Google Maps are now back on the iPhone, which is certainly a big win for iPhone users. But which company comes out the winner on this battle? Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) or Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)?
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s mapping app instantly shot to number one on the App store after it launched on Thursday. In fact Google has apparently said that the app it designed for the iPhone is better than the Google Maps app that’s currently on Android phones. New York Times reporter David Pogue looks more closely at the two versions of Google maps and lists detailed descriptions of each, and it seems pretty clear that the Google Maps version that’s now available on the iPhone seems more intuitive than the one that’s on Android phones.
Google Maps was on the iPhone until iOS6 when Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) replaced it with its own version of mapping software. From the moment iOS6 launched, iPhone users were complaining about Apple’s pathetic (many would say) excuse for a mapping app. Bad directions combined with a lack of features created a nightmare for iPhone users. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s bad mapping software even created a life threatening situation for iPhone users in the Australian outback. They were getting lost inside a massive park with little cell reception and no water supply.
So who really wins out in this battle of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) vs. Apple? More than one analyst is saying that the new app is more of a win for Google than it is for Apple because Google has the opportunity to bring in revenue from location-based ads. Of course Apple does benefit because it regains the trust of iPhone users, but that win pales in comparison to the long-term ad revenue effects Google will likely experience.
