Google Maps returns to iPhone, gives Apple users turn-by-turn navigation
Once upon a time, Google Maps was an indispensable part of the iPhone experience, faithfully guiding users wherever they needed to go. Then, Apple decided to ditch Google's cartography in favor of it's own mapping system in iOS 6, sending the crowd in Mountain View scrambling to build a standalone solution. Well, tonight, all you iPhone folks can once again get Google telling you where to go (assuming you weren't already using web-based Gmaps), as the much anticipated app has landed in the App Store. The best news? As was foretold, it's brought turn-by-turn navigation along for the ride -- we trust you won't need Google (or us) to tell you where to find the download. There's no iPad-optimized version yet (although it is iPhone 5 ready), hit the source link to download for iPhone now, check out the list of features and intro video after the break.
Update: Having trouble actually snagging it? We've had inconsistent results ourselves, probably due to the sheer number of people trying to access it at once. In the meantime, while you can keep hitting download, you could also take a minute or two off, tweet an "iTunes is using Apple Maps to find the Google Maps app" joke and try again later.
Show full PR text
Description
Navigate your world with Google Maps, now available for iPhone. Get comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps with built-in Google local search, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transit directions, Street View and more. Use Google Maps to discover great places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and reviews from people you trust. Sign in to save your favorite places and quickly access all your past searches and directions from your computer, right on your phone.
Search
* Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.
* Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.
* Sign in to sync your searches, directions, and favorite places between your computer and your phone.
Directions
* Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.
* Find your way by train, bus, subway or walking directions.
* Access live traffic information in cities across the world.
Street View and imagery
* View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.
* See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.
* View high resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.
Simple and easy to use
* An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.
* Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.
* Use gestures to explore the map and browse results.
