Apple gave Google Maps the boot. I know Google is feeling the pain considering it got a reported $2 Billion from Apple every year to use it. The new Maps app that will come bundled with iOS 6 is pretty responsive and easy to use. The load time however is still at the mercy of your data connection. I was hoping that they would do what SkyFire does with browsing to speed up the download of maps. Alas it does not. The new Maps app uses data from TomTom. Today TomTom confirmed that it has a deal with Apple to get paid for doing something it already does anyway without having to up date its own app that is in the store. Alright, they didn’t say that but it’s only a matter of time before it kills its own map app.
Press statement:
TomTom (AEX:TOM2) has signed a global agreement with Apple® for maps and related information. No further details of the agreement will be provided. There was a concern that companies like TomTom that offer standalone turn-by-turn navigation apps in the App Store for quite a premium are going to find it extremely difficult to compete with Apple’s free Maps app. So the deal should come as a relief for TomTom shareholders.