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Coming back on this Google Maps support on iOS 6.

This is a serious and constructive issue that has to be addressed for a lot of apps developers who already released their Apps on iOS 5 and tied to legal compliance towards Google terms of service http://code.google.com/apis/maps/iphone/terms.html.

The fact is the following: applications using Google Maps API Web Services must relate to the display of information on a Google Map. Use of the service in an application that doesn't display a Google map is prohibited.

Say some developpers have an application available for download on the App Store, users have downloaded it and are using it. When the users will update their phones with iOS 6, Apple Maps will be displayed in place of Google Maps, breaking all of a sudden the Google terms of license.

The application becomes 'de facto' from a Google license stand point, thousands of users will use an app which has become illegal and I can't think of a technical way to prevent this.

How do we deal with this this?

  • Can google be kind enough tolerate old apps can still be used in this context?
  • Is google preparing their own Mapkit API we could use on iPhone could it be available on previous IOS releases so developers could update their apps before IOS6 is released?
  • Can Apple provide an option to still display Google Map to bridge the gap until their provide similar Web services?

Any constructive ideas are welcomed?

PS. I am also posting those questions to Google and Apple.

Vadim Kotov
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    Hi Mike - welcome to StackOverflow. Your question is important and does call for some good healthy, public discussion. But it is a better fit on [Programmers](http://programmers.stackexchange.com/). Questions on StackOverflow are limited to specific programming problems and usually include a code sample. I'm not trying to give you a hard time; when I first joined StackOverflow, I made the same mistake, transferred my question to Programmers, and received good responses/information there. Just offering you the same guidance I received then. No downvote, no hassle, just trying to help. – Sean Mickey Jul 12 '12 at 12:58

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Good question!

(And to potential close-voters: The fact that Apple will provide their own mapping is public)

I'd suggest you file a radar with Apple, and duplicate it on http://www.openradar.me/

As to your questions:

Can google be kind enough tolerate old apps can still be used in this context?

They could, and I believe in practice they probably will be.

Is google preparing their own Mapkit API we could use on iPhone could it be available on previous IOS releases so developers could update their apps before IOS6 is released?

Very probably. But I doubt it'll be ready in time for you to update your app before iOS 6 release.

Can Apple provide an option to still display Google Map to bridge the gap until their provide similar Web services?

I don't think so. I don't think they'd want to, and I think their licensing contract with Google will expire in the not-too-distant future.

fzwo
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You can use google maps tiles on iOS6, and still use google maps API for places, geocoding, etc. Solution with overlays: https://github.com/mladjan/GoogleMapsOverlayiOS I hope that Google will release Google Maps SDK for iOS as soon as posible :)

dormitkon
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    Is your library compliant with the Google map licence ? – Martin Sep 20 '12 at 07:59
  • @Martin : Any update on Google license compliance for this. Elegant solution but need to know if Google will object. As of now I'm going with a UIWebView and Maps Api3 ,but his code is sweet. – Fraggle Oct 13 '12 at 02:02
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    Actually this pretty much answers it: "(a) No Access to Maps API(s) except through the Service. You must not access or use the Maps API(s) or any Content through any technology or means other than those provided in the Service, or through other explicitly authorized means Google may designate. For example, you must not access map tiles or imagery through interfaces or channels (including undocumented Google interfaces) other than the Maps API(s)." – Fraggle Oct 13 '12 at 02:09
  • @Fraggle to be honest, I think that google is already preparing SDK for iOS and this undocumented solution will be ignored until there is better solution from Google. – dormitkon Oct 14 '12 at 12:58
  • Thanks, I hope are right. They better get it out soon though. Otherwise everyone's going to implement their own solutions. – Fraggle Oct 14 '12 at 18:48