTunes App Store. Other than the built-in Google Maps include Google Search, Gmail, Google+, Google Translate, and Google Earth.
Location-based services and mapping technology is a huge cake in the market of mobile industry. In fact, a lot of apps on the iOS platform are dependent on the Google Maps as its primary location service. Whether removing Google Maps can impact the search engine provider’s revenue or not, Apple will have to catch up with competing development and innovation through Siri, its wild card.