New The Google Maps Api Rules The Waves

The Google Maps API squad relaxing on their 2 twelvemonth sabbatical

I was taken dorsum yesteryear the reaction to my post on The Slow Death of the Google Maps API. That 1 post got 20 times equally many hits equally the minute close pop post on Google final week.

I wasn't surprised that the post was pop inward some quarters. After all, in that location is a pathological hatred of Google Maps inward the military machine fly of the opened upward mapping community. However I was surprised yesteryear the consummate lack of disagreement amongst the post inward the post's comments or inward the discussions that followed on Twitter as well as Google+.

I was expecting many inward the mapping community to defend the Google Maps API. After all it is silent hugely pop as well as is silent a vivid mapping API. With no 1 defending the Google Maps API against my assault I justice I'll own got to create as well as so myself.

First off the headline of the post 'The Slow Death of the Google Maps API' was obvious click-bait, an exertion to lure inward readers amongst a sensationalist post title. The Google Maps API silent remains pop amongst many map developers as well as is manifestly silent real much alive.

Secondly, the primary thrust of my declaration was that the Google Maps API squad has been completely inactive over the final 2 years. This is demonstrably untrue. Over the final few years Google has been busy developing the fantabulous Google Maps SDK for iOS as well as the Google Maps API v2 for Android.

It seems to me that Google meet mobile platforms equally the hereafter of the spider web as well as the Google Maps API squad thus look to move focusing their efforts inward supporting mobile devices. It exactly as well as so happens that this is an surface area that I'm non peculiarly interested inward -but I expression Google know their trouble organization far improve that I do.

Thirdly, despite the huge strides made yesteryear MapBox as well as LeafletJS, Google Maps silent has some built inward advantages over some of its newer competitors. Google's extensive Street View coverage offers map developers unique access to street score images inward an always growing let on of countries to a greater extent than or less the world.

Google's satellite imagery also provides map imagery that is less developed inward its newer competitors. However MapBox are making huge strides frontwards inward providing aerial imagery as well as I'm certain that they volition maintain to improve inward this area.

Google also manifestly excels inward search. The Google Places API provides map developers amongst unrivaled access to trouble organization locations as well as points of involvement to a greater extent than or less the world. OpenStreetMaps Map Features render developers amongst access to like kinds of information withal the Google Places API provides the close piece of cake agency for developers to but plug-in a powerful search engine for businesses as well as points of involvement into their maps.


My belief is that where MapBox as well as LeafletJS are overtaking the Google Maps API is inward the surface area of command over map pattern as well as presentation. Mobile devices aside, I intend that the big increment surface area inward online mapping inward the side yesteryear side few years volition move inward Map Storytelling. I promise that the form of mapped narrative, demonstrated as well as so wonderfully inward The Guardian's In Flight – Interactive Map final week, volition move out to a greater extent than commonplace on the internet.

Maps are keen tools inward the visualization of information as well as I believe that developers volition showtime incorporating these information visualizations to a greater extent than as well as to a greater extent than into powerful mapped narratives. Not but using maps to explore information but using the information as well as mapping APIs to tell the stories behind that data.

For these form of mapped narratives developers volition desire increasing command over the pattern of the underlying map features of a maps API. The Google Styled Maps characteristic is skilful but both MapBox as well as LeafletJS render far greater command over the pattern features of the displayed map layers. This is 1 surface area where I believe Google needs to halt resting on its laurels.


There is 1 other possible argue why the Google Maps API squad seem to own got been as well as so inactive. I've had my suspicions for a spell that the lack of novel features inward the maps API may move because Google are busy working on the Google Maps API v4 (an API that ties inward to a greater extent than tightly amongst the expression as well as experience of the novel expression Google Maps). If that is truthful nosotros powerfulness good own got to hold back for this year's Google I/O earlier nosotros remove heed of whatever novel developments inward the Google Maps API.

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