• 9to5Mac, Friday, May 11, 2012 12:20 PM

In the next version of iOS, more reports are suggesting that Apple plans to replace Google Maps with its own in-house map application. “Apple will drop the Google Maps program running on iOS since 2007 in favor for a new Maps app with an Apple backend,” writes 9to5Mac, citing sources. “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 and its popular mapping service has recently lost some big name partners, which many analysts attribute to the search giant’s decision to add pricing to the service late last year. From that point, services and applications that generated more than 25,000 map loads per day were charged $40 to $100 for every additional 1,000 map loads. Google reportedly estimated that the usage load limits would impact just 0.35% of its users, yet for Apple -- with over 180 million iPhones and 60 million iPads -- those fees start to add up. When the application goes entirely in-house at Apple, it is being renamed to simply “Maps,” 9to5Mac reports.

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