<story><title>How Apple&apos;s Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple</title><url>http://www.cultofmac.com/192350/how-apples-obsession-with-google-is-hurting-apple/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>arrrg</author><text>First, to get it out of the way: People are very right in mocking Apple. They deserve every bit of that. What they delivered with their Maps app is embarrassing. I do not want to defend that.&lt;p&gt;The problem, however, is that this article assumes something to be unequivocally true even though we do not know whether it is: That Apple decided to build their own maps in order to hurt Google.&lt;p&gt;It takes two to play. Both Apple &lt;i&gt;and&lt;/i&gt; Google have to agree that Apple gets to use Google’s data – and on the conditions. That we know nothing about. We do know, however, that the old Maps app was perpetually stuck in 2007 while Android phones gained 3D views and (much more important) vector maps and turn by turn navigation. If Google refused to give that to Apple it’s perfectly understandable that Apple goes looking for alternatives.&lt;p&gt;I’m not saying that’s the case. It could really be that Apple’s intention here was to hurt Google – but we cannot, as this article does, just assume that to be true. (To quote: “We all know the reason why Apple is doing these things. They’re more focused now on hurting Google than thrilling users, just like they were with Microsoft in the 90s.” – no, we do most certainly &lt;i&gt;not&lt;/i&gt; all know that that’s the case.)</text></comment>
<story><title>How Apple&apos;s Obsession with Google Is Hurting Apple</title><url>http://www.cultofmac.com/192350/how-apples-obsession-with-google-is-hurting-apple/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>wklauss</author><text>I&apos;m afraid the obsession is not on Apple over Google but on the media and blogs over Apple and every single thing they do. Of course Apple will watch its competitor closely, especially since both are now headed in same direction. And of course they need competing services.&lt;p&gt;Likewise, I&apos;m sure that Google is watching closely every move Apple makes. But nobody in their right mind would say Google has an &quot;obsession&quot; with Apple.&lt;p&gt;This map thing is a fun anecdote, but I&apos;m not sure how big of a deal it really is. And yes, the maps are worse than the ones Google has develop for the past 7 years -it was to be expected- but Apple didn&apos;t have much room for movement here. If you cannot go forward on the current path, and standing still is not an option, the only possible move is take a step back and find a new route. Simple as that. Painful, sure, but it had to be done sooner or later.</text></comment>