Report: Google Maps for iOS coming out 'tonight'
The much-rumored, and long-awaited Google Maps app for Apple's iOS platform is reportedly being released tonight.
An official Google Maps app is coming back to iOS as soon as tonight, according to a new report.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, All Things Digital says Google plans to release the software on the App Store tonight.
Apple declined to comment. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The report, which does not specify what features the software will bring, comes about a month after Google was reportedly in the "near final" testing stages of prepping the software for Apple's platform.
Google provided maps to iOS devices until the release of iOS 6 this fall, when it was replaced by Apple's homegrown mapping solution. The maps were found to be rife with embarrassing errors, leading Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue a rare public apology on the subject. Apple even began promoting other maps apps in its App Store.
Since then, iOS users have been able to access Google Maps through the mobile Web. But a native app is likely to offer better performance. For its part, Google has added some previously unavailable features to its mobile site, including Street View, for which there's not a replacement in Apple's own software.
A previous report said Google Maps for iOS is "expected to contain" turn-by-turn navigation, just like its Android counterpart. That very same feature was said to be one of the main sticking points in negotiations between the two companies that led to Apple creating its own mapping software.
CNET's Josh Lowensohn contributed to this report.