Apple veers away from Google

Apple Inc. unveiled a series of software features for its mobile phones and computers on Monday that place erstwhile partner Google Inc. squarely in its path.

Speaking at the company’s annual developer conference in San Francisco, Apple chief Tim Cook and other executives revealed no major surprises to its product line as some attendees had hoped. But Apple did show off a number of new software programs that as a whole underscore how the company is distancing itself from Google.

Among the software products are a new mapping and navigation service that will replace Google Maps as the default on iPhones and iPads. Apple executives also bragged about the comprehensiveness of their local search service, which is integrated with its voice activated “virtual assistant” Siri. And the company struck a long-negotiated deal with Google rival Facebook Inc. to integrate various services.

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The Wall Street Journal

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