The revelation that Apple snapped up a small mapping service in July has observers speculating about everything from Apple replacing Google Maps on the iPhone to the once-friendly companies moving to fierce competition. Apple acquired Los Angeles-based Placebase in July, a small enough deal that Apple wasn’t required to make an official announcement. Placebase offers an API that lets developers create customized features and functions not available on Google Maps. One of the best-known products based on Placebase technology is PolicyMap. PolicyMap lets users explore geographic information through maps, tables and reports so they can make better decisions. Organizations like The Washington Post and Wachovia are using PolicyMap. Apple and Google Drift Apart Apple could be thinking of displacing Google Maps as the default mapping service on the iPhone and iPod touch, or at least preparing a backup. Could the once-friendly companies be getting ready to do battle on apps? Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment.

“Two years ago, Apple’s interests and Google’s interests seemed pretty aligned,” said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. “But since then we’ve seen Google introduce a new mobile operating platform. We’ve seen Google introduce a new browser. We’ve seen Google introduce a new operating system, all of which are totally divergent from Apple’s interests.” Indeed, despite all the focus on Google invading Microsoft’s territory, Google and Apple are more often competing rather than partnering in the high-tech world. Nothing evidenced this more than Google CEO Eric Schmidt resigning from Apple’s board of directors in August. After sitting on Apple’s board since 2006, Schmidt and Apple mutually decided that the companies were beginning to compete head-to-head on several fronts. At the time, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric’s effectiveness as an Apple…

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Apple Maps Could Replace Google Maps on iPhone