Google Maps Navigation Not Coming to iPhone Universe. Ever!

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I bet lots of companies that happen to make a living off turn-by-turn navigation devices and software have popped open the champagne when they found out that Google has dismissed the rumors that said a free Google Maps Navigation app is heading to the iPhone universe. Or at least they high-fived themselves around the office.

There are plenty of turn-by-turn applications available in the App Store right now and they all happen to be very expensive. Naturally a large chunk of that purchase fee goes to Apple, and like I said the other day, Apple will probably not want to shoot itself in the foot and approve a free, and very dependable, Google Maps Navigation app for the iPhone.

Furthermore, Google is the enemy right now and Apple is already trying to find alternatives to services like Google Search and Google Maps. Cupertino has already announced iAd, a mobile advertising platform that should help developers monetize their free iPhone apps and it purchased PlaceBase a long time ago which can only mean that an Apple-made Maps app for the iPhone is coming soon.

From Google’s perspective an application like Google Maps Navigation with turn-by-turn directions is an asset that can be used to further drive sales of its Android phones so why make it available to other platforms, especially iPhone OS?

Google quickly countered the rumor that was spreading all over the Internet saying that the iPhone will get its own free Google Maps Navigation app with a simple and very concise statement:

We did not say we would bring it to iPhone, we said to date we’ve had it on Android and that in the future it may come to other platforms but did not confirm this will be coming to iPhone at all.

Well there you have it, folks, Google Maps Navigation is not coming to the iPhone anytime soon so better save up some money and get one of those expensive navigations app from the App Store. Unless Apple is prepping a free navigation app of its own…