The purpose of Apple's maps.apple.com domain is explained in OS X Mavericks as being a way to share maps with other users, whether they have access to Apple Maps or not, rather than pointing to a standalone web service.



From Apple Insider:

Last fall, AppleInsider reader Feynman noted that Apple had registered maps.apple.com as a URL that, in iOS 6, opened by default in Apple's new Maps app rather than Safari.

The URL domain was later noted to be in use in the new iOS 6 Maps app to share a location via email, iMessage Twitter or Facebook. Opened by an iOS 6 device, the URL resolves to open Maps, but when users on other platforms attempt to open a maps.apple.com URL, it is resolved by Apple to URL coordinates that point to Google Maps, allowing other users to see the map in their browser.

  Mystery of maps.apple.com revealed: it's for sharing between OS X Mavericks, iOS