Google Maps iOS Application Isn’t Yet In The Making, Says Google Executive

We speculated last week that a Google Maps application was in the books and waiting for Apple’s verification. Well, that rumour was more than wrong as Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has revealed his thoughts on the iOS 6 Maps transition.

Schmidt at the press conference via Reuters:

“We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?” Schmidt told a small group of reporters in Tokyo. “What were we going to do, force them not to change their mind? It’s their call.”

Schmidt said Google and Apple were in constant communication “at all kinds of levels.” But he said any decision on whether Google Maps would be accepted as an application in the Apple App Store would have to be made by Apple.

So even the Executive Chairman at Google believes that Apple switching to their own in-house mapping system wasn’t particularly the best choice at the moment. After public outcry due to the overflow of errors, many wished that Apple would have continued using Google Maps. The turn-by-turn directions feature is really the only positive as the rest of the Maps application is less detailed.

Schmidt also states that no work has been put into a Google Maps iOS application, and the acceptance will be placed upon Apple:

“We have not done anything yet,” he said.

Schmidt said Google and Apple were in constant communication “at all kinds of levels.” But he said any decision on whether Google Maps would be accepted as an application in the Apple App Store would have to be made by Apple.

Apple has recently accepted the Youtube application into the App Store, and has quickly risen to one of the most downloaded free applications. The same could happen with Google Maps, but Apple may not accept it due to the similarities between their own in-house maps.

If, or when Google Maps hits the App Store, will you be downloading it?