Apple is rumored to be drawing one of the final battle lines that will truly separate Google and Apple, or (Android v. iOS if you prefer) in the world of mobile.

It’s about maps. Maps and the ability to get around while out and about are one of the most critical functions of any mobile device. Until now the backend of Apple’s maps function was Google Maps. With the introduction of iOS 6 in the near future that will end. According to 9 to 5 Mac

According to trusted sources, Apple has an incredible headline feature in development for iOS 6: a completely in-house maps application. Apple will drop the Google Maps program running on iOS since 2007 in favor for a new Maps app with an Apple backend. The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience.

Google likes to get information from people any way they can. One thing they are good at, especially in their quest to make maps and places data richer, is getting users to do it for them, for free. It’s brilliant since people like to be associated with a winner so if they can contribute to Google’s greater good they can feel like they have accomplished something.

There’s nothing evil about this at all. It’s just interesting what people will do and how far companies will let them go. They both get what they want but only Google profits from it.

Now Google has updated its Panoramio photo sharing service to make it easier for people to populate Google Earth and Google Maps with photos. Here is a video from the Lat Long blog

Google Maps seems to have the edge in the maps game worldwide. Granted, there are plenty of competitors and there are many options for Internet users to get directions and business information but many go to Google because they are there anyway so why not?

Now, New York City, the place where Google made a monster real estate investment just a short while ago which will continue to bring more jobs to the city, has put together a way for tourists and NYC residents to not use Google (but thanks very much for the jobs and the tax money!).

NYC & Company has developed an iPhone app mapping New York City and giving lots of local data points that are usually reserved for other local players. If something like this happened in Anywhere, USA this might not be big news. But it is happening in NYC so its big news. Here is a look at the app from iTunes preview from a link on the nycgo.com site.

For years the complaints about Yelp’s “sales” tactics have been heard. Maybe I am just not paying attention but I thought that had gone away to some extent. Now with Yelp going public and all the positive vibes flying around about the company as an investment it may get even harder to find the reality.

That is until I read this article at SFGate.com entitled “A 1-star, unfiltered user review of Yelp”. It’s written by restauranteur, Bob Larive, whose Fior d’Italia has been around for 125 years so they must be doing something right. He states

As a longtime restaurateur active in the industry and previous board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, the California Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association, I think the way Yelp treats businesses and Yelp users doesn’t bode well for it.