You know what's worse for Google than "antagonizing" Apple?
Being at complete mercy of Apple.
Google has Android, which has a bigger market share than iOS. If Apple kicks out all Google's services from iOS, Google still has Android.
If Google didn't have Android and Apple kicked them out of iOS, they would have nothing.
This is a long term game for both players. Google's strategic plan is to advance Android. Apple's strategic plan is to advance iOS and don't be dependent of Google, which is why they are kicking out Google's maps and invest in their own solution, even though I'm certain it's way more costly for them to do it compared to licensing Google's service.
Both Google and Apple act perfectly reasonably given their long-term strategy.
Apple have always been very clear that they don't like being beholden to anyone when it comes to core products.
Google ran the risk of finding themselves in precisely that position with the advent of mobile devices.
As much as I'd rather Apple and Google - two of the most exciting companies out there - were getting on, I don't think anything Google is doing is that different to what Apple would do were the situation reversed.
Being at complete mercy of Apple.
Google has Android, which has a bigger market share than iOS. If Apple kicks out all Google's services from iOS, Google still has Android.
If Google didn't have Android and Apple kicked them out of iOS, they would have nothing.
This is a long term game for both players. Google's strategic plan is to advance Android. Apple's strategic plan is to advance iOS and don't be dependent of Google, which is why they are kicking out Google's maps and invest in their own solution, even though I'm certain it's way more costly for them to do it compared to licensing Google's service.
Both Google and Apple act perfectly reasonably given their long-term strategy.