Apple Insider takes a look at the revamped Maps app in iOS 5
Apple's iOS Maps app is a front end client to the Google Maps web service. While it was rumored that Apple might build its own mapping service or switch to another provider like Microsoft Bing, iOS 5 continues to use Google Maps for its data.Inside IOS 5: new Maps features
Apple's cleverly easy to use iOS Maps app with direct multitouch manipulation has been confused for being a Google invention. Instead, it simply pulls data from Google and presents it in a way that's simple and fast to browse, making it about as essential as Mobile Safari, and of course much easier to use (particularly for mobile users) than the generic web client Google offers within the browser.
Apple has incrementally added features to its iOS Maps client, including transit and walking directions. The newest version in iOS 5 ads the ability to print maps via AirPrint, as well as emphasizing its suggested directional paths using a glossy, three dimensional tube line.
