There’s a post on Google’s Mobile Blog, put up earlier today and probably in reaction to Facebook Places, that reminds people of the history and reach of Google Maps for mobile — as well as its other location-aware mobile products.
Over the past five years, Maps for mobile has changed quite a bit, adding more ways to help you explore the world around you. With My Location, you can quickly find where you are on the map with or without GPS. You can put your friends on the map with Latitude. Navigation even turns your phone into a free internet-connected navigation system with voice guidance and Street View imagery.
Google floats a stat — I believe a repeat of what has been said before — that “more than 100 million people a month are now using Google Maps.” Emphasis on scale.
I argued in my post this morning over at SEL that Facebook Places might actually wind up helping Google Places in some ways rather than harming it:
Facebook Places may actually help Google Places rather than harm it. By raising awareness of the need to “claim” your listing generally Google Places may see an increase in local business activity on its pages. Claiming your listings at both Places will be on the list of must-do local online promotions for small businesses going forward.
August 20th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Without a mobile app for Google Place checkins, I don’t see Google Places getting much consumer interaction.
August 20th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
You can bet that Google will integrate check-ins into Places via Latitude or new functionality.