Apple re-ups digital maps pact with TomTom

Apple will continue to work with TomTom on mapping data, the Dutch firm revealed on Tuesday, extending one of the oldest and most important partnerships in Apple's expanding navigation and mapping efforts.

Financial terms of the renewed agreement, which was first reported by Reuters, were not disclosed. It also remains unclear how long the new contract will run.

Apple has been licensing TomTom data since at least 2012, when it introduced Apple Maps alongside iOS 6. TomTom provides much of the street-level detail for Apple Maps in North America and Europe, two of Apple's largest and most important markets.

Apple has long been rumored to have interest in purchasing Nokia's HERE maps division, which is a major rival to TomTom. Such talk has cooled off, however, following reports that the bidding for HERE has come down to carsharing service Uber and a consortium of German automakers.

Apple is also known to be operating a fleet of minivans loaded with high-resolution laser scanners and precise global positioning equipment. The purpose of this data gathering exercise is unknown, but it will likely augment the data Apple receives from TomTom and others, including the OpenStreetMap project.

55 Comments

dougd 292 comments · 12 Years

About 9 years ago

I just wish you could set Google Maps as default. I truly hate Apple Maps

thewhitefalcon 4444 comments · 10 Years

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougD

I just wish you could set Google Maps as default. I truly hate Apple Maps

I'm glad we have AppleMaps. Less data for Googs to sell. I'm also glad you have an open mind and aren't basing your opinion off of 2012 impressions. Let me guess, you think Siri still sucks too?

konqerror 685 comments · 12 Years

Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon

Theres still some serious issues with Apple Maps. Having switched between the two:

-Apple Maps POI sucks bad. It's missing a whole Wal-Mart that I've repeatedly reported

-Apple Maps has no campus coverage

-Apple Maps search sucks. Type a name wrong, you get sent to a one stoplight town in the middle of nowhere. You search for Wal-Mart it sends you to the cell phone booth in a Sams Club.

-Apple Maps Navigation has no lane guidance

-Apple Maps Navigation doesn't alert soon enough on the highway

-Navigation doesn't handle nested exits: where you make one exit and quickly make a second. It alerts you on the first, then once you pass it, it's too late ("Exit right then keep right")

-Navigation doesn't handle ambiguous exits, where more lanes of the highway exit than continue ("Keep right")

-It's a pain to adjust zoom level when driving with the pinch gesture (imprecise), and it doesn't seem to remember zoom levels, so it's always showing only 100 feet of future road.

Apple Maps has improved, but Google Maps has improved even more.

idrey 647 comments · 11 Years

?maps works great for me. I use it every day. Usually when I can't find an address in ?maps I can't find it in goomaps either. I really don't see what people complain so much about ?maps.