Less than 1 week away from WWDC, Google has just unveiled the “next dimension” of Maps, bringing offline access and a new 3D mapping system. According to Google, their new 3D map experience will be coming soon to both iOS and Android, raising questions about the future of Google Maps on iOS.
Recent rumor have suggested that Apple will be replacing Google Maps with their own “mind-blowing” internal mapping system, including 3D capabilities, in iOS 6. If Apple does launch their own Maps app, it’s unclear whether Google Maps wil become available as a separate iOS app, or whether they will try to incorporate features from Maps into Google Earth.
It will be interesting to see what Apple unveils at next Monday’s keynote, and even more interesting to see if they make any attempts to prevent Google from continuing to offer their own mapping system on iOS. Although, considering that GPS apps like TomTom are allowed on the App Store, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll spit in Google’s face.
For more information, check out the official Google blog, the coverage over at 9to5Google, or the live blog updates over at Cnet and Engadget. Google has also made a full recording of the event available on YouTube.