Uh-oh, Google is going to charge for maps service

Sophie

Google's services have famously been built on the principle of offering something for nothing. But that approach is over - at least where Google maps is concerned. Businesses to be hit as Google starts charging for maps service

The 'API' - script that allows sites to build Google Maps into their sites or apps will no longer be free for heavy users from January 1, 2012. Google is keen to emphasize, though, that the changes won't hit sites or apps who are light users of Google Maps. Ordinary restaurants or hotels, say, won't be affected. To be charged, you have to hit 25,000 map loads per day. But a substantial number of sites could be affected. Worldwide, there are 1,115,421 different websites and apps using Google Maps into their site, according to site metric specialist Builtwith. Travel, shopping, business and news sites look likely to be the ones hit with Google's charges, as these sectors are the heaviest users of the service. Unless site owners agree to the charges, or do a deal with Google, they will be unable to use Google Maps.

'No site exceeding these limits will stop working immediately,' said Google via its official map blog. 'We understand that developers need time to evaluate their usage, determine if they are affected, and respond if necessary. There are three options available for sites that are exceeding the limits.'

Sites will be offered Google Maps Premium - a paid for service costing a reported $10,000 a year, which also offers branded maps and custom uses of Google Maps. If they opt not to pay for this, fees are $4 per 1,000 page loads over the 25,000 per day - or £10 per Street View load over the 10,000 per day.

'These changes are intended to secure the long term future of Maps by ensuring that even when used by the highest volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable,' said a Google spokesperson.

The service could provide an opportunity for competitors to undercut the internet giant's prices. Tech insiders have speculated that the move might drive Apple towards developing their own mapping service - a move they are strongly rumored to be close to, after the company purchased mapping specialist C3 technologies earlier this year.

Sophie

谷歌服务有个著名的基本原则：免费提供。不过这种方法现在已经行不通，至少就谷歌地图而言，免费时代已经过去了。重度用户将受严重影响。
自2012年1月1日起，谷歌地图的重度用户将无法再免费将谷歌地图应用程序界面构建到他们的网站或应用中.不过谷歌很迫切地强调这些改变不会对谷歌地图轻度用户的网站或应用造成影响。一般的餐馆和宾馆不会受到影响。只有每天地图下载量超过2.5万才会开始收费。不过还是会有很多网站将会受到影响。 网站跳出率(小编注：跳出率是衡量访问质量的单位，指单页访问次数或访问者从进入目标页离开网站的访问次数百分比)研究专家Builtwith表示，在世界范围内，共有110多万个不同的网站或应用程序在使用谷歌地图。旅游、购物、商务和新闻网站将首当其冲受到重创，这些行业都是谷歌地图服务的重度用户。除非这些网站所有者同意付费，或与谷歌公司达成协议，否则他们将无法使用谷歌地图。
　　谷歌通过官方地图博客表示：“超过时间期限的网站也不会马上被停止地图服务。我们很理解这些网站开发者需要时间来评估收费地图服务的使用情况，看看自己的网站是否受到影响，并适时做出反应。我们为这些网站提供了三个选择。”
网站可以选择谷歌地图收费版。据报道这个收费版服务每年的费用是1万美元。收费版会提供谷歌标志地图和自定义地图。如果网站不接受这种收费版，那么对于每天下载量超过2.5万的网站，每1000次网页下载将收费4美元。或者对于下载超过1万次的网站，每次街景下载收费10美元
　　谷歌的发言人表示，这些改变的目的是确保谷歌地图的长期未来。“我们需要确保就算是最多数量的营利性网站使用我们的地图，这项服务也还是可以使用的。”
互联网巨头谷歌的地图收费服务可能会为其他竞争者提供可乘之机。科技业内人士推测谷歌的这项改革可能会推动苹果公司开发自己的地图服务。自苹果公司在今年早些时候收购了三维地图技术开发公司C3 technologies后，坊间就一直在流传苹果将开发地图服务的说法。