The amazing thing about Apple's own goal is that there was reportedly more than a year left on the existing contract with Google for maps, so even if they knew they wanted to file for divorce, there was time to beef up their own offering before parting ways. Instead, in a display of great hubris, they took their ball went went home, and now look ridiculous. For the price they're paying for this in negative PR, they could have simply cut a check with several commas and many zeroes to convince Google to change their terms, keep Latitude out, etc.

I know it's been reported that Google had no interest in compromising, but Apple's got mountains of cash that they don't know what to do with right now. For a small chunk of that, I'm sure they could have come to some sort of resolution, especially as they got closer to the actual expiration of the existing contract. If it turns out that Apple made an astronomical offer that Google declined, then okay, they had to do what they did, but they didn't have to do it now, when their own product is inferior to also-rans that Apple could have simply licensed for a while until their own offering is at least respectable.