Wonder what this means for us Mac users?

Apple has always hated relying on a third-party for hardware or software. They have a history of buying chip makers for iPhone production. They have funded their own software to ensure that they can offer something to their users in case the third party withdraws or tries to extort Apple.

The mapping company lets them explore the GPS capabilities of their computers and iPhone. It also protects them from Google muscling them for $$.

When you rely on other people/companies to sell your stuff, you better make sure that they don't go out of business or change the product to obsolete yours. Garmin hasn't been hurt yet by not getting their own maps, but I haven't ever updated any of my GPS units because of the cost.

Daniel

My guess is that Apple plans to make the iPhone a fully functional GPS unit. That is, one that employes an on-board map database and nav-sat antenna to orient the unit to its geographic location. The iPhone's current GPS capability is Internet based: relying on an external map database aboard some ISP's server and cell tower triangulation to orient the unit.

Apple does tech stuff amazingly well so we can anticipate a very spiffy gizmo.

The iPhone no longer needs to rely on an internet connection to use the GPS function. There are several apps that load the map sets onto the iPhone, no longer depending on an internet connection.

I've got a first gen iPhone & have almost pulled the trigger on a new GS to be able to use the GPS features, mostly for golf -I love my 765t for the road. It'll be interesting to see what they offer next summer.

Now if they'd remember that they also make Mac's. I've got a 6 year old G5 & the new MacPro looks exactly the same. I'm an Industrial Designer by trade & hate to drop thousands only to look down at the same exact box... even if it is a nice clean design.

Are you buying it as an art piece, or for what it can do? I also have a 6 year old G5 (Dual 2GHz) and would like to have the MacPro internals in its place, regardless of what the box looks like. I might buy the 27" iMac with the 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 instead--it's darned fast, and that way I'll have my 23" Cinema display as a second screen.