[renton_wal]

I'm not saying they were copying the concept of sattelite imagery, but rather they were late to the business model of maps-as-a-service. And thus, significant components of their modern (after usgs) imagery had licensing terms onerous to competing with Google.

Also, it's not just satellite imagery, but street view. I'm referring to the google strategy of selling the maps as a service, something that microsoft took a while to catch up on.

> involved with satellite imagery back in the 90’s

Yes, they partnered with the USGS to distribute already collected map imagery. They didn't, for example, purchase/build a whole fleet of imaging cars and planes like Google did.

Also, because google had their eyes on a different prize than microsoft, the licensing terms of the map imagery had language baked in around reselling.