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Apple buys 3D mapping firm as it ups Google rivalry - Rumour
Apple has reportedly bought Swedish 3D mapping company C3 Technologies as it moves to bolster the maps feature in its iOS operating system and compete with rival services from the likes of Google. C3 was bought and shut down in August, with a number of firms, including Apple, linked to the deal, although the actual buyer never emerged. But sources speaking to the 9to5 Mac blog claim Apple was the purchaser, with C3 execs including former CEO Mattias Astrom, CFO Kjell Cederstand and lead product manager Ludvig Emgard all now working in Apple’s iOS division, while the rest of the C3 team remains in Sweden. If true, the acquisition marks Apple’s third purchase of a mapping company in the past couple of years as the firm reportedly pursues its own in-house mapping solution.
C3 uses similar technology to that used by the military for missile targeting to generate 3D maps of cities and geographic features such as mountains, enabling maps to integrate 3D imaging into traditional 2D maps and photos. Speculation is now rife that Apple is planning to use this technology to build up its own maps service that will likely include information on local businesses and deals, as well as data such as traffic, tweets or Wikipedia entries. The firm already owns Placebase, a digital mapmaker that it purchased in 2009, as well as Canadian online mapping company Poly9.
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