Users of Apple's iPhones could be treated to a serious visual upgrade for their navigation software.

iPhone手機用戶有可能會享受到手機導(dǎo)航軟件的可視化升級。

 

Apple has reportedly acquired C3 technologies - a mapping specialist which creates photo-real 3D maps, with photographs “painted on” to 3D models of cities. Information such as GPS-located Facebook posts or mapping instructions can be instantly inserted “into” the maps.

據(jù)報道蘋果公司已經(jīng)收購一家名為C3科技的地圖技術(shù)公司。該公司能利用實景照片制作城市三維立體地圖，一些諸如能用GPS定位到的Facebook上的信息帖或地圖說明都能即時地插進該地圖。

 

C3 describes itself as, “the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world for search, navigation and geographic information systems.”

C3形容自己為“領(lǐng)先的3D地圖技術(shù)解決方案的提供者，為世界范圍內(nèi)的搜索、導(dǎo)航服務(wù)和地理系統(tǒng)信息提供了實景照片模型。”

 

Video demos show how the company can “insert” Facebook posts and other map information direct into its 3D maps. Apple has already bought other small mapping start-ups - leading insiders to speculate that C3's technology could one day replace Google Maps in iOS devices.

視頻演示展示了該公司如何直接把Facebook上的帖子和其他地圖信息插入到自己的三維地圖中。蘋果公司之前已經(jīng)收購了其他一些小型地圖公司。有業(yè)內(nèi)人士猜測C3科技將在未來取代谷歌地圖對iOS設(shè)備的技術(shù)支持。

 

C3 was bought by an unknown buyer earlier this year - and 9to5Mac revealed that this buyer was Apple, claiming that senior C3 executives are already working for Apple.

C3科技于今年年初被匿名買家收購，據(jù)9to5Mac透露這位匿名買主就是蘋果公司并稱C3的高級主管已經(jīng)供職于蘋果公司。

 

The acquisition of the Swedish mapping company - formerly part of Saab - reportedly cost Apple $240 million.

該瑞典地圖公司的前身是薩博公司（瑞典航空與武器制造商）的一個分部門。據(jù)報道蘋果公司以2.4億美元的價格收購了C3。