Map Seeks Clients

166

April 27, 2022

Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine
(Germany) on 21 April 2022
by Bastian Benrath (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Mallory Matsumoto. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.

Apple’s maps service seems to be making little progress in luring users away from Google Maps. But to unlock its full potential, work is needed in other areas.

Let’s be honest: no one plans a trip based on a three-dimensional image of Neuschwanstein Castle on a digital map. The 3D models of tourist attractions that Apple is promoting as an improvement to its maps service are nothing but a nice gimmick. It can hardly be expected that these new functions will win cellphone users in Germany from the well-established competitor app Google Maps.

Instead, it seems that the iPhone maps app can fulfill a more profound goal for the company than simply giving users directions. The high-quality maps on which the app is based are themselves valuable. They can also be put to good use by automatic users (read: cars), perhaps one day to bring people to their destination without them having to drive there themselves.

To do that, Apple Car, which to date has consisted mostly of rumors and little substance, has to actually be introduced someday. Otherwise, the billions spent compiling the maps content could easily become an empty investment.

Karte sucht Kunde
Apple verfolgt mit seinem Kartendienst mutmaßlich kaum das Ziel, Google Maps Nutzer abzujagen. Doch damit er sein Potential entfaltet, müssen an anderer Stelle Taten folgen.

Mal ehrlich: Niemand plant eine Reise anhand einer dreidimensionalen Darstellung des Schlosses Neuschwanstein auf einer digitalen Karte. Die 3-D-Modelle von touristischen Sehenswürdigkeiten, die Apple als Neuerung seines Kartendienstes anpreist, sind nicht mehr als eine nette Spielerei. Es ist kaum zu erwarten, dass solche neuen Funktionen die Handybesitzer in Deutschland von der gut etablierten Konkurrenz-App Google Maps weglocken werden.
Vielmehr liegt es nahe, dass die Karten-App auf dem iPhone für den Konzern einen tiefer liegenden Zweck erfüllt, als Nutzern den Weg zu zeigen. Wertvoll ist das hochqualitative Kartenmaterial, auf dem die App basiert. Dieses kann auch von maschinellen Nutzern – vulgo: Autos – gut verwendet werden, um vielleicht eines Tages Menschen an ihr Ziel zu bringen, ohne dass sie ihr Auto selbst dorthin steuern müssen.
Dafür muss das Apple-Auto, um das es seit Langem viel Geraune und wenig Substanzielles gibt, aber auch irgendwann kommen. Sonst könnte das milliardenschwer aufgebaute Kartenmaterial leicht zur Investitionsruine werden.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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