Apple Maps Apple$$s initial struggles and eventual performance with Apple Maps is described in this case. Emphasis is placed on Apple$$s approach to address gaps in its internal resources and capabilities to develop Apple Maps as a viable competitor to Google Maps. When Google pulled out Google Maps from Apple, Apple decided to develop its own mapping app. The key lesson of this case is about the utility of strategic moves to address internal voids in key resources and capabilities. Read the case and answer the questions that follow.$$ Google Maps used to be Apple$$s default mapping app until Google pulled out of the arrangement. According to Vogel $(2017),$While the negotiations themselves are still a closely guarded secret, it appears that Google wanted more information from Apple regarding the users of Google Maps on the iPhone. Their contract with Apple only allowed Google to collect minimal data and that made delivering targeted ads difficult. $...$ It was a stand$-$off where Google was holding back features and Apple was holding back user data.$$ The standoff led Apple to pursue its ambitions of developing its own mapping app. To develop Apple Maps, Apple started acquiring companies that had critical resources, patents, and talent. Apple acquired Placebase in July $2009,$ Poly$9$ in July $2010,$ and C$3$ Technologies $($for $3$D mapping$)$ in August $2011.$ These acquisitions and alliances with companies like TomTom enabled Apple to launch its Apple Maps service in $2012.$ Apple Maps was so deficient in its features and functionality that Apple publicly apologized for it $($Vogel$,2017).$ In contrast, Google Maps for iOS became the most downloaded app. To address the void in Apple Maps, Apple made several sharply focused acquisitions to strengthen its resource base to improve its Apple Maps product. To improve Apple Maps and make it a viable competitor, Apple continued to acquire companies that complement its existing resource and talent base in Apple Maps. By July $2013,$ Apple acquired WiFiSlam, Locationary, HopStop.com, and Embark. Each of these companies had different patents and talents regarding mapping technology. $$With this much mapping prowess under its roof, Apple is clearly taking this problem very seriously$($Brunner$,2013).$ A year after Apple released Maps, in spite of its problems, more than $23$ million users had switched to Apple Maps from Google Maps $($Vogel$,2017).$ Vogel notes that over the years Apple Maps has improved enough to be on par with alternatives and even offers some features that are unavailable to third$-$party apps. Being the default option, being fully integrated into Siri, and having the ability to see directions on the lock screen make it easy to catch new iOS users and even Google Maps loyalists. Currently, around three out of four iOS users use Apple Maps over Google Maps