A few months ago they began to circulate photographs of vehicles with a large number of cameras on top and that all seemed to indicate they belonged to Apple. Days later we began to see more photographs of other vehicles with the same camera system on top, like the one we can see at the top of this post. Rumors about a possible Street View by Apple began to circulate, but as usual, Apple neither confirmed nor denied those intentions. But it was also hinted that perhaps Apple could be working on self-driving vehicles.
Last month 9to5Mac revealed that Apple was developing its own map database, adding 3D images of the streets. Finally Apple has officially confirmed that it is working on creating a database of street images from the main cities, as Google has offered us for several years with its Street View service. On the Apple website we can read:
Apple has vehicles around the world collecting data that will be used to improve Apple Maps services. Some of this information will be published in future updates to the Apple Maps service.
We are committed to the privacy of users while we collect this data, so all images showing license plates or people's faces will be blurred in the process prior to publication.
To create a map service with a view of the streets like the one Google already has with its Street View service, I consider it a waste of money and resources that Apple could be dedicating to something else. Unless you plan to make all the investment you are making profitable in some other way. But it is clear that Apple knows how and why it likes its money in its Maps service.
