

Apple Screws Google Over 'Latitude' iPhone App - divia
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-screws-google-over-latitude-iphone-app-2009-7

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raganwald
Summary:

"Google published its own version of events leading up to releasing Latitude
as a browser app instead of a native app. Apple hasn't said anything one way
or the other, and we so-called journalists are too lazy to fact check by
asking anyone for comment or coming up with an independent source or even
talking to the author of the Google piece.

"So we just made up a whole bunch of suppositions and conjectures, bolted on
an inflammatory title about Apple screwing Google, and watch the click-through
ad revenue roll in."

Is it any wonder that journalism is in a crisis?

p.s. Note that I'm not saying the piece is or isn't accurate. Just that it
lacks any evidence that the author did a speck of research, fact-checking, or
obtained corroboration for his article. That's what I'm blasting.

~~~
fromedome
You're confusing reporting with commentary. We do both at SAI. Sometimes,
commentary and speculation before reporting, as in this case. Sometimes the
other way around. But fun rant.

~~~
RyanMcGreal
Commentary should still be evidence-based and fact-checked.

~~~
anamax
> fact-checked

Fact-checked for journalists consists of verifying that someone said
something, unless what they actually said isn't consistent with the narrative.
At that point, journalistic judgement comes into play. Do you attribute the
quote that you want to an unknown source or simply go with it?

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cesare
I'm repeating myself, but I find it funny that this is happening just a bunch
of days after Google claimed that appstores are not the future and that the
future is browser apps.

I'm not saying that Apple has been fair or that I wouldn't like more openness
from them.

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sfphotoarts
well Apple (iPhone) and Google (Android) are competitors.. Its good business
sense I believe. The point on the iPhone is moot anyway because without
background processing (&) its a useless and pointless app/webpage.

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akamaka
Even shorter summary: for some reason or other, which may involve Apple,
Google's Latitude was released as an iPhone webapp, and not in the App Store.

Followed by a dozen paragraphs of pointless speculation.

~~~
mcav
It stated the reason on Google's blog:

> _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._

[http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2009/07/google-latitude-
now...](http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2009/07/google-latitude-now-for-
iphone.html)

~~~
raganwald
It stated Google's claimed reason. Which may be "the" reason for some version
of "the." However... Even Techcrunch would go on to say something like "We
confirmed this account of events with several contacts within Apple and
Google."

~~~
fromedome
Very funny.

