Google Places API in iOS App

Question

Let me share my findings before asking a question.

The Google Places API documentation says: Note. To use the Google Places API, you must first request the Maps API client identifier and the cryptographic key that you must use to request URLs for signing. For information on signing URL requests, see the documentation for URL authentication in the Web Services API page.

• The Google Places API is still in preview by the developer. http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/places/

• We need a customer ID (required) and a signature (required) to use the Google Places API. http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/webservices/index.html#URLSigning

• And to get the Signature, we need a Google Adsense account to get the Adsense Publisher ID (required). http://gmaps-ws-console.appspot.com/

• Here you can find the requirements for using the Google Places API. http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/places/index.html#Requirements

• The registration page for the Google Maps API suggests that: “Your service should be freely available to end users. To use Google’s mapping technology in other types of applications, use the Google Maps API Premier. See this FAQ for more information." Http: / /code.google.com/intl/it-IT/apis/maps/signup.html

Now, here is what I want to know.

I plan to use the Google Places API in my iOS app. I do not want to use Adsense. Can I access the Google Places API for free? How?

If I cannot access the Google Places API for free, what are the costs associated with using this service and available payment models? I could not find any specific resources for this information.

Here is a specific scenario. What to do if the iOS application is free. the free version uses the Google Places API. But ... my iOS application has some additional features that are displayed using an in-app purchase (paid features). Paid features do not use the Google Places API. Is that acceptable?

Answer 1

We opened the Google Places API to all developers this week on Google I / O and simplified the conditions and authentication:

http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2011/05/places-everybody-show-is-about-to-begin.html

You no longer need to sign your requests, but simply use the key obtained using the Google API console. The AdSense ID is no longer required, but you need to go through credit card authentication to update from 1,000 to 100,000 requests per day.

You can use the Places API in mobile apps that are free or sold online through a mobile app store such as the Apple App Store or Android Market. However, desktop desktop applications will require a Premier Maps API license, which will be offered after the Places API graduates from the Google Code Lab.

For information on getting started, see the docs:

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/places/

NTN

Thor