苹果收购3D技术地图公司 或自推新地图应用

Users of Apple's iPhones could be treated to a serious visual upgrade for their navigation software.

Apple has reportedly acquired C3 technologies - a mapping specialist which creates photo-real 3D maps, with photographs “painted on” to 3D models of cities. Information such as GPS-located Facebook posts or mapping instructions can be instantly inserted “into” the maps.

C3 describes itself as, “the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world for search, navigation and geographic information systems.”

Video demos show how the company can “insert” Facebook posts and other map information direct into its 3D maps. Apple has already bought other small mapping start-ups - leading insiders to speculate that C3's technology could one day replace Google Maps in iOS devices.

C3 was bought by an unknown buyer earlier this year - and 9to5Mac revealed that this buyer was Apple, claiming that senior C3 executives are already working for Apple.

The acquisition of the Swedish mapping company - formerly part of Saab - reportedly cost Apple $240 million.

据英国《每日邮报》10月31日报道，iPhone手机用户有可能会享受到手机导航软件的可视化升级。

据报道苹果公司已经收购一家名为C3科技的地图技术公司。该公司能利用实景照片制作城市三维立体地图，一些诸如能用GPS定位到的Facebook上的信息帖或地图说明都能即时地插进该地图。

C3形容自己为“领先的3D地图技术解决方案的提供者，为世界范围内的搜索、导航服务和地理系统信息提供了实景照片模型。”

视频演示展示了该公司如何直接把Facebook上的帖子和其他地图信息插入到自己的三维地图中。苹果公司之前已经收购了其他一些小型地图公司。有业内人士猜测C3科技将在未来取代谷歌地图对iOS设备的技术支持。

C3科技于今年年初被匿名买家收购，据9to5Mac透露这位匿名买主就是苹果公司并称C3的高级主管已经供职于苹果公司。

该瑞典地图公司的前身是萨博公司（瑞典航空与武器制造商）的一个分部门。据报道苹果公司以2.4亿美元的价格收购了C3。