Apple buys a mapping company called Placebase

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 8:05pm — Seth Weintraub

Apple bought a company called Placebase in July for its mapping software. Almost no one noticed. What is Apple going to do with a mapping company? Apple Maps on the iPhone? Places in iPhoto? More? Here's CEO Jaron Waldman talking about the Placebase product. Much more here.

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Comments

Another Sign that Google

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 8:36pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Another Sign that Google Apple Relation is going down the drain.... Maybe in the near future they will drop Google from the Map App ?

Ya Think

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 8:57pm — LanPhantom (not verified)

I hope so, just like they'll kick intel to the curb and develop their own processor.

This iPhone uses an ARM chip

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 9:15pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

This iPhone uses an ARM chip which they will replace with there own at some point. They will continue their relationship with Intel for PC chips for many years to come.

The moment Apple loses the

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 10:57pm — Daniel (not verified)

The moment Apple loses the need to offer Windows compatibility, it will send x86 to trash.... where it should have gone years ago. The architecture is dead and has nothing to offer. Constant shifting of manufacturing process towards lower and lower nanometers values and juggling with marketing terms will not save it. The arch is flawed by design.

With P. A. Semi in their pockets, Apple could easily develop processors that match x86 in speed but run much cooler. And Intel knows that very well.

Have we already forgotten

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 10:05pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Have we already forgotten Apple used to make their own processors?

Not really, motorolla and IBM

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 11:03pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Not really, motorolla and IBM did, with some apple input also the same thing with the invention of arm with acorn but apple didn't 'make' them, though they did make some of their own 'satalite' chips.

CoreMapping for Mac OS

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 11:14pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Might be a new OS level service: CoreMapping or something.

Can't Apple just buy a

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 12:13am — Macca (not verified)

Can't Apple just buy a successful company without it having something to do with the iPhone? I know the iPhone is their flagship product but lots of companies acquire other companies all the time in business, just so that they have another, somethimes independent, revenue stream.

On the flipside, I do see the possibilities of getting rid of their costly Google Maps tie in and developing their own Apple Maps!
http://www.gimmeitfree.co.uk

iPhone Apple's stepping stone

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 5:25am — Robert MacEwan (not verified)

With the rumored iTablet/iPad(/just give us the damned thing already) mimicking iPhone/iPod Touch they could easily hit vertical markets instead of hip-n-cool JayZ wannabez.

I for one would buy subscriptions to several newspapers and magazines if the pad was subsidized by those tree killing folks.

The Mac is and has been

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 2:59pm — Proud Puppy (not verified)

The Mac is and has been Apples main product for several decades, this buy is directly related to OS X. The iPhone is a great product and I own one, but it's not the flag ship. Looking at the profit involved Apple has to sell 4 or 5 iPhones to equal one iMac. I worked for Apple computer for a number of years in their engineering dept. The mac generates a large percentage of Apples profits, it has in the past and it will in the future.

Never heard of this company and don't care

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 1:56am — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

So where is this company getting there data from.... Google? I still think Google has the best mapping software. Best part is the streetview, I have yet to see any alternative to streetview.

Eric Schmidt probably decided

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 2:34am — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Eric Schmidt probably decided to take Google Maps along with his chair on the board.

Flashback...

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 4:33am — starground (not verified)

Hm, this reminds me of what I was doing back in 1999, whilst working for the Swedish company Cycore (the Alladessa project) as design manager. Hope they are familiar with all the patents surrounding combined georelated data sets.

Flashback...

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 4:35am — starground (not verified)

I think

Mon, 10/26/2009 - 2:42pm — free mobile games (not verified)

I think that hi used new OS level service.

I heard weather mentioned. I

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 5:11am — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

I heard weather mentioned. I often need radar updates on my maps when traveling. It would be much better than having to jump from one app to another, and when you get to the other weather apps you have to locate also. Not always the best thing to do when on the road. That is something that Google Maps does not offer.

it has nothing to do with Google maps but ...

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 12:40pm — cyberhusky (not verified)

Just look at the demo video of http://policymap.org and see what possible now which isn't possible with Google maps yet.

OK it's not for consumer people but business guys with a Mac Tablet and such an app could easily show infos using maps from Placebase. It's much easier to hold a tablet than a laptop!
And if the Mac tablet has the High resolution definition rumored these maps apps will show every detail!

Apple buys a company not for

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 5:49pm — Cell phone review (not verified)

Apple buys a company not for the specific product they make, but for the talent of the team the company has. They may very well buy the company, only to have them develop something Apple wants made that it thinks that company's team is capable of developing.