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Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon are collaborating to release free map data for developers

Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have jointly released an open map dataset to provide app developers with free geographical data — weakening the duopoly of Google and Apple Maps. The four companies formed the Overture Maps Foundation last year to create interoperable map products — and now, the group has released its first open map dataset.

With this data, third-party developers can create global mapping or navigation products, allowing them to go head-to-head with Google Maps and Apple Maps. Founded in December 2022 by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom, Overture today includes more than a dozen mapping, geospatial, and technology companies, including new members ESRI, Cyient, InfraMappa, Nomoko, Precisely, PTV Group, SafeGraph, Sanborn, and Sparkgeo.

The collaboration is based on the premise that map data needs to be a shared asset to support future applications. As the requirements for accuracy, recency, and attribution in maps have grown to meet user needs, the costs and complexities of collecting and maintaining global map data have grown beyond the capability of any single organization.

“The release is a significant step in establishing a comprehensive, market-grade open map dataset for our constantly changing world,” said Marc Prioleau, executive director of Overture Maps Foundation, in a statement. “The Places dataset, in particular, represents a major, previously unavailable open dataset, with the potential to map everything from new businesses big and small to pop-up street markets located anywhere in the world.

“Anyone who works in mapping knows that the initial data is just the beginning; the ongoing challenge lies in maintaining the data amidst constant changes to meet user expectations,” Prioleau continued. “Overture plans to build a broad collaboration to build and maintain an up-to-date, comprehensive database of POIs.”

All data layers have been formatted in the OMF’s recently launched data schema, designed to allow map services developers to ingest and use map data in a standard, documented way and will be interoperable.