Apple Confirms Street View-Style Mapping Vehicles, Promises Privacy Protection

Look out, Google Maps? Apple has just confirmed that it's begun sending out vehicles to capture street-view imagery, in effect tackling head-on one of the best features of Google's Map software. While Google Maps is available for iOS, there's little doubt that Apple would prefer its users use its own solution, regardless of its checkered past.

Interestingly, Apple takes things a step further here by letting us know when (roughly) it's going to be hitting up some cities. The list for June 15 - 30 is rather stark, with many cities being visited in Ireland, England, and the US. You can hit up the link below to see if one of the cars will be hitting up your town - though given the two-week span, it seems unlikely you'd actually catch it at the right time.

As Google does with Maps, Apple will be protecting everyone's privacy by blurring out faces and also license plates, though further steps could be taken as well - the company's wording leaves a bit to the imagination right now.

Nonetheless, it's great to see Apple finally working on this, as street view in Google Maps can at times prove to be an absolute boon, especially while traveling. Could Apple end up delivering an even better street view experience? Time will tell.