Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, shown here speaking in February at the Mobile World Congress trade show
(Ars Technica) -- Here's some bad news for the haters of iOS 6's new maps: there is no Google equivalent waiting in the wings.
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Google Executive Chairman
Eric Schmidt confirmed on Tuesday that his company has not submitted a
mapping app of its own to Apple's App Store, though he didn't entirely
rule out the idea.
"We have not done anything yet," Schmidt said in reference to a rumored Google Maps application for iOS, according to Reuters.
"We think it would have
been better if [Apple] had kept ours. But what do I know? What were we
going to do, force them not to change their mind? It's their call."
Schmidt went on to say
that Google is still open to partnering with Apple -- "We welcome that"
-- but that Apple will ultimately do what it wants. He also pointed out
that Google's own offerings through Android have performed well,
implying that dissatisfied iOS 6 users might consider making the switch.
"Apple is the exception,
and the Android system is the common model, which is why our market
share is so much higher," Schmidt said.
Apple recently promised
its Maps app would continue to be improved over time, but some users
remain dissatisfied with that aspect of the company's break-up with
Google.
In addition to some
phantom locations and strange driving directions, urban users are
displeased with the absence of built-in transit directions, though third-party developers have already begun to step up in order to fill the gaps in transit.
