Apple's Maps App May Exaggerate Your Route

In February 2010, Apple filed for a a patent called "Schematic Maps," which detailed a new way to display maps for multiple styles of devices. In a nutshell, Apple wants to simply what you see to adapt it to your immediate needs, especially when using an iPhone or iPad. Considering that Apple is said to be working on their own Maps app, this is one patent that might bear fruit.

You can read more about the patent here, but the gist is that Apple believes that as mapping technology has progressed, adding countless new features and additional information, it has become cluttered, if not counterintuitive. If you just want to go from Point A to Point B, you don't necessarily need all that extraneous detail that is between the two points.

Likewise, based on your wants and needs, it may be beneficial to have other certain points of interest made more visible, whereas others should be minimized or removed all together.

Furthermore, while a standard Google or Bing map will give you exacting detail of street curvature and the like, Apple might seek to modify it to make it more visually understandable.

How much of this we are likely to see in the final product, if and when it should come out, is of course unknown. Nevertheless, such features could propel Apple to the top of the maps game for mobile devices (iPhones and iPads) when all you need is simple directions.

[via Apple Insider]