Speaking as a developer and as someone who spends a lot of time configuring and using iPhones, this is is not surprising and indicative of nothing. The native Apple apps on iPhones have access to resources we as third party developer's can't touch, and integration with each other that no third party developer can even come close to matching unless we reinvent half the OS. Add to it that the only way we're allowed to make, say, a navigation app is to offer a service that a native Apple app does not (we're not allowed to "duplicate functionality," per the developer agreement) and stories like this mean absolutely dick to me. Of course it dominates the iPhone platform, but stick Apple maps on any other platform and it would fall on it's face.
Better than something like Mapquest? Probably. And the integration tools are great too, as are notifications on departure time and whatnot, but the actual app, judged by it's capabilities is nothing compared to Google Maps.
Better than something like Mapquest? Probably. And the integration tools are great too, as are notifications on departure time and whatnot, but the actual app, judged by it's capabilities is nothing compared to Google Maps.