I don't disagree with your assestment of the value in maps advertising. This is why Google acquired Where 2 Technologies years ago, why they had an outstanding Maps app on Android from day 1, and why they have continued to iterate on it more than any of their other applications.

It's also why Apple has waited until now to address it. It's because they are not Google, this is not their core competency. It's a platform hole that has to filled, simple as that. Same as iCloud Mail.