Apple Gets a Mapmaker, But Where Does that Leave Google?

By MG Siegler

In case you haven’t had enough location-based news, here’s another very interesting bit. It looks like Apple (AAPL) has very quietly bought an online mapping company, Seth Weintraub of Computerworld reported Wednesday.

Apple’s purchase of Placebase actually took place this past July, and a founder of a partner company that was using Placebase maps tweeted about it. But it slid under most people’s radars as that was the only news out there about it. But Weintraub dug up Placebase CEO Jaron Waldman’s LinkedIn profile tonight, and sure enough, he is now part of the “Geo Team” at Apple.

Here’s why this is very interesting: It could well signal yet another rift in the relationship between Google and Apple. At the very least, the fact that Apple bought a Google Maps competitor, was probably yet another reason why Eric Schmidt had to step down from Apple’s board of directors (which he did in August). But the bigger picture is that such a purchase could potentially allow Apple to move away from its dependency on Google Maps, which it uses on the iPhone and also its iPhoto computer software.

Obviously, much has been made about Apple’s rejection of the Google Voice app, but remember too that they also rejected (or did not approve, whatever) Google’s Latitude app, forcing Google (GOOG) to make a browser-based version. The reason Apple gave for not approving it was that it would confuse users with the built-in Maps application on the iPhone — the one that runs, yes Google Maps.

And Google actually helped Apple build the entire Maps application, aside from just letting them use their mapping data. So this whole episode has been bizarre, to say the least. But it may be over soon with the Placebase purchase.

Or maybe not. It is certainly possible that Apple simply realized the importance of geolocation, especially in the mobile space, and wanted to acquire talent in that field. While Placebase was a competitor to Google Maps, it also was slightly different, focusing on different layers and customizations.

[photo: flickr/Manitoba Historical Maps]

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Comments

[Crude Oil T...:]

Is a Divergence Building in Apple?

Let's go to the video > tinyurl.com/yb8dgd2

Oct 01 12:53 PM

[Mark Sigal:]

While I am a strong believer in the inevitability of Apple/Google evolving into Frienemies in the months ahead (see: The Chess Masters: Apple versus Google - bit.ly/IHPmW), I think this is more a case of Apple adding geo-locative DNA to their bench and continuing their innovation around the Maps app, which while powered by Google Maps under the hood, is nonetheless developed by Apple in terms of look, feel and supported workflows.

Oct 01 01:34 PM

[Stefan Sida...:]

What piece of Google's business is Apple trying to take and what piece of Apple's business is Google trying to take? Is Apple getting into the map business so they can sell ads?
What piece of revenue is Apple trying to take or preempt from Google?
Is Apple going to remove the Google maps app from their iphone, then deny them space in the app store? Sounds anti-trustish to me.
I think the issue is bigger than maps, but I do not see the revenue connection.

Oct 01 06:26 PM