Why Google Maps for iPhone?

[Gary blakely]

Can someone please explain this to me?

Google and Apple compete against each other in several different areas. Google would love to see iPhone market share dive and Android market share rise.

Apple finds itself in trouble with a lousy maps app. Google comes to the rescue with a FREE Google maps app. This helps out Apple market share and is likely a hit to Android market share. Why did Google do this? Why not let the iPhone take the hit?
Thanks
Gary

 

[nieltab]

I think google wants as much google users as possible and this includes google maps. Despite it is on the iphone, everyone knows that google maps belongs to google.

 

[dan330]

google is in this for the money... like every other company!!!

google does not make money on android OS or the phones that are sold!
the OS is free to all.

Google makes money from ads.. and searches..
they want info from users.. to help their ad strategy.

google maps.. helps gather info about users...
get users to use google services..

ios or android.. it is all the same to google

 

[Digital Controller]

Google has puts it on there to also send the message, hey we can make stable products when Apple can't. They are pushing their image onto the users of the iPhone, which is pretty genius.

Even though users are on an iPhone they can still say that Google makes some good apps from seeing how Maps works on the iPhone.

 

[Rxpert83]

Because Google and apple are competing for information.

That's why Google got into the smart phone market in the first place. They make their money off of people searching using the android eco system.

Apple got rid of Google maps to stop Google from making money on apple users

 

[fdbryant3]

Apple got rid of Google maps to stop Google from making money on apple users

Not quite. Apple licensed Google Maps in order to provide that feature natively to iOS users. When they developed there own product they no longer needed Google Maps which is why they stopped licensing them.

Although it is ultimately all about money it wasn't to stop Google Maps from making money off of Apple users (if it was then they wouldn't have approved the current Google Maps app) but to make Apple Maps the default (and thus most often used) mapping application of iOS>

 

[Mostly Harmless]

Its actually really simple:
Apple=evil
Google=good

 

[huaren]

Google map is much much better than apple map. Dont know why apple tries to develop their own software, it's very embarrassing moment for them I guess.

 

[Rxpert83]

Not quite. Apple licensed Google Maps in order to provide that feature natively to iOS users. When they developed there own product they no longer needed Google Maps which is why they stopped licensing them.

Although it is ultimately all about money it wasn't to stop Google Maps from making money off of Apple users (if it was then they wouldn't have approved the current Google Maps app) but to make Apple Maps the default (and thus most often used) mapping application of iOS>

Apple has more cash than they care about spending.

This is a data battle. Or more bluntly stopping Google from getting the data

 

[Omar Days]

google is in this for the money... like every other company!!!

google does not make money on android OS or the phones that are sold!
the OS is free to all.

Google makes money from ads.. and searches..
they want info from users.. to help their ad strategy.

google maps.. helps gather info about users...
get users to use google services..

ios or android.. it is all the same to google

This.

And also, Google doesn't care one bit about fanboys and how it might upset them.

 

[Gary blakely]

google is in this for the money... like every other company!!!

google does not make money on android OS or the phones that are sold!
the OS is free to all.

Google makes money from ads.. and searches..
they want info from users.. to help their ad strategy.

google maps.. helps gather info about users...
get users to use google services..

ios or android.. it is all the same to google

Dan,
thanks for your reply. since I posted the question I did some more research. What you are saying is basically true. This link explains Google's business model and tells how they actually do make money from the android platform - indirectly.
Thanks, Gary

 

[Gmash]

They could have charged for the Maps app, but Google takes the long view over short term profits. Millions of iPhone users now have the seed planted in their heads that Google can make a better product and still make it free. Plus Google keeps a finger in all of the pies.