Will Microsoft Maps be better than Google Maps?

Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are partnering up with TomTom to develop a new set of maps. These maps would compete with Google and Apple’s maps, which currently dominate the market.

These maps would use the 59 million points of interest captured last year by the Overture Maps Foundation, and they represent restaurants, landmarks, streets, and other various important borders. The data has been cleared, and it will be made available for anyone to use.

According to the latest reports, Microsoft and Meta collected the data and donated it to Overture. And then Overture can use distribute that data to companies who want to build their own mapping solutions, without using Google Maps.

As you might know, Google and Apple are currently charging companies that want to use their maps. But now, companies will be able to build their own custom maps, that would best serve their businesses, using Overture data.

Of course, there will be challenges, such as keeping the Overture data updated. And it makes sense because the maps need to be constantly updated in order to properly use them. But here is where Microsoft could come into play, as the Redmond-based tech giant’s AI interest could play a big role in this.

Soon, these updates can be handled by AI, without the need to spend a lot of resources on uncovering map data and updating it. Microsoft, at least, has been investing a lot of resources in AI, and the company is integrating AI in almost all of its products.

So, it’s just a matter of time until Overture will benefit from AI when gathering map data. Ultimately, this could even mean tight competition between Microsoft Maps and Google Maps. But at least, there will be more options to choose from when implementing a map system into your business.

And, with this partnership, Microsoft is giving the power back to the user. Small companies will be able to create their own custom maps.

What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments section below.