As we get closer to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in mid-June, many people are expecting Apple to reveal the first details of iOS 6, the next version of its mobile operating system. Now a new rumor from 9to5Mac.com reports, via unnamed sources, that Apple is expected to reveal a new Internet mapping program for iOS 6 that will signal the end of Apple's partnership with Google Maps.
Ever since the first iPhone launched in 2007, the iOS platform used Google Maps as the backend of Apple's mapping application. Now this new rumor claims that for iOS 6, Apple's new mapping program will include features like an improved 3D mode using software from C3 Technologies, which Apple acquired in 2011. The new mapping app is also supposed to include Apple's version of Google Street View.
It certainly would make sense for Apple to create its own mapping utility for iOS 6 and dump Google, which of course offers its own version of Google Maps with every Android device that is sold. Wikipedia recently decided to no longer use Google Maps for its own applications in favor of the open source-based OpenStreetMap and Apple's recent iPhone and iPad application iPhoto also uses OpenStreetMap instead of Google Maps.
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