History Repeating Itself? Open-Source Challenging Google Map's Dominance

Welcome to The Digital Thread, a newsletter dedicated to exploring diverse topics in the ever-evolving world of technology. Here, I share my thoughts and observations on the changing tech landscape, highlighting the opportunities, challenges, and transformative impacts shaping our digital age. Many of the insights are drawn from my experience as a technologist, offering a personal perspective on technological evolutions.

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Open-sourcing, the practice of freely sharing intellectual property such as code and data, has the potential to disrupt monopolies in closed systems. By leveling the playing field, it drives innovation and competition, leading to a more vibrant and dynamic tech ecosystem. One area where open source is making significant strides is in the mapping world.

Challenges with OpenStreetMap Data

In mapping, access to accurate, up-to-date data is a competitive advantage, and any new application in this field depends on it. OpenStreetMap (OSM) has long provided volunteer-driven map data, continuously refined by millions of contributors worldwide who add new points of interest and update existing information. However, while OSM’s open, collaborative nature is a major strength, the quality and accuracy of its data still lag behind proprietary services like Google Maps. Furthermore, while OSM data exists in a format that enables easy collaboration and editing, this format cannot be directly used in most applications. Transforming this data into a usable format, such as that required for routing applications, necessitates expensive data pipelines. These pipelines, which process and format the data appropriately, are typically only feasible for large companies. While tools like OverPass, and Nominatim offer tools for querying and extracting OSM data, they face challenges when dealing with high-volume or precision, making them less practical for individual developers or smaller companies.

Google’s Monopoly

Google has spent millions of dollars annually to build and enrich its proprietary map dataset. Let's say a developer is building a ride-hailing application similar to Uber. The core of this application would be a routing engine. Even though open-source routing engines like Valhalla exist, they are largely ineffective without access to the latest and most accurate map data. Therefore, currently, their best option is to utilize Google's APIs, which are built upon their proprietary dataset, and agree to their terms and conditions. This also allows Google to enrich its dataset beyond just map data. This illustrates how Google maintains its monopoly, with its proprietary map data serving as the central pillar of its dominance.

Open Data Sets

The Overture Maps Foundation (OMF), a collaborative open-data initiative launched by the Linux Foundation, boasts prominent members such as Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom (key competitors to Google Maps). They release map datasets monthly under open-data licenses, making them readily accessible to the global mapping community. Their data encompasses crowdsourced data like OpenStreetMap, data from various government sources, and proprietary data contributed by member companies, including Microsoft and Meta. A significant contribution is the places data from Meta, primarily derived from Facebook pages of all existing places with a Facebook presence. Given Facebook’s massive popularity and the widespread presence of businesses (restaurants, gyms, supermarkets, etc.), this enriches existing open data. Foursquare, while not part of the Overture Maps Foundation, has made a significant contribution by releasing over 100 million global places of interest (POIs) under the Apache 2.0 license, allowing for commercial use. These developments narrow the gap that exists between Google's proprietary data, providing developers with access to more accurate, high-quality data. This fosters the creation of innovative applications, offering viable alternatives to Google Maps.

Cloud-Native Geospatial

Cloud-Native Geospatial leverages cloud computing principles to store, process, and analyze geospatial data within cloud environments, enabling scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Recent years have witnessed significant advancements in geospatial technology, driven by open standards like those defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). New data-sharing and storage methods, such as SpatioTemporal Asset Catalogs (STAC), Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFFs (COGs), GeoParquet, and Zarr, have revolutionized data management. Furthermore, open-source projects like Argo, Airflow, Apache Sedona, DuckDB, etc streamline workflows and facilitate collaboration, making it easier for developers to build, deploy, and maintain geospatial applications.

The convergence of open data sets, cloud-native geospatial technologies, and a thriving open-source ecosystem is leveling the playing field for developers. While open data still requires improvement, initiatives like the Overture Maps Foundation are bridging the gap. Furthermore, cloud-based technologies enable developers to build powerful geospatial applications without significant upfront infrastructure costs. These factors collectively point toward a future where innovative alternatives to Google Maps can flourish.

Echoes of the Past: Android and OpenStack

In 2008, Google's open-source Android OS dramatically disrupted the smartphone market, then dominated by Symbian and BlackBerry. Apple, with the launch of its first iPhone, was challenging these systems with its superior user experience and product quality, but all of them operated within closed ecosystems. Google's decision to open-source Android marked a pivotal moment. It enabled companies like HTC, LG, and Samsung to enter the smartphone market with competitive devices at various price points, running software that could rival iOS. This influx of competition fostered innovation, drove down prices, and made smartphones more accessible globally. Despite its early dominance, Symbian couldn’t adapt and eventually declined as Android and iOS took over. Nokia, the leader of Symbian, attempted to transition to Windows Phone, but the momentum of Android had already shifted market dynamics. The competitive threat from Android pushed Apple to innovate, ultimately leading them to focus on the premium segment, emphasizing design, high-end features, and brand exclusivity.

OpenStack was launched in 2010 as an open-source cloud computing platform to provide a scalable and open solution for managing cloud infrastructure, addressing the need for vendor-agnostic cloud computing. At the time, the network stack was largely controlled by established players like Cisco and Juniper, among others, each offering proprietary solutions that limited interoperability and resulted in vendor lock-in. OpenStack, unlike Android, gradually gained traction among enterprises seeking greater control and alternatives, establishing itself as a leading open-source platform with widespread adoption. Legacy players like Cisco and Juniper, initially proponents of proprietary solutions, recognized the disruptive potential of OpenStack and the broader open-source movement. Rather than resisting OpenStack, they embraced open-source technologies as part of a hybrid strategy and began incorporating them into their offerings to remain competitive in the evolving cloud landscape. OpenStack revolutionized the networking landscape by promoting vendor collaboration, standardization, Software-defined networking, and Network function virtualization adoption, and accelerating the move to cloud-native infrastructure.

A New Era for Geospatial Innovation

Just as Android and OpenStack disrupted their industries, open data and cloud-native geospatial technologies are poised to challenge Google’s dominance in the mapping world. The combination of high-quality open data initiatives like the Overture Maps Foundation, the capabilities of cloud-native geospatial technologies, and a thriving open-source ecosystem is fostering an environment ripe for innovation and competition. While there are still hurdles to overcome—particularly in data quality and processing—these advancements are steadily bridging the gap with proprietary systems like Google Maps. The mapping industry is on the brink of a major transformation, and it will be fascinating to see how Google Maps responds and where the industry heads.