Now Apple owns C3 – the folks behind Nokia Maps 3D, what happens now?
This is a question that I’d like answered too because I don’t exactly understand the whole situation.
C3′s technologies were pretty instrumental into converting the usual flat NAVTEQ into a mind blowing 3D Photorealistic landscape – where maps felt like you’re actually there.
Here’s the blurb when Ovi Maps (now Nokia Maps) jumped to the third dimension:
To make this possible Nokia has partnered with C3, the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world.
C3 uses modern camera equipment to capture as many as one image per second of the same object from up to 100 different angles. The images are then used to automatically reproduce the shape of the objects with very high accuracy. After that, an image processing software automatically drapes each shape with the texture chosen from the pictures of each object. The same process is being applied for all objects – buildings, houses, trees, and hills – the result is a seamless canvas of 3D-data where the resolution (8 to 12 centimeters per pixel) and quality is consistent over the entire model. This is the secret to C3 maps’ realistic look compared to competitors’ hand-made and cartoonish appearance.
http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/04/19/ovi-maps-3d-the-world-is-not-flat/
News on the web show this has interested the giant fruit and Apple was a mysterious buyer of C3 back in August (some say last year)
- http://www.thinq.co.uk/2011/10/31/apple-targets-3d-mapping-c3-technologies-buy/
- http://www.itproportal.com/2011/10/31/apples-acquisition-c3-technologies-spurt-new-3d-maps-app-speculations/
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2011/10/31/apple-reportedly-buys-3d-mapping-firm-c3-technologies/
Cheers Arts for the tip!
Category: Nokia, Windows Phone
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Fuck.
Sorry.
Well, hopefully Naviteq can do something similar inhouse.
Well they have their laser scanning technology and they bought a company related to mapping a while back. Not sure if they can provide similar maps though. But maps are just too important to rely on a small player like C3 so probably they have something in mind. (maybe they tried to get C3 too who knows and bought the other company because they could not.
Also the price Apple payed might have gone up because of that as SAAB had something like 150 million (little over 50%) share with of C3, but the estimates what Apple paid were around 1 milliard. Not that it would make any difference to Apple with their cash…
With the gigantic cash pile that Apple has, reported to be around $40 Billion, they could make multiple strategic acquisitions, swallowing up companies, without barely any indigestion.
86 Billion Dollars. It is amazing. Really.
I dont think it makes much difference.. lot of Google’s maps data comes from Navteq even after it has been sold to Nokia.. if Nokia has contractual agreements with them it shouldn’t be a problem they could still do things with them or find other partners
what he said
More or less knew this a while ago. The moment NOKIA showed the 3d maps for the first time I “knew” it was c3 behind it. The technology have been used for a while in a swedish phone number search site http://www.hitta.se
I also got more or less confirmed when I bumped into one of guys from SAAB(the weapon manufacturer)at a maths conference.
SAAB actually developed the technique in collaboration with C3 (or if C3 came from SAAB originally, not sure)
Just shows how off the ball Nokia execs really are. Blanca Juti dancing and Kevin Shields screaming. Elop talks a good game but he has no real strategy.
It would be short sighted if they launch something like 3D maps and don’t make the contract last for many years.
Lets hope it’s quite long and something an acquisition can’t break.
they said somewhere in the nokia convo that there is a plan to map the whole globe but im not sure if its marketing talk or the real deal. (the one where they announced nokia maps 3d.)
also, if you read apple9to5 or mac9to5 (cant remember whats the name) its stated that most of the team in c3 is now under the iOS division within apple. They did not shift locations thou. still based in Sweden i think.
You mean like betting the farm on a platform that so far has “gone from very little to very little”, and that the contingency plan is to have the bet pay off?
Well, if Apple confirms the acquisition, Nokia will just have to license the technology until, or unless, they develop their own or acquire some other 3D tech and make it their own, just as Apple is (supposedly) doing here.
If Apple does own C3, then the question becomes which mapping service will they use – their own, Navteq, or some other mapping source? But it is certainly understood why Apple would want to do this – they want to NOT be reliant upon Google; and given the foot traffic that Google gets from the massive numbers of iPhone, iPod, and iPad users, the shift to their own services will certainly put a dent in Google’s numbers. And if Apple switches to Bing as the default search engine, many may still opt for Google, but many will not bother to change the default.
Interesting times ahead….
Do you know if C3 uses Navteq map data in conjunction with their technology to produce the 3D maps?
+1
прекрасно! Well, for apple. Unless they do a funny tit-for-tat trade w/ nokia where nok gets c3 tech, apple gets navteq mapping solutions at ‘reasonable price per handset’. Can’t know.
240 Billion? What a deal
I wouldn’t get too worried about this.
Just because Apple takes over ownnership doesn’t mean anything in regards to who C3 does business with. I’m sure Apple just lets them continue to do their own thing but take advantage of their 3D prowess for their own initiatives. If C3 makes money off Nokia, then Apple would be dumb to close that door.
Besides, do you really think that they see Nokia 3D maps as a singular threat to their mobile empire? Not a chance.
Whoops, sorry, mixing my M’s with my B’s…easily done :p
Not sure Apple would care about making money off Nokia. In long term, best interest is to snub out this competition. Apple are big enough not to really need others.
It is pretty interesting to note that C3 Technologies was founded by the Swedish defence and security company Saab Technologies which is the manufacturer of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen
the mapping tech is based of some missile imaging system i think.
I actually found something quite interesting.. it looks as thou Navteq have their own 3d mapping technology independent of C3s help, read here
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10426465-264.html
Nokia (Navteq) have the hardware, they just used C3 to make sense of it all and to help them build the 3d model.
Wow epic fail :/
as part of the deal apple pays nokia for all there phones, i be thinking this will be part of that deal, as they did say at the time it goes both ways
This acquisition will give apple a cool looking trick to add to their maps, but there is very little utility to this beyond the “wow” factor.
What is more useful in terms of consumer facing mapping products, is a street level imaging/modelling solution, ala google streetview. I’m sure Apple is working on a solution for this as well, but Navteq, and by extension Nokia,has also been making headway in this space. They need to get things going faster though.
Sad news.
What’s gonna happen at the next big Apple keynote:
“A ‘revolutionary’ way to find your way around town.
A smarter way to find the best tourist destinations.
Introducing Apple 3D Maps. Available on iOS4 and iOS5, starting -insert date here-.
Sigh.
Why is that sad news? Shouldn’t Apple customers have these features too? If they have the money to acquire these assets they should. And all the other players in this game had better work hard on staying competitive.
+1
They tell it like this is something what’s never been done before……
So if you spent $240 million on a company and were trying to market it as a new key feature or product, would you say, “well lots of people have done this before, and it’s really nothing special, but now we have it too…”?
Doesn’t seem like a very smart marketing strategy to me.
But Apple makes it sound like it’s their invention. They can make basic function on cellphone sound like it’s never been done before….
Indeed that is the problem. But I shall reserve judgement and see what happens.
that’s why i hate apple and it’s user base cause they don’t know shit
+1
And don’t forget, it’s “magical”!
+1 , same as siri
(almost one year later) Ironically, that happenned with iOS6 indeed.
I believe Microsoft already has the ability for the 3D process, which may be why Nokia did not make a move on C3 .
Maybe Nokia doesn’t need 3D Maps for their new Windows phones. Who knows?
Maybe that explains why Nokia maps is becoming more and more avaiable to Android an iOS.
Don’t ever tried to build a good partnership with Apple, once they get strong, they will ate and sue you.
Haha. Wow. First Siri, now this. It’s gonna be interesting alright.
I suppose we have an answer, now.