Google Places API Violation

Asked 26/9, 2012 at 17:51 Answered 2/10, 2012 at 6:38

Solved ios ios6 mapkit google-places-api

I am using Google Places API to pull a list of resturants, and I am displaying them on map. However, since Apple has switched there map services over from Google in iOS 6.0, I am now in violation of Google's terms of use, which states that you must display Google data on a Google map.

"If your application displays Places API data on a map, that map must be provided by Google."

https://developers.google.com/places/policies#terms_of_use

I obviously need to change the map, because I am not going to release an application that is in violation. Any thoughts or suggestions on what to do? Should I go Google Maps with a web view? Does apple have some sort of Google Places API alternative?

Edit:

Using Google Maps through a web view is a hassle, i'd like to find an alternative to that, although it would technically work.

Intervale answered 26/9, 2012 at 17:51 Comment(7)

Good question, curious on the answer/s. (+1) – Claudiaclaudian 26/9, 2012 at 17:52

I think yahoo has something similar to "places". not sure if it has the same restriction – Kossuth 26/9, 2012 at 17:55

Mike is right, yahoo has similar thing. – Edlin 26/9, 2012 at 17:57

now the iOS 6.0+ map issue get event more complex! +1 for the question – Butterfield 26/9, 2012 at 18:0

@MidhunMP checked out Yahoo's service, but they are lacking – Intervale 26/9, 2012 at 18:14

This is a very interesting issue. Please comment on what happened after you figured everything out. Also, seeing that they specify that the results must be placed on a google map, I assume they also have a way for you to do that. – Nela 3/1, 2013 at 20:23

@Brad Larson & Vikings I'm not sure whether this is new, but now, Google states in the Google places API web service main page: "The Google Places API Web Service is for use in server applications. If you're building a client-side application, take a look at the Google Places API for Android...". They now have Google places API library for Android and iOS, however, they are less flexible compared to calling the web service directly, IMO. Any idea if calling the web service is unacceptable now? – Chaulmoogra 24/6, 2015 at 16:41

I decided to use Google Maps JavaScript API. Although, it is a little more difficult to deal with, mainly the JavaScript through Objective-C, it is a solution. The map is displayed through a web view, and I use JavaScript to interact with the map.

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/tutorial#api_key

I will wait to accept this answer, to see if anyone else has any thoughts. I just wanted to post this, in case it helps someone else.

Edit:

Google recently released a Maps SDK for iOS, this is the better solution now.

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios/

Intervale answered 27/9, 2012 at 22:5 Comment(5)

Hi Vikings, I also want to use google places api, so should i go with google maps or i can use Apple Map Kit? – Solarium 27/12, 2012 at 10:10

I have registered for sdk for one week before but still not received any api key. – Solarium 4/1, 2013 at 6:10

hi Vikings can you please suggest any other option. – Solarium 4/1, 2013 at 6:55

@Solarium I have not personal used the new Maps SDK. The method I went with a while ago was the Google Maps JavaScript API. It is the first link. – Intervale 4/1, 2013 at 14:57

The difference between the Javascript API and the Maps SDK for iOS is that the SDK has a (free, but credit-card backed) limit of 100,000 requests PER API KEY, but the Javascript API has a limit of 100,000 requests PER DEVICE. That's pretty big if your app gets to any scale. – Carraway 6/10, 2014 at 1:16

I would try to directly contact Google, explaining the situation, and ask them for written permission to use Apple's maps. This is more a legal question than programming. One would think that Google is aware that you can no longer display their maps using Apple's API and that, even regardless of the map, they would want you to use their places, as doing so generates advertising revenue for them.

Anemometry answered 26/9, 2012 at 18:4 Comment(11)

Seems logical as long as you never had contact with the lawyers of a company. – Allenaallenby 26/9, 2012 at 18:13

I have dealt with lawyers of a company, and usually when it was in their best interest (i.e. they make money on it, like in this case), they often agreed. In any case, it won't hurt to ask, and if you succeed, you don't have to rewrite your code. If you don't try, then you either try to run against your agreement, or you look for another POI vendor which will still cost you time and money to implement. Just say you'd like an exception until such time as Google maps are again available, so that both you and Google can continue to make money using Places. – Anemometry 26/9, 2012 at 22:8

To not even try because you dislike all lawyers is just silly. – Anemometry 26/9, 2012 at 22:9

@OwenHartnett When you are building applications for a company, I need the application to work in the long term. If by chance Google let us use places for our application, they would have the right to change that at anytime, which would result in our application having to fixed. Also, although this question has legal implications, it is most certainly a coding question, whether or not you see code pasted. – Intervale 26/9, 2012 at 22:17

@Intervale Whoever you use for your maps has the right to change that anytime. That's evident in why you even have to ask the question, because Apple has changed the circumstances already. Asking Google to let you continue costs you only an email. If they say yes, you don't have to make any changes at all, which is a big win. If they say no, you're just back in the situation you are now, you're not any worse. Other vendors who use Places are in the same boat as you, and they may be already granting exceptions. Why change good working code if you don't have to? – Anemometry 27/9, 2012 at 15:54

@Intervale - also, I didn't mean to imply that your question wasn't a valid one. I'm just saying that it makes sense to explore the legal side of this before investing in a programming change that will cost you time and only put you at the same place you were before. – Anemometry 27/9, 2012 at 18:28

@OwenHartnett How can I contact Google? I have the same question – Orinasal 14/10, 2012 at 5:2

I will award you the bounty tomorrow, when I am eligible! – Orinasal 15/10, 2012 at 15:27

Wait, I have a problem, for the category, what do I put... Online? Also, what do I put for URL, I do not have a website for the app – Orinasal 15/10, 2012 at 15:35

Online looks appropriate - the URL box asks for title/URL, I'd put in Google Places (or whatever program you're looking for). – Anemometry 15/10, 2012 at 15:40

Many months later and they haven't replied, I just went ahead and released the app, forget Google, it got accepted a while ago, nothing has happened yet, I couldnt care less im putting this straight on Google if they try to attack me back – Orinasal 30/12, 2012 at 9:4

Agree with @Owen here - you could get permission to leave your app unchanged until some possible future date when you might have to change it, or could you definitely go to the effort of changing it now and then possibly have to change it again in the future for some other reason.

If you could get a 100% guarantee that you could change it once and never have to change it again then I'd say do it now, but nothing's certain.

Training answered 2/10, 2012 at 6:38 Comment(1)

I went with the Google Maps JavaScript API, its just displayed though a web view, so it shouldn't need to be changed for quite some time – Intervale 3/10, 2012 at 13:59

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