Google’s finally released their Latitude location service for iPhone—unfortunately, it’s a lame web app. Originally, it was a real application. But Apple thought we would all be horribly confused.
Here’s how it went down with Apple, according to Google:
We worked closely with Apple to bring Latitude to the iPhone in a way Apple thought would be best for iPhone users. After we developed a Latitude application for the iPhone, Apple requested we release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone, which uses Google to serve maps tiles.
Which, it’s all fine and dandy that Google thinks web apps are the future, but there’s no way anybody’s going to use Latitude on the iPhone if it’s not built into the Maps application like it is on Android. Maybe that’s what Apple wants. (Without being able to run in the background, usage was already going to be pretty limited anyway.)
Besides, if it’s inside of Maps, how is that going to confuse anybody? Unless we’re all really, really dumb. [Google Mobile via TechCrunch]
Beluga
Friday, July 24, 2009 at 10:57 AMSomehow I am thinking you may be jumping to conclusions, perhaps it’s only the word ‘lame’ in your headline that makes me think you did not really think this scenario through, if that is not the case and you did spend more than ten minutes writing this article please accept my apology.
Perhaps there is more to this story than you think?
For once Apple and Google have been very chummy for a while now and it is very unlikely that any of them would make a move that wasn’t in some way part of an overall strategy.
Perhaps Apple has something else up their sleeves? Wouldn’t be the first time.
Louis
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 4:08 PMAnother classic apple move, there way or the hwy! I will never buy into there stupid way of doing things! open sauce all the way! Go android!