Although the latter did not appear in the above-mentioned exposure list of the Surveying and Mapping Bureau, Luker Life was listed.
The lost partners
Because once it fails to obtain the Internet map service qualification, Google Maps will have to close its operations in mainland China on July 1st.
The official confirmed receipt of the license application, and the qualification vacancy has already led to the loss of partners.
Google Maps is just a microcosm of the bumpy business in China for Google China.
The Measures stipulate that foreign organizations or individuals coming to China to engage in Internet map services must legally establish a joint venture.
On the other hand, Baidu, Google's main competitor, has seen its market share in China continue to rise. According to relevant sources, Baidu's market share in China has exceeded 80%.
According to another website technician who was exposed, someone once consulted with relevant departments about policies and regulations. The relevant department told us that if we use a qualified enterprise, there will be no problem, and we can continue to apply.
Public data shows that Guxiang Company is a Sino-foreign joint venture, each party contributing 50%. The Chinese map part data of Google Maps comes from Mapabc (Tumeng Technology Co., Ltd.), the Chinese partner, which has already obtained the corresponding map license. The Google Maps that meets the relevant government regulations has recently submitted a license qualification application to the relevant department.
On April 27th, the Ministry of Land and Resources issued the "Decision to Amend the Interim Measures for the Administration of Foreign Organizations or Individuals Coming to China for Surveying" (hereinafter referred to as the Measures), which came into effect from the date of issuance.
At the time, some analysts indicated that Google China might have already applied for the map license through relevant channels to the government department.
Another technical director of a group-buying website using Baidu Maps believed: Google Maps is too unstable, and the prospects are unclear, making it difficult for partners to cooperate. Many explorations have been done in various applications.
For the current internet map qualification certification being carried out by the Surveying Bureau, an unnamed responsible person for the Class A qualification of internet maps introduced that the relevant qualifications are divided into Class A and Class B. Only Class A qualifications can provide API open services, and require five technical personnel to pass the training and examination of the Surveying Bureau beforehand, convert RMVB to MOV.
So far, the services Google provides in mainland China only include music, translation, and shopping search services. Its core businesses such as web search, video, images, and maps need to be redirected to the Google Hong Kong domain to be used.
The Surveying Bureau announced last September the first batch of enterprises that obtained the Internet map license, including Nokia, Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, Sogou, etc., among 31 enterprises that obtained Class A qualifications for Internet map services.
Pang Xin, deputy general manager of Sogou Maps, told reporters that openness is aimed at attracting more commercial websites to cooperate.
Wang Xinguang, partner and COO of Luker Life Network, told reporters that Luker Life would switch to using Sogou Maps service.
Where is Google China heading?
Currently, we are under review, and there is no final result to announce yet. This unnamed person said.
Zhang Jingke
A bumpy journey
At the end of last year, the Surveying Bureau informed the media that the deadline for applying for the network map license had been extended, and clearly stated that companies that still do not have a license by March 31st this year will be warned.
The requirement that the Chinese side must hold a controlling stake in the joint venture has quietly changed to the foreign investor's contribution ratio not exceeding 50%.
This move means that future Internet map services need to apply for a business license before they can operate.
On September 4, 2009, Li Kaifu officially announced his resignation.
If the license is obtained, this would mean a lifeline for Google Maps.
The relevant person in charge of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping verified to our reporter that Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co., Ltd., as a joint venture company of Google China in China, has officially submitted a related application for the Google Maps license.
The majority holding mobile version of Google Maps has over 200 million installations. The deadline has arrived but the license has not been applied for yet; Google Maps is still communicating.
According to previous arrangements, March 31st this year was the last day for Internet enterprises to apply for the map license.
Even if Google Maps obtains the license, its unstable service has already caused some partners to start leaving.
This change also means that Google Maps, which previously did not meet the government regulations due to the joint venture ratio and thus lacked application qualifications, now has hope for a turnaround.
The latest information obtained by the reporter of the First Financial Daily last night shows that the operating prospect of this core business of Google in China has shown signs of improvement.
The prospect of Google Maps in the Chinese market could be described as a bumpy journey.
In fact, Luker Life used Google Maps before.
An analyst told reporters: This Google Maps incident is likely to result in both sides stepping back, but in the future, whatever business Google China wants to continue in China, it will continue to face policy risks and regulation, which is also a game of negotiation between relevant departments and Google globally.
July 1st is the deadline.
Sogou also announced yesterday the opening of the API interface (Application Program Interface) to compete for the huge market that may be vacated if Google Maps loses its qualification.
Google has not made any new comments. On March 31st, they stated that they are communicating with the government on how to provide Internet map products in China.
As early as July 2005, former Microsoft executive Li Kaifu officially took up the position of President of Google China. On the same day, Google globally announced that it would set up a research and development center in China. On April 12, 2006, then CEO of Google globally, Eric Schmidt, announced in Beijing that the Chinese name of Google would be "GuGe," and Google officially entered China.
Afterward, Google China underwent large-scale expansion and collaborated with several well-known domestic websites. However, good times didn't last long, and discrepancies began to emerge between Google China, which once held over 30% of the search market share, and Google headquarters regarding decisions on China-related business.
Since then, all services of Google China in mainland China have lost their luster, and a large number of R&D personnel began to leave. On July 20, 2010, Google globally announced the closure of two services of the Chinese version, Hot List and Life Search, and terminated the Tianya Q&A service co-operated with Tianya Community.
Subsequently, due to various reasons, Google China's search service was transferred from mainland China to Hong Kong servers.
Interestingly, when Wang Xinguang learned that Google Maps had submitted the application, he still told reporters: We will still choose to replace it because the uncertainty of Google Maps is too high.
It is noteworthy that at the end of May, the Surveying Bureau exposed 46 units without qualifications engaged in Internet map services, none of which included Google Maps.
Whether Google Maps can obtain the relevant license involves thousands of small and medium-sized Chinese websites using Google Maps services, and they will also face decision-making issues.