MAPPING OUT THE FUTURE
Apple has made great strides with Apple Maps
in 2020 and now with new features as part
of the iOS 14.5 update, it’s signaling the next
generation of mapping on the iPhone, iPad,
and Mac. And by depending on its users to
alert Apple Maps to potential traffic problems,
the app will become even more convenient
and useful, creating a genuine rival to Waze.
In the years ahead, as Apple continues to
add features that streamline navigation and
time management, consumers should come
flocking to Apple Maps and help it grow its
market share. And it will need Apple Maps to
be a success - with the company reportedly
readying the launch of its very own electric
vehicle in the next five years, Apple Maps will
soon become a core product.
Investing in Maps is about much more than
public relations and offering users an alternative
to products from Google and Microsoft - it’s
about adding another revenue stream to the
company’s growing services divisions. Google
Maps will reportedly be worth $11 billion in
the next couple of years, thanks to advertising
on the maps platform and the rise of things such
as Promoted Pins, as well as selling the API to
third-party developers and companies. Though
Apple is unlikely to offer advertising inside of
the Apple Maps platform, at least in the short-
term, the company is at a unique advantage in
that consumers are increasingly turning away
from Google, looking for more privacy-focused
solutions, and so a huge Apple Maps push
would not be unreasonable. Add in the fact
that Apple is reportedly planning to launch
its own search engine and it’s clear that recent