Is Amazon about to follow a new direction? 
Everyone’s getting into the mobile mapping game. While Google has been mapping the world for years, Apple has only recently jumped into the cartography pool. And now it seems that Amazon wants in on the 3-D mapping action as well.
Ferdinand Magellan would be thrilled.
According to a GigaOM, Amazon closed a deal to acquire UpNext on Monday. The 3-D mapping startup currently has apps for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire. The app uses vector-based 3-D images to recreate virtual buildings — this as opposed to the photo-based technology used by Google and Apple’s map offerings.
The UpNext 3-D maps are available for more than 50 cities, with 23 cities sporting textured 3-D with roadways. The vector-based textured maps resemble those you might see in a videogame, like Grand Theft Auto. GTA might not be the image Amazon is going for with its acquisition, but the maps look impressive nonetheless.
Amazon’s UpNext acquisition is curious considering that the Kindle Fire doesn’t have GPS capabilities. The purchase could therefore point to interesting developments in Amazon’s hardware line-up. Perhaps the next Kindle Fire will sport GPS. Or maybe Amazon is working on a smartphone.
If we’ve learned anything in the past few weeks, it’s that if you’re going to make a phone, it better have a nice map app.
Queries to Amazon and UpNext yeilded no replies as of press time.
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/07/amazon-acquires-3d-mapping-company/
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES (IBM) INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INGRAM MICRO
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