When Google launched Google Maps in 2005, everyone was amazed. This was some cutting edge technological development. I mean, you didn’t have to have a hardcopy of a map and a person on shotgun anymore. Here was an application that can give you voice instructions in your car or in your mobile, to the point where it will accurately tell you if you should take the next left or right.
And then, indoor navigation came into place. When this gradually started gaining popularity, people were relieved because they can now navigate inside malls and other government buildings or hospital buildings with ease.
So, Google continues to keep amazing its customers and the other big players were naturally beginning to feel like they should catch up. As a result, Apple, the biggest competitor of Google, decided to take indoor navigation to the next level. In contrast to the Google maps in Android phones, they have launched Apple Maps.
The recent update from the technology development side is that Apple has instructed its team of technology experts to use drones to make indoor navigation better and to update map information effectively.
By combining robotics with data collection, the maps will have more accurate and updated information. Real-time data about traffics and congestion can be obtained and updated in the app with ease, giving customers more accurate information.
Nowadays, all other applications like applications for booking cabs, travel-related apps, etc use map services, the level of accuracy in our mapping applications are now more crucial than ever. By using drones that will fly across the city and gather data, we are extending the now road-only features of our mapping applications to the skies as well!
Additionally, it can also spot street signs and identify areas under construction or areas that are not accessible due to weather conditions and inform the user. Road changes can be tracked and monitored and this can help prevent road accidents to some extent.
This new upgrade is expected to come out in 2017 and revolutionize how we navigate. Apple has hired data collection and robotics experts and also acquired permission to fly drones across the city.
The only major obstacle Apple might face is flying the drones across the city. Flying a drone over hundreds and thousands of people and buildings cannot be achieved easily. There are so many things to consider and there is also the question of whether people are going to like having drones flying over their heads.
Ultimately, everything is for the benefit of the customer. Apple has decided to change how the world navigates and if drones are the way to achieve that, let’s welcome the change and see what this one is like! So, will Apple beat Google, who’s leading in the Maps area for quite some years now? Let’s wait and watch!
