As the fallout from Apple’s decision to launch its own mapping app for iOS continues, Google is clearly trying to turn Apple’s problems into an opportunity for itself. Without a native Google Maps for iOS app, however, Google’s only way onto the iPhone is as a web app. For the most part, the mobile version of Google Maps can easily rival the old Apple Maps app, but the one missing feature is Street View. According to AllThingsD’s Walt Mossberg, however, that’s changing tomorrow.
Google apparently gave Mossberg an exclusive look (bad Google!) at Street View in the web app. According to Mossberg, “these links worked well, allowing me to see the locations and pan around with a finger.”
The fact that Google is bringing Street View to the web app hasn’t exactly been a secret. The New York Times’ David Pogue, for example, wrote that Google would introduce this feature within “two weeks” when he reviewed Apple’s new mapping app on September 26.
Despite all of this, of course, the web app can’t compete with the full Google Maps experience on Android, where users can also get spoken turn-by-turn directions and easy access to indoor maps, among other things. As far as Google’s native Google Maps app for iOS goes, it’s still not clear what Google’s plans really are and how far along the company is in the development process. Given the amount of work the company puts into getting its maps right, though, it’s hard to imagine that Google won’t release its own native app very soon.