[UPDATE] Google Maps Stays: Motorola Says Skyhook Will Enhance Location Abilities, Remains Committed to Google
Motorola has made a statement on their Facebook page to lend some clarity to the newly-announced Skyhook partnership for future Android devices. From what can be gathered from the statement, they are making the move out of no ill-will towards Google, and want to use Skyhook to enhance the abilities of location-based services and apps.
It would seem they will only be implementing core elements of Skyhook to help with GPS tracking and accuracy. The statement remains unclear about future support for Google Maps and Navigation, but it doesn’t look like their life on Motorola devices is at stake. If anything it looks like Skyhook aims to improve the capabilities of these services.
The statment is clear that Motorola has no intention to break from their partnership with Google, but also notes the caveat that Android’s open nature makes moves like Skyhook implementation perfectly acceptable by Google’s standards.
[UPDATE] I got in touch with the folks at Motorola and they had the following to say:
Motorola’s relationship with Skyhook — a leader in location positioning, context and intelligence — is complementary to our company’s work with Google.
And for those naysayers:
both [Google Maps and Skyhook] will live on the device; Skyhook is not a replacement.
So there you have it, definitive word on what impact Skyhook will have on Motorola’s Android handsets and Google Maps.
As a side note, I just can’t help but think of The Dark Knight every time someone mentions Skyhook. Hopefully the enhancements will be as good at improving Android location abilities as Skyhook was at extracting Batman from China.
[Motorola on Facebook | Thanks to Johnny for the heads up!]