Apple buys a mapping company called Placebase

Seth Weintraub
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September 30, 2009
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Apple bought a company called Placebase in July for its mapping software.  Almost no one noticed.  What is Apple going to do with a mapping company?  Apple Maps on the iPhone?  Places in iPhoto?  More?  Here's CEO Jaron Waldman talking about the Placebase product.  Much more here.

Comments (21)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 8:36pm

Another Sign that Google Apple Relation is going down the drain.... Maybe in the near future they will drop Google from the Map App ?

LanPhantom (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 8:57pm

I hope so, just like they'll kick intel to the curb and develop their own processor.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 9:15pm

This iPhone uses an ARM chip which they will replace with there own at some point. They will continue their relationship with Intel for PC chips for many years to come.

Daniel (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 10:57pm

The moment Apple loses the need to offer Windows compatibility, it will send x86 to trash.... where it should have gone years ago. The architecture is dead and has nothing to offer. Constant shifting of manufacturing process towards lower and lower nanometers values and juggling with marketing terms will not save it. The arch is flawed by design.

With P. A. Semi in their pockets, Apple could easily develop processors that match x86 in speed but run much cooler. And Intel knows that very well.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 10:05pm

Have we already forgotten Apple used to make their own processors?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 11:03pm

Not really, motorolla and IBM did, with some apple input also the same thing with the invention of arm with acorn but apple didn't 'make' them, though they did make some of their own 'satalite' chips.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 30, 2009 - 11:14pm

Might be a new OS level service: CoreMapping or something.

Macca (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 12:13am

Can't Apple just buy a successful company without it having something to do with the iPhone? I know the iPhone is their flagship product but lots of companies acquire other companies all the time in business, just so that they have another, somethimes independent, revenue stream.

On the flipside, I do see the possibilities of getting rid of their costly Google Maps tie in and developing their own Apple Maps!
http://www.gimmeitfree.co.uk

Robert MacEwan (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 5:25am

With the rumored iTablet/iPad(/just give us the damned thing already) mimicking iPhone/iPod Touch they could easily hit vertical markets instead of hip-n-cool JayZ wannabez.

I for one would buy subscriptions to several newspapers and magazines if the pad was subsidized by those tree killing folks.

Proud Puppy (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 2:59pm

The Mac is and has been Apples main product for several decades, this buy is directly related to OS X. The iPhone is a great product and I own one, but it's not the flag ship. Looking at the profit involved Apple has to sell 4 or 5 iPhones to equal one iMac. I worked for Apple computer for a number of years in their engineering dept. The mac generates a large percentage of Apples profits, it has in the past and it will in the future.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 1:56am

So where is this company getting there data from.... Google? I still think Google has the best mapping software. Best part is the streetview, I have yet to see any alternative to streetview.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 2:34am

Eric Schmidt probably decided to take Google Maps along with his chair on the board.

starground (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 4:33am

Hm, this reminds me of what I was doing back in 1999, whilst working for the Swedish company Cycore (the Alladessa project) as design manager. Hope they are familiar with all the patents surrounding combined georelated data sets.

starground (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 4:35am

Hm, this reminds me of what I was doing back in 1999, whilst working for the Swedish company Cycore (the Alladessa project) as design manager. Hope they are familiar with all the patents surrounding combined georelated data sets.

free mobile games (not verified) | October 26, 2009 - 2:42pm

I think that hi used new OS level service.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 5:11am

I heard weather mentioned. I often need radar updates on my maps when traveling. It would be much better than having to jump from one app to another, and when you get to the other weather apps you have to locate also. Not always the best thing to do when on the road. That is something that Google Maps does not offer.

cyberhusky (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 12:40pm

Just look at the demo video of http://policymap.org and see what possible now which isn't possible with Google maps yet.

OK it's not for consumer people but business guys with a Mac Tablet and such an app could easily show infos using maps from Placebase. It's much easier to hold a tablet than a laptop!
And if the Mac tablet has the High resolution definition rumored these maps apps will show every detail!

Cell phone review (not verified) | October 01, 2009 - 5:49pm

Apple buys a company not for the specific product they make, but for the talent of the team the company has. They may very well buy the company, only to have them develop something Apple wants made that it thinks that company's team is capable of developing.

abi | October 03, 2009 - 3:25pm

The Mac is and has been Apples main product.Probably they are interested in developing their own Apple Maps!

Thanks, 1000 games

free mobile games (not verified) | October 26, 2009 - 2:37pm

I think that hi used new OS level service.

free mobile games (not verified) | October 26, 2009 - 2:39pm

I think that hi used new OS level service.