Apple has long been rumored to be working on their own mapping data for their iOS devices, and that day may be coming sooner than we think, according to new legal disclaimers discovered under “Map Data” in the beta build of iOS 5.
MacRumors is reporting that Apple is now working with a list of third-party companies who provide the mapping data for their iOS Maps app, despite recent assurances from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt that Cupertino has recently renewed their partnership with Google.
According to legal disclaimers unearthed in the first beta build of iOS 5 under a new section called “Map Data,” a long list of third-party licensors are listed as providing “mapping data and related services” completely separate from Google’s own. One such licensor is TomTom, who “offers global TeleAtlas mapping data which is also licensed by Google for their map solution.”
More tellingly are the last two entries outlined by MacRumors: Urban Mapping provides “in-depth neighborhood data such as crime, demographics, school performance, economic indicators and more,” while Waze offers “real-time maps and traffic information based on crowd-sourced data.” The former was a partner of Placebase, one of the two mapping companies Apple acquired in recent years, while the latter would seem to be Apple’s solution to realtime traffic data.
Despite these nuggets of information, there’s no evidence to suggest that Apple may overhaul the Maps app with iOS 5, aside from adding the alternate route suggestions already mentioned at WWDC 2011 -- although the company is likely holding onto a few final surprises for the actual launch of iOS 5, so we’ll know soon enough.
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(Image courtesy of MacRumors)
