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

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4544843

by beerglass • 14 years ago

4 8 14 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

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?

ctingom• 14 years ago

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.

001sky• 14 years ago

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.

ktusznio• 14 years ago

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• 14 years ago

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?"

shreyansj• 14 years ago

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.

maytc• 14 years ago

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.

Zigurd• 14 years ago

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.

EnderMB• 14 years ago

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.

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

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