[lstamour]

Google Maps is quite the moat. I suspect they'll need to find a way to license the data, e.g. via API. Apple has not (yet) been as successful at building out a database of local places with reliable hours of operations, reviews, etc.

[pzmarzly]

There already is an official Google Maps API, but it is already very expensive with prices rising from time to time. There is no other company (other than maybe Meta) that has this much POI data in the western world.

So that is a solid advantage that Google is going to have, but the maps business alone wouldn't be able to keep it in the S&P list for long.

[carlosjobim]

Why not? I can see a future where Maps becomes the core of Google's business. It's already their strongest offering, together with YouTube. In every other field Google has been beaten.