

Ask HN: if you were Google, will you release Maps app on iOS 6? - beerglass

I believe most users will happily pay $2.99 or even $4.99 for Google Maps app, especially if they include turn-by-turn, voice based driving directions. Assuming 100s of millions of devices will be on iOS 6 in the next 2 years, that is Billions of dollars in revenue for Google. Why, even Billions of dollars in extra profits for Google, as they anyway continue to support and upgrade Maps on earlier versions of iOS as well as on other platforms like mobile web, Android, etc. So, potentially Maps on iOS can be a huge sweet spot for Google, as lucrative as any of their other mobile products including Ads and Android. But there are some cons too. For one, if they do not release Maps on iOS 6, at least for some users, an Android based device will be more attractive. And lastly Google may not want to share 30% of revenues from Maps on iOS with Apple! So, dear HN User, if you were in google's place, what would you do?
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EnderMB
If I were Google I'd be twisting Apple's melons pretty hard right now.

I'd love to see Google release a Maps app containing some form of cool
functionality that directly breaks the App Store's TOS. This leaves Apple with
two options:

1) Reject Google's new Maps app and incur the wrath of the public. This then
leads more negativity towards iOS and the potential for Google to talk up its
own platforms.

2) Break their own rules by allowing it, incurring the wrath of developers and
app makers that had to tread the line with the App Store policies.

Either way, Apple lose and Google/Android looks great. If Google act while
people are still pissed off they can drag this out for as long as they wish.

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shreyansj
You are missing the key difference between Google's Youtube app and Maps app.
The key differentiating factor is that iOS 6's built-in Map app maybe
sufficient for, let's say, 50% of the casual map users, whereas pretty much
everyone who wants to use Youtube on iOS 6 has to have some sort of Youtube
app. If Google were to make a paid Map app, that might cause some (or many) of
other 50% users to continue using the build-in app for maps. So for the
remaining 20-30% of the power users who would want to pay for a Google Maps
app, I am not sure if it's worth the effort. Then again, all this might be
incorrect and we might see Google Maps app in the coming days.

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maytc
Like Google have done to their search app, by having a native app allows
Google to make more revenue off their application on the ios. Also keep in
mind that Google has a much larger database of stores/locations/bus routes
than iOS so they have an edge in usability that will take years for apple to
catch up.

As long as apple does not ax it from the app store, sounds like a good
business plan.

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ctingom
I'd do a survey... talk to a bunch of iPhone owners and find out if they would
pay for the app and try to get a handle on what percent would buy a paid map
app.

Another angle: Release it for free and integrate with Google+ Places and
Zagat.

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001sky
Google maps with Zagat and turn by turn could be a valuable product offer. It
would be interesting to see if in the us, Google could get $5-10/per head X%
of I-phones sold. The issue, for them, though is opportunity cost: how much
revenue is lost from books not sold, or Android devices not adopted, etc.

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ktusznio
Yes, I would. And I'd keep it free.

Google Maps is a solid app with a great brand that users trust. It would be
silly not to give iOS users who love Google Maps access to the product.

What's there to lose?

~~~
beerglass
Obviously some of their negotiations with Apple failed, hence Google Maps are
not included in iOS 6 by default. If Google now just releases it free to
users, isn't it a complete win for Apple? Contrast this to YouTube app, where
Google still can make big money through ads in the free app. So, I think
Google is not exactly thinking "what's to lose?"

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Zigurd
If I were Google, I would release the whole suite of ecosystem apps wherever I
can get them to run, including iOS, and all the significant Android-derived
OSs: Kindle Fire, OPhone (OMS), and Aliyun.

Android doesn't need the crutch of app exclusivity.

