Apple Is Rumored to Use Drones as Secret Weapons in the War Against Google Maps

In a clear attempt to catch up with its closest rivals in the Silicon Valley mobile mapping space, Apple will reportedly begin utilizing a number of utilities — including drones and indoor mapping data — to significantly enhance the accuracy and usefulness of its proprietary Maps app over the next year, according to a recent report published in Bloomberg.

In order to accomplish its goal, according to sources familiar with the company’s ongoing effort, Apple will be assembling a team of “robotics and data collection experts” — formed with the primarily objective of flying drones in order to collect more valuable, map-specific information than the company’s current fleet of self-branded, sensor and camera-equipped minivans we’ve seen roaming the streets a few times before. 

The objective in flying drones, as opposed to driving a van, according to the report, is so Apple can do things like track changes to construction sites, road projects, or even examine street signs, for instance. The collected data will then be sent directly to Cupertino’s Maps team for quick updating.

Apple’s proprietary Maps app was originally launched back in 2012; however, from the get-go, it was beset by a myriad of quirky errors and location-based discrepancies — such as hospitals being marked as grocery stores, and vice versa, if you don’t recall. And while the objective behind releasing its own, proprietary Maps app was to decrease reliance on Google Maps, Apple’s foray into the mobile mapping space was further thwarted by other, crucial factors as well, including the iPhone-maker’s inherent lack of requisite technology needed to accumulate and upload data in a quick in efficient way.

“There’s a huge data-quality issue there, and I don’t think we initially appreciated all the kinds of technology we would need to do that on an ongoing basis,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, in an exclusive interview earlier this year.

Another reason Apple wants to fly drones in order to collect Maps data, according to AppleInsider, is so that new features can be developed for Maps — including the ability to view the inside layouts of larger public areas, such as museums, airports, and shopping malls.

Last but not least, Apple’s car navigation will be gaining a few enhancements next year, too, including better guidance for drivers wanting to change lanes, most notably. All of these features should be available next year, notwithstanding any internal hold-ups, of course.

Are you looking forward to using Maps’ new features next year?
Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: StudioMonkey / Shutterstock.com

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