[betterth]

I know how much API access was in 2008 - FREE.

I know how much API access is in 2012 - NOT FREE (for volume users, of which Apple most certainly was).

What more do you need? Google wanted to make significant money from a service they offer on multiple platforms for free.

"Furthermore, Apple does not get their data from "Apple Maps" I never said they did, if you got that incorrect impression from my post, I apologize, but Apple Maps is the wrapper and has been for 6 versions, while the mapping data has been changed recently.