Apple is Aggressively Recruiting Ex-Google Maps Employees?

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Posted September 23, 2012 at 9:28pm by iClarified

Apple is aggressively recruiting ex-Google Maps employees to help it better its new Maps app that debuted with iOS 6, reports TechCrunch.

According to their source who has connections on both teams, Apple is using recruiters to lure away employees who were contracted to work on Google Maps. Apparently, a lot of employees started getting bored at Google when things attention to indoor mapping.

Many of my coworkers at Google Maps eventually left when their contracts ended or on their own accord. One guy looked around for other GIS work and ended up at Apple when a recruiter contacted him. He had heard rumors for a while that Apple was going to develop its own in-house mapping platform, and given his experience at Google, he was an easy hire. Apple went out of their way to bring him down to Cupertino and he's now paid hansomly as a GIS Analyst. Another coworker that was a project lead at Google Maps, left for the East Coast after his contract ended, and was recently contacted by an Apple recruiter. The position sounds like a product development manager position, and will pay him $85k+ and all the moving expenses from the East Coast. He's gone through 2 rounds of interview and seems like a frontrunner to land that position.

Notably, the source says that while it will be a tough road ahead, it is possible for Apple to produce a competitive product.

At Google Maps, we know what data's important, rendering priorities, keyword searches, and how the user experience is suppose to be. However, Apple needs to find a way to get its own 5 million miles of street view data, partner with the right folks, and spend a fortune on licensed data – which it can.

Apple recently issued this statement following criticism over its new Maps app.

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Onlymakessense - September 24, 2012 at 3:08pm

Couldn't have stated it better myself. You all want an iPhone but with google on it? Go but a Samsung skyrocket

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erdener - September 24, 2012 at 4:04am

They use two years old map in Turkey. Are they kidding? I want my google map back

Jack All - September 24, 2012 at 3:22am

I can't imagine how google would have not patented streetview so for apple to have that I'm sure google will charge them the earth to license it! They should have just stuck with good products instead of just trying to piss companies off and inevitably the consumer!

aRiff - September 24, 2012 at 1:45am

competition is good for consumer ...! wait ...! we can get lots of good things.. aRiff

Lohlky - September 23, 2012 at 11:10pm

Dont worry guys Apple is going to fix the problem. They can afford a FIX with $115 billion dollars in the bank..trust me they can buy the whole country. Apple hates criticism..If Steve Jobs was alive he will never allowed this mess. Apple is kinda greedy though

UmAir - September 23, 2012 at 11:03pm

Apple maps need lots of work and they have also removed the yountube.these two thing will led down apple more in future,they should again add you tube

digihead - September 23, 2012 at 11:20pm

why? youtube app now is much better than original. in ios you can share video direct to youtube, where is problem? same thing with maps - apple developing their own - good luck to them, meanwhile, most likely there will be google maps app for ios. so what the fuss about?

Noah - September 23, 2012 at 10:31pm

Apple never should have gotten rid of google maps. They were a lot better that Apple maps. Hope a native google app comes. If not on the App Store, then in Cydia.

jahmed80 - September 23, 2012 at 9:40pm

Not really a big fan of apple maps. I can care less about the 3d building view, its just unnessessory. I want to find place easily wen i search for 1. In google u can just type anything n it will find it, on apple u have to spell it perfectly or it will bring no reasult. Not all the buisness or places r there. But apples turn by turn direction is stunning, its just beautiful. If they integrate the google map in it, it will be super perfect super awsome.

Question - September 23, 2012 at 9:38pm

What's gonna happen if Google brings about its native maps app to the iPhone (as Google mentioned)? I know Apple will have to approve it for the AppStore, but just seems like Apple should give consumers what they want and that they'd be running around in circles.