https://placing.technology/how-does-google-maps-make-money-or-the-curious-case-of-vanessa-mayer I got mad at a paper and then I laid out why I lowkey don't think Google Maps is profitable
@ingrid Google Maps may or may not be $ profitable but navigation is such a core utility now that they can't let someone else win here. It strengthens Google's hold on Android via Google services, and gives them negotiating power with OEMs.
IMO Google Maps started off as a way to augment search but later became a navigation/mapping utility on it's own. Google has attempted to monetize maps directly sponsored pins, etc. but don't think that yielded much.
@ingrid Based on the current feature releases, they are now slowly going in the Yelp direction and will likely introduce traditional sponsored listing and banners.
@ingrid I think you might be underestimating the value of location history + searches in maps. Google famously stopped using Gmail data to target ads, has not done the same with Google Maps/location history. The Gmail thing happened because Enterprise customers were reluctant use to Gmail otherwise. It also could be that it's just cheap to store location and enjoy the marginal benefits of location data; and they keep collecting the data as a matter of status quo, not intentionally.
