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Apple isn't alone in its efforts to lessen its dependance uponGoogle Maps; Facebook, FourSquare and now Wikipedia have allstarted using alternatives map services ranging from Microsoft'sBing maps service to information from the OpenStreeMaps Foundation. According to a report by TechCrunch , Wikipedia has switched from Google Maps to OpenStreetMaps in itsmobile apps for iOS and Android (shown below left). Wikipedia's move comes on the heels of a similar switch byFoursquare, which is also now using OpenStreetMaps on its ownmobile website, and Microsoft's Bing maps within its its Facebookapp (Facebook has partnered exclusively with Microsoft to serveBing maps within all of its services). At the beginning of March, Apple released its new iPhoto app with geolocation features that also used OpenStreetMaps rather than Google's information(show above, right). In Apple's case, the move appeared to be motivated both out of aneffort to distance itself from a dependance upon Google as well asa way to avoid paying new fees Google announced it would startcharging large maps users this year. Open vs Google OpenStreetMaps shares its open philosophy with Wikipedia. Ratherthan cost, Wikipedia's move is more intended to leverage an "openand free source of Map Data," the report noted. It cited the group's Yuvi Panda as stating that avoiding the useGoogle's proprietary Maps APIs enables Wikipedia's app to "run onthe millions of cheap Android handsets that are purely open sourceand do not have the proprietary Google applications." While Android's core software is open, Google's "with apps" bundleof proprietary apps (which account for much of the value associatedwith Android), including Maps Navigation, require licensing fromGoogle. A variety of Android vendors use the free core OS but don'tuse Google's own apps for this reason. Google's efforts to begin charging high volume users for its Mapsservices is likely to drive additional prominent websites and appsto OpenStreetMaps, a free service that requires its users tocontribute back any improvements they make to the maps data. Apple has incorporated its own support for Wikipedia information inits OS X Dictionary app and its system wide search services on bothiOS and OS X. The company is likely to similarly expand its use ofOpenStreetMaps data in both its iOS and OS X apps, ranging from"Find my iPhone" and "Find my Mac" to iPhoto, Maps and its onlineiCloud services. Apple's voracious appetite for maps Apple acquired the Placebase maps service in 2009 followed by Poly9in 2010. That same year, Apple began using its own locationdatabases for the Maps software in iOS 3.2, moving away fromdatabases maintained by Google and Skyhook Wireless. Last spring, Apple also said it was "collecting anonymous trafficdata to build a crowd-sourced traffic database," in order toprovide iPhone users with an "improved traffic service in the nextcouple of years." Last October, the company acquired C3 Technologies, further enhancing its internal mapping talentpool and technology portfolio. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as 3D Theater System Manufacturer , 3D/4D Driving Flight Simulator Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits 3D Cinema System.
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