Leaked screenshot of Apple's maps vs Google's new maps

It’s no secret that Apple has been working on its own mapping service to replace Google Maps on iOS devices. According to eyewitness reports as well as leaked screenshots, what sets Apple’s Maps app apart is its 3D imaging capabilities. However, after an interesting announcement from Google on the 6th, this 3D feature might not be as unique as Apple would have hoped.

Google’s enhanced mapping 3D maps experience will be coming to both Android and iOS in the coming weeks, and will offer customers a more in depth look at many popular areas. In fact, using “new processes,” to capture images, Google was able to portray extra depth and delve into astounding detail – in San Francisco, for example, every single building is modeled and displayed in three dimensions.

Google even made a point of showing this technology running on an iPad, so even with iOS 6 on the way, Google has iOS devices on its radar. Obviously Google’s tech won’t be built right into iOS anymore, but the company’s 3D maps will surely make their way to the Google Earth application. It’s also not a stretch for Google to come out with a Google Maps app, which could also utilize this latest mapping development… you know, if Apple allows such an app.

I’ll be very interested to see how this affects Apple’s own mapping service, and which of the two will come out on top. With Google Earth, Maps and Street View under its belt, Google is definitely the more seasoned of the two when it comes to Maps, but it would be foolish to count Apple out just yet.

What do you guys think about this? Will Apple let Google’s 3D maps exist alongside its own in a dedicated App Store app, or will Apple’s 3D maps be the only ones allowed on our iPhones? Do you even care about seeing the depth of a building on a map? Weigh in down below in the comments section or let me know on twitter!

Via: Engadget