IOS6 Mapkit licensing, terms of use [closed]

Question

In IOS6 map data was replaced from Google to Apple's own map data.

In the past, when MapKit was used you had to accept Google Maps licensing and terms of use (https://developers.google.com/maps/iphone/terms). What is the situation with the new MapKit and its new map data? E.g. GoogleMaps was not enabled to use in commercial apps by free, to use it you had to buy some premium packages. Etc.

Answer 1

Starting again since the comments became too long. Essential points are

1) You never had to pay to use MapKit in a commercial app (noted that if you charge solely for map access then you violate the terms - no mention of what action gets taken, also some people confuse the Javascript API terms with the MapKit terms).

1.2) With exceptions as noted in 10.9 of the license agreement

2) Using the MapKit under iOS 6 shouldn't be seen as any different to using ApplicationKit, UIKit, or any other framework Apple provides. You can use them in commercial apps.

Answer 2

This particular subject is very obscure. I've been looking into this matter for the past 2 days... so here are my 2 cents:

• Mapkit is one thing, GMAP terms and conditions is another thing. The fact that Mapkit is free does not mean that the map provider is going to give you the data for free and allow any kind of use.
• If you are going to show vehicles' locations on map and those vehicles are your customers (you charge for the service), you need GMAP Business edition and Premier API. There's no way around it, no matter if the iPhone app is free and this is also regardless of the framework (Mapkit).
• Addressing the original question about if Apple Maps is going to be free, there is no way to know at least right now... No one knows. We can speculate that it will be free, for the simple fact that if it's not, it will break current functionality of other tracking applications that were developed in the time of iOS 5 where GMAP was the current data provider. We can also speculate that, since GMAP Business is $10k per year + traffic, it's not going to be free!

And most important of all, about the "Apps that use location-based APIs for dispatch, fleet management, or emergency services will be rejected," note that it says "location-based APIs", which your app "will not use" because you already have the position data on your servers. The idea behind that sentence is to avoid apps that will track the iPhone user in real-time. You can have to most amazing Fleet Management app and never use the built-in GPS antenna, simply because you don't need it.

Sources:

• https://developers.google.com/maps/licensing
• https://developers.google.com/maps/iphone/terms
• http://www.google.com.pr/enterprise/earthmaps/maps-faq.html (check out question "What is the cost of Google Maps API for Business?")

Apps that are already doing it:

• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fleetmatics/id441922434?mt=8
• https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/scania-fleet-management/id513863147?mt=8

Hope that helps.-