Apple dealt with some controversy when it introduced its Apple Maps program for mobile devices last year, as many thought the service was inferior to Google's rival product and that the switch was unnecessary. But since then, Apple has made efforts to improve its Maps software, while Google has put out a vastly superior app to the one that had previously been included in iOS products such as the iPad 4 and iPad mini.

Two recent acquisitions by Apple indicate that the tech giant is not resting on its laurels and intends to continue making significant upgrades to its mapping service. One of those purchases was a company called Locationary, which stores and manages data about local businesses, could help Apple provide users with more information about goods and services located around them. The other company they purchased, HopStop, delivers public transit schedules and routes, giving customers a way to navigate subways and bus systems.

Adding these features to Apple's mapping infrastructure will erase some of the advantage that Google enjoyed over its rival, namely the ability to more effectively use a given city's public transportation and find the nearest coffee shop, barber or nail salon.

Apple has also made their Maps software available to MacBook Pro and Air users, allowing for syncing of directions and locations across multiple devices.

The advent of Apple Maps holds promise to create a synergy between Apple's existing software, including iOS and OS X, and geo-location services that had not previously been possible because Apple had been relying on Google Maps for this data.