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 i post got 20 times equally many hits equally the 2nd close pop post on Google concluding week.
I wasn't surprised that the post was pop inward some quarters. After all, at that spot is a pathological hate of Google Maps inward the military machine fly of the opened upwards 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 in addition to Google+.
I was expecting many inward the mapping community to defend the Google Maps API. After all it is soundless hugely pop in addition to is soundless a vivid mapping API. With no i defending the Google Maps API against my prepare on I gauge I'll own got to produce then myself.
First off the headline of the post 'The Slow Death of the Google Maps API' was obvious click-bait, an sweat to lure inward readers amongst a sensationalist post title. The Google Maps API soundless remains pop amongst many map developers in addition to is patently soundless really much alive.
Secondly, the chief thrust of my declaration was that the Google Maps API squad has been completely inactive over the concluding 2 years. This is demonstrably untrue. Over the concluding few years Google has been busy developing the first-class Google Maps SDK for iOS in addition to the Google Maps API v2 for Android.
It seems to me that Google run across mobile platforms equally the futurity of the spider web in addition to the Google Maps API squad so seem to hold upwards focusing their efforts inward supporting mobile devices. It precisely then happens that this is an surface area that I'm non peculiarly interested inward -but I await Google know their describe of piece of employment organisation far ameliorate that I do.
Thirdly, despite the huge strides made yesteryear MapBox in addition to LeafletJS, Google Maps soundless 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 e'er growing unwrap of countries around 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 in addition to I'm certain that they volition expire along to improve inward this area.
Google also patently excels inward search. The Google Places API provides map developers amongst unrivaled access to describe of piece of employment organisation locations in addition to points of involvement around the world. OpenStreetMaps Map Features render developers amongst access to like kinds of information all the same the Google Places API provides the close piece of cake means for developers to precisely plug-in a powerful search engine for businesses in addition to points of involvement into their maps.
My belief is that where MapBox in addition to LeafletJS are overtaking the Google Maps API is inward the surface area of command over map blueprint in addition to presentation. Mobile devices aside, I mean value that the big increment surface area inward online mapping inward the side yesteryear side few years volition hold upwards inward Map Storytelling. I promise that the variety of mapped narrative, demonstrated then wonderfully inward The Guardian's In Flight – Interactive Map concluding week, volition expire to a greater extent than commonplace on the internet.
Maps are nifty tools inward the visualization of information in addition to I believe that developers volition starting fourth dimension incorporating these information visualizations to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than into powerful mapped narratives. Not precisely using maps to explore information but using the information in addition to mapping APIs to tell the stories behind that data.
For these variety of mapped narratives developers volition desire increasing command over the blueprint of the underlying map features of a maps API. The Google Styled Maps characteristic is practiced but both MapBox in addition to LeafletJS render far greater command over the blueprint features of the displayed map layers. This is i surface area where I believe Google needs to halt resting on its laurels.
There is i other possible argue why the Google Maps API squad seem to own got been then inactive. I've had my suspicions for a land that the lack of novel features inward the maps API may hold upwards because Google are busy working on the Google Maps API v4 (an API that ties inward to a greater extent than tightly amongst the facial expression in addition to experience of the novel facial expression Google Maps). If that is truthful nosotros mightiness good own got to hold off for this year's Google I/O earlier nosotros listen of whatsoever novel developments inward the Google Maps API.
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