While a host of reports (and even some supposed leaked screenshots) suggest that Apple will release their own in-house mapping system, as well as a “mind-blowing” new Maps app in iOS 6, the Wall Street Journal has now joined the party as well, affirming the suggestion with a report of their own.
Later this year, Apple is planning to oust Google Maps as the preloaded, default maps app from the iPhone and iPad and release a new mapping app that runs Apple’s own technology, according to current and former Apple employees. Apple could preview the new software, which will be part of its next mobile-operating system, as soon as next week at its annual developer conference in San Francisco, one person familiar with the plans says.
According to the report, Apple is also (and quite unsurprisingly) planning to push the new Maps platform on developers, strongly encouraging devs to embed Apple’s own mapping system into their apps.
The report also brings up a very interesting tidbit, noting that Apple has already launched their own geocoder (a piece of software that pinpoints a user’s position) in the current iPhone software, perhaps in preparation to launch their new in-house mapping platform.
Apple is expected to demo their new Maps app alongside iOS 6 at next week’s WWDC keynote. The new Maps app is expected to include a new (optional) 3D interface, and has been described as “mind-blowing“, suggesting that it will be quite a serious upgrade from the existing Google-based Maps app.
Meanwhile, Google has announced a Maps event just ahead of WWDC, at which they may attempt to upstage Apple with a 3D mapping system of their own.
