iOS betas are always fun when it comes to rumors. They seem to have a plethora of hidden information in them, if you can find it. This rumor is one not heard of before, or at least very little. According to Technically Personal, bits of code found in an XML of iOS 6 leads them to believe that the Maps application on iOS will be making a debut for OS X in Mountain Lion, the next major iteration of Apple’s desktop operating system. Inside said XML file (second picture, found at the path of the first picture), developer Cody Cooper found some interesting things:

In this XML file, there is a reference to a set of Intel based graphics chipsets for which certain features like Shading are disabled.

Cody says that older Intel chipsets are known to not support shading very well, and that’s probably why Apple wants to disable that feature on these Macs or will be software rendered. It is interesting to note that there is no reference to ATI Radeon chipsets in the list above. Though we don’t know the exact reason, it is probably because they are proper graphics cards that can support shaders.

iOS 6 will be the first release since the then named “iPhone OS 1.0″ to not come with a native Google Maps client, instead relying on Apple’s new in-house maps application shown off at WWDC. It brings with it native turn-by-turn directions (on supported devices), 3D buildings, and Yelp integration. It will ship with the release of iOS 6 this “autumn.” OS X Mountain Lion has been slated for a “July” release, so it could be just around the corner. It will also bring with it Messages, Reminders, Notes, and other iOS apps. Guess we will find out if Maps will be included as well.

What do you think? Would you like Maps on your Mac? Is this too much iOS and OS X integration? Let us know in the comments.

Via: Technically Personal