In 2009, Apple quietly purchased the mapping firm Placebase, which offered a similar product to Google Maps. After the purchase, Placebase’s CEO became part of Apple’s “Geo” team, which he’s been a member of since. In 2010, Apple snagged Poly9, a Canadian online mapping firm. Poly9 offered high-res images of metropolitan areas, and technology that provides real-time location statistics, including altitude.