Apple Map

Apple on Monday introduced a new version of its mobile operating system for iPhone and iPad that includes new features, such as Apple map that let users zoom over a three-dimensional image (3D) of a city. The new Apple map software will replace current Google map service. Apple also overhauled its line of Mac computers.

Apple CEO Timothy Cook introduced the new products on the opening day of the company’s developer conference here.

Apple updated its ultra-light MacBook Air laptop with a faster microprocessor and an improved camera. But it made the boldest computer-line changes to its high-end laptop, the MacBook Pro, which is now one quarter thinner and has a high resolution “retina display” similar to the screen on new iPad and iPhone. Apple was able to slim down the laptop by eliminating its DVD drive and getting rids of its hard drive in favor of a faster storage technology called flash.

The new Apple mapping system for Apple’s mobile devices will provide drivers with turn-by-turn directions, a feature that has long been available free in smartpones running on Android operating system from Google. Apple map created the 3D view in its map services by taking aerial photos using military camera which is more higher resolution and more details and clear when enlarge. Google map service currently using satellite imagery, however when enlarge it become blur.

Google has been building up its mapping services since 2005. Just last week, it held an event to show it was adding 3D maps to Google Earth, its service that shows satellite imagery to compete with Apple map which is providing 3D mapping system. It said it would allow Android users to download and store maps on their devices so that they can viewed without an Internet connection – a feature that Apple map service that still lag behind Google map service. Apple can use the leverage its millions of customers to help it catch up. The company said that its iPhone customer would be anonymously collecting traffic information for its database.

Other new features in the new operating system IOS 6, include improvements to SIRI, the voice-activated virtual assisant in the latest iPhone. While SIRI initially worked with a limited set of Internet services, it would now let users search for sports statistics, make restaurant reservations using OpenTable and look up show times for movies. SIRI also has a new function called Eyes Free. Eyes Free will allow drivers to communicate with it by pushing a button on their cars steering wheels.

Apple has reached an agreement with Facebook to weave the social network more deeply into its devices, allowing people to share photos on Facebook, for example, without having to open a separate Facebook app. The new features in the operating system will become available for iPhones, iPad and the iPod Touch when IOS 6 is released in Autumn.