Google and Apple currently dominate the standard map services for Android and iOS devices. End users can use their smartphone’s embedded mapping app to navigate the world.
In context: Founded in December 2022 by Amazon (AWS), Meta, Microsoft, and former geolocation giant TomTom, the Overture Maps Foundation aims to create a reliable, easy-to-use, and interoperable open map dataset for third-party companies and developers. The project’s first „alpha“ release is now available for anyone to download and experiment with.
Google and Apple currently dominate the standard map services for Android and iOS devices. End users can use their smartphone’s embedded mapping app to navigate the world and find interesting places to visit, but third-party developers must pay significant fees to access the map dataset through a proprietary API.
The Overture Maps Foundation (OMF) is aiming to challenge this mobile duopoly through a collaborative effort involving over a dozen mapping, geospatial, and technology companies.
