New Apple Maps and Google Maps rivals could change how we navigate the world

Date:
Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:30:26 +0000

Description:
Several tech corporations have released an open-source map dataset to help jumpstart new navigation app development.

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Last year, Amazon Web Services, Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom came together to create the Overture Maps Foundation (OMF) in an effort to create and provide open-source data for third-party mapping software. Their efforts have borne fruit as, after eight months of work, the organization releases its first
open dataset.

With this launch, it could give third-party developers the opportunity to create navigation apps that could very well rival Apple Maps and Google Maps
. The OMF states in its announcement that the dataset contains a ton of info split across four different layers. And these categories include data on over 59 million places, the worlds roadways, plus administrative boundaries such
as regional names for certain locations.

If you look at the map posted on the official website, the OMFs release
covers most of the planet. It, however, excludes far-off regions like
Northern Canada. (Image credit: Overture Maps Foundation) Use cases

These categories have been formatted in the organizations Overture Data
Schema , which has been specifically designed for developers to quickly understand. The goal with this launch, alluded to earlier, is to offer free, easy access to an interoperable, mapping API (application programming interface). Both Apple and Google normally charge developers to access their own APIs, so this endeavor could disrupt their business.

Its unknown if and when well begin to see any apps using OMFs dataset; although this tech could appear in other software besides smartphone maps.
Its possible we could see this information used in autonomous driving vehicles, logistics, education, gaming, even the metaverse, according to a statement by the Linux Foundation .

If youre a developer interested in this dataset, you can download it from
OMFs website although it appears you do need to become a member of the foundation first. This is a work in progress so the organization is asking
for feedback through its GitHub page . Much-needed competition

The question is will this effort be enough to dethrone Apple Maps and Google Maps? Its hard to say. Since its founding, the OMF has gotten new members
such as Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute) and Cyient. Everyone involved is pitching in by providing their own mapping data to further
develop the API. Its all one big collaborative effort by some of the worlds biggest tech companies to nurture next-generation map products that don't
rely on data from just two corporations.

On the other hand, this is Apple and Google were talking about. Attempts have been made to topple these giants to no avail. TomTom, for example, has provided its own location-based services to other companies in the past like Microsoft in order to compete with Google only to come up short. Google Maps still reigns supreme claiming over 10 billion downloads from the Play Store .

Itll be interesting to see what comes from this. The extra competition could force the dominant apps to reinvent themselves in a way that greatly benefits the consumer or, at the very least, offer more choice. TechRadar's list of
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/software-services/new-apple-maps-and-google-maps -rivals-could-change-how-we-navigate-the-world


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