Much-needed Apple Maps help could come from Foursquare

No wonder Apple Maps users are unhappy

Rumor has it Apple is in talks with location-based social network Foursquare to boost its lackluster iOS 6 Maps offerings.

According a Wall Street Journal report published Monday, Apple is looking to share in Foursquare's map data, which could be used to integrate the latters' users tips and ratings directly into Apple's Maps.

Adding Foursquare's map data to Maps could improve the app's ability to locate businesses and other points of interest, which didn't live up to the standards set by Google Maps in earlier iOS versions.

The Journal's report claimed that Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue has spent the last few weeks meeting with Foursquare representatives, though nothing is concrete yet.

Fixing the 'maptastrophe'

Previous versions of Apple's iOS operating system used Google Maps, but Apple ditched Google in favor of its own, internal solution with the launch of iOS 6.

That didn't go over so well though, with users complaining of inaccurate and incomplete data in Apple's maps.

Apple has been playing catch up ever since, reportedly poaching Google Maps makers to fix its own app and issuing apologies straight from the mouth of CEO Tim Cook.

Foursquare apparently isn't the only company Apple's in talks with to improve its navigation offering: the Journal's report claimed that Cupertino is in talks with other companies to boost Maps' capabilities.

Google delivers

Google, meanwhile, responded last week with its own iOS 6 Maps app, which brought back many of the features - local transit, Street View, etc. - that iOS users had sorely missed.

Apple users turned up in droves to download the replacement Maps app; Google announced Monday that Google Maps for iOS 6 was downloaded 10 million times in the first 48 hours.

Now if only Apple would allow iOS 6 users to delete its in-house Maps app from their devices, everything could go back to normal.

TechRadar asked Apple and Foursquare to find out if the two companies have anything to say about the potential partnership and will update this story if and when the companies respond.

Via CNET

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Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.

Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.