Google requests removal of Google Maps support from MGMaps

[Cristian Streng]

[tomsoft]

Well, interesting news....

I would also that MGMaps was not the only application before GoogleMap mobile, j2memap appears in summer 2005 too ( http://J2memap.landspurg.net ) , so before GoogleMap mobile.

Did not received yet a letter from Google, it will probably happens in the future too.....

I've tried to contact Google several times to get a commercial aggreement with them, without any succes!

[Cristian Streng]

[MrPete]

I'm pretty sure it is the mobile aspect. This is from the Google Maps license wording online:

The Google Maps license specifically says the following:

[Cristian Streng]

[MrPete]

It could be cell phone, or could be vehicle, gps, tracking, etc.

I'm familiar with map data licensing going waaayyy back. It's common for providers to license specific data for specific purposes. They can sell to different clients, for different purposes, for different $$$.

Since vehicle/tracking/gps systems are a humongous market, it's no surprise that the Google Maps license prohibits use for those things.

Since Google has created specific end-user tools, it's also no surprise that their license prohibits reuse for other purposes.

If it were otherwise, Navtech et al would ultimately only have a single customer -- once licensed to that customer, nobody else would bother; they'd just copy the original data.

Ultimately, this issue is likely to kill MGMap's legal access to proprietary map data from ALL sources, not just Google. Gotta either find public domain sources, or find a way to become integrated into something like the Google business model.

[N1029676]

This is really disappointing.

Christian, we are all proud of you and your awesome app that you have worked on so far. Removal of Google Maps is a definite bummer but, i guess we will live, after all we still have GMaps!

[n95_rit]

Hi Cristian,
i agree with the various posts here that this is really disappointing on Google's part, and limiting the great work done by you on mgmaps. I think the google guys got to mobile gmaps on ideas similar to your and other's apps! I do hope they change their decision esp since your application is freeware and your are not commercially benefiting from mgmaps ...

On a technical level, is it possible that mgmaps works inside a browser like safari or opera mini ? In that case, it should be possible to use Java and Javascript right ?

I hope other sites like yahoo, ms etc don't follow google's narrow vision on this.

Regards

[Cristian Streng]

[sune]

Sorry to hear this.

There are of course strong commercial interrests from NAVTEQ since your free product competes with their commercial products.

But Google did provide the best map i Norway.
Is there a way if one used a private Google Maps API key?
Or how could one use a proxy to provide Google maps anyway?


BR Sune Jakobsson

[Cristian Streng]

[hjm]

I just had updated the midlet I had on my cellphone to newer one and I was quite surprised it didn't have Google maps anymore. Reading the news on this site was quite depressing.

But making it possible to use custom map server was a nice move, Christian! I just wonder if Google can still say your app is violating their terms. Can they? Obviously, you are not telling what the map server address is, but that was easy to find with err... Google's search engine.

Keep it up Christian! Your app is really the best you can get to mobiles, only Opera Mini can compete with it!

[gpz]

Hi, until yesterday August 15 my old 1.33.08 MGMaps version was acessing normaly Google data; today August 16 cant display any satellite view, only map. Same behaviour with "personal" servers customized in recent versions ?
Gian-Paolo - Brazil

[Cristian Streng]

[danyvip]

Hi,
Could you please take a look at map24? They're mapping eastern europe right now and offering routable maps.

Is there a way to add them as a custom map? For me, this would be a google-killer (for online maps at least).

Thanks

[Cristian Streng]

[sxpert]

hi there
I am one of the main contributors to OpenStreetMap, a community project that has a goal of replacing google maps and all other map data distributors.
The project is based on a wiki-like system where everyone can create and update their area of the world.
granted, the maps are not complete (yet *g*), but the more people participate, the faster completeness (or complete enough to be useable) will be achieved.

see http://www.openstreetmap.org for details (make sure to check out the wiki too)

[Cristian Streng]

[ghostbox]

wouldn't it be possible to create a intermediary application which simply takes a location request and displays the google map?

this way the intermediary does not violate tos, as it simply takes a location request and displays the result. and mgmaps is good to go because it only displays maps from the intermediary...just remove any references to google in the application.

its all just semantics

or just as well...a link to some random free hosting service with mgmaps available for download and magically the google maps still works.

in the end...if users have already gone through all the trouble to get mgmaps when they could just pay their mobile provider a few bucks...they will continue to work around the barriers...attempts by google, or others, to block it will be futile - but perhaps these attempts are just to save face???

[ghostbox]