A BoingBoing reader noticed a bit of information within the iPhone SDK Agreement that may put the skids on TomTom's iPhone GPS software.
"Applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance; automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management; or emergency or life-saving purposes."
This means that either Apple is working on their own GPS navigation system, or they are working their best-buds, Google to enhance Google Maps on the iPhone.
It also means no robot vehicles controlled via the iPhone. We all know what happens when robots get vehicles, and it isn't pretty.
UPDATE: A Mac|Life commenter pointed us to an Engadget artcle where one of their commenters shared some interesting information,
"Astute commenter Austin points out that these terms are copied almost word-for-word from the Google Maps API terms -- which means that TomTom and others are probably free to use their own maps to do real-time guidance."
Where would the internet be without its many commenters?
Anonymous
June 11, 2008 at 10:32am
From Engadget (sorry :) ) -
"Update: Astute commenter Austin points out that these terms are copied almost word-for-word from the Google Maps API terms -- which means that TomTom and others are probably free to use their own maps to do real-time guidance."
Roberto Baldwin
June 11, 2008 at 10:50am
More information is always welcome, even from Engadget.
-Robbie
