Apple, tablets and maps

So there are all kinds of rumours flying around today about apple’s immenent release of a tablet type device.
From the geo perspective there is some interesting speculation (initially based on trademarks) on the Vector 1 blog and Geek.com about a new apple mapping application (or platform) coming with it. Do we have another disruptive mapping technology about to arrive? Google needs some decent competition in this space and the idea of apple ‘doing maps’ is rather exiting… On the other hand is it always going to tied to apple’s ‘closed’ platforms?

