The iPhone Breaks Drag-and-Drop?
This stunned me: Apparently, you can’t use Google Maps’ website on your iPhone because the gesture-based UI won’t allow for drag-and-drop. The UI interprets all drags of the finger as dragging the page, not elements on the page (even if those elements are designed to be dragged), making it impossible to use Google Maps, Windows Live Maps, any maps mashup, any Web 2.0 site that uses dragging, because they never coded the UI to be smart enough to know the difference.
Yes, the iPhone has a Google Maps application, but that doesn’t cover mashups, it doesn’t cover using a non-Google site, and it completely throws out the window the idea of the iPhone having a “real” web browser and showing the “real” internet. Apple’s given Google a monopoly on the device, hamstringing the ability to use better options, and removing choice –
Wait. Apple? Choice? Forget it, I’m just being silly.
But seriously, short of hacking, it is utterly impossible for a developer to release a Google Maps-like site on the iPhone. Why does Google get that monopoly? Did they pay Apple to lock out competitors? Wouldn’t the Justice Department want to know?
(via Digg)
“Breaks drag and drop?” A bit melodramatic, eh?
I’m not sure how the person on rayvinly even got to use Google Maps; as soon as you enter an address to locate on maps.google.com, the request is automatically forwarded to the iPhone’s Maps app. In fact, any map URL is automatically handled by Maps.
That said, you can navigate most onscreen elements — for example, scrolling lists, text boxes, etc. — in iPhone Safari by scrolling with *two* fingers instead of one. Perhaps this is how you would use Google Maps (if it’s possible, and if you’d ever want to considering the Maps application).
Comment by MLA | July 30, 2007
Maybe the EU can finally be of some use…we’ll just have to wait for the European launch…that is, if they’re not too busy dealing with Microsoft on pathetic claims.
Comment by Albert | July 30, 2007
please.
Comment by js | July 30, 2007
Wow! Those grapes are really sour.
Gee whiz! You found out that the iPhone isn’t perfect. What a shock.
What would really be shocking is if you EVER got Microsoft to do anything right when it doesn’t have a monopoly.
Comment by Don | July 30, 2007
The iPhone supports web standards only.
Purveyors of Microsoft’s proprietary web software need not apply.
Comment by Al | July 30, 2007