Search giant Google (GOOG +1.50%) has announced that Google Maps is now available for Apple's (AAPL 3.40%) iPhone. The new app has been redesigned from scratch and comes three months after Apple replaced it with its own in-house Maps app in iOS 6.
This brings back several features that were lost when Apple transitioned to its maps, such as public transit directions and Street View. After being released last night, Google Maps has quickly climbed to become the No. 1 free app in Apple's App Store, indicating that users were anxiously awaiting its release.
The updated app now features vector-based maps along with 3-D views, similar to Apple's. It also includes turn-by-turn navigation, which had reportedly been a key point of contention in negotiations between Apple and Google.
