Google Maps App Not yet Submitted for Apple Store Approval

Google Executive Eric Schmidt squashed the flames for claims against Map app by denying that the company has already submitted a new native Google Maps for App Store approval. Reuters reported – Schmidt denied the rumor, saying, “We have not done anything yet” to offer iOS device owners an alternative to the buggy iOS 6 Maps app.

Eric Schmidt, who is in Japan to Launch Android powered Nexus 7 tablet,  told reporters in Tokyo:

Google Inc has made no move to provide Google Maps for the iPhone 5 after Apple Inc dropped the application in favor of a home-grown but controversial alternative, Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said.

Apple’s own mapping solution was launched as part of iOS 6 last week with no street views, missing public-transportation routing, poor 3D driving interface, and poor traffic reporting. The disgruntled users and reviewer complained that Apple’s iOS map service, based on Dutch navigation equipment and digital map maker TomTomNV’s data, contains critical geographical errors leading to a large amount of misleading, mistaken and missing information.

“We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?” “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.

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

Officially, more than 100 million iOS devices already have been updated (and affected with buggy iOS Maps app) with the new operating system – iOS 6. The company’s latest smartphone, iPhone 5, however, comes with iOS 6 pre-installed.

Some anonymous insider sources say that Apple has already begun fixing the server-side information used for its Maps app with improved data. Apple is even hiring Ex-Google Maps employees to fix iOS Maps, as reported earlier.