Is Apple Thanking Google For Maps?

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is the unquestioned winner of the latest skirmish in the maps battle, but Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) stands to receive some of the gains from the new app as well, Needham & Company analyst Charlie Wolf has said.

What Does the Return of Google Maps Mean for Apple?

The return of Google Maps to iOS in the form of a third-party application could be a “mixed blessing” for Apple, the analyst wrote, even though Google was the definitive winner.

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“We see the Maps app on the iPhone as a win-win for Google because the company will now be able to generate location-based advertising and other revenues from iPhone users who use the app,” Wolf wrote, according to Fortune.

Apple will be hurt by its users being driven away from its own Maps application. “Users’ input is critical in improving the quality of the application, and Apple will now receive less feedback on its own Maps app what with iPhone owners flocking to Google Maps,” Wolf wrote.

Is There A Positive?

However, the positive for Apple comes from the fact that the app’s availability will take away the bad press iOS has received recently because of the whole maps situation. How?…