>What’s missing from this conversation is that map usage is critical. […] Google’s maps are going to start degrading.
By that logic, Apple Maps would never reach Google Maps anyways as there are way more people using Android phones and/or web-based Google Maps then there are iPhone users. Regardless, the article "How Google Builds Its Maps"[0], which was recently submitted on HN, seems to indicate that Google improves the bulk of its map data through Google employees rather then through user feedback (although I suspect it's a mix of both).
By that logic, Apple Maps would never reach Google Maps anyways as there are way more people using Android phones and/or web-based Google Maps then there are iPhone users. Regardless, the article "How Google Builds Its Maps"[0], which was recently submitted on HN, seems to indicate that Google improves the bulk of its map data through Google employees rather then through user feedback (although I suspect it's a mix of both).
[0] http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/how-go...