Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

We know who put an Android peeing on an Apple in Google Maps

android peeing on apple google maps version 1429865166 logo
Image used with permission by copyright holder
It’s not every day you open Google Maps to see a massive Android mascot peeing on the Apple logo, but that’s precisely what happened to Maps users this morning who happened to be browsing around DHA Phase 4 in Pakistan. A Google Map Maker user named Nitricboy placed a giant Android in the area, defacing an Apple logo.

Updated on 04-24-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added news that the person who made the Android has been found, and Google plans to remove his “artwork.”

He used the custom map-enhancing tool called Google Map Maker, which lets users submit changes to maps in their area on the public version of Google Maps. Nitricboy added one part of the drawing at a time, so as to not arouse suspicion, and the end result was the large Android peeing on an Apple logo. Although moderators have to approve ideas that are submitted with the tool, it seems that the moderator on duty that day either had a good sense of humor or was phenomenally lazy. He also may not have noticed the pattern, since the drawing came to his desk in segments.

And so the Android stands in Pakistan, peeing on an Apple logo with perfect aim. He even looks like he might be having a good chuckle while doing it. It’s hardly the first time we’ve caught Android in the act of raining on Apple’s parade, but it’s especially funny that the Android’s act of defiance was first spotted on the same day as the Apple Watch launch. Coincidence? I think not.

Google has yet to take down the piece of local folk art. The coordinates are 33°30’52.5″N 73°03’33.2″E, and it “stands” about 2,500 feet tall (nearly half a mile) and 2,500 feet wide, making it about 6.25 million square feet large. You could fit almost 109 American football fields in that amount of space. And for one more reference, the new 2014 Godzilla is only about 500 feet tall.

We don’t know how long the cheeky Android will be there, so you’d best check it out soon. We’ve already taken a screenshot for posterity’s sake. Google told the Next Web that it’s working to take the addition down.

A Google spokesperson said that its “sorry for this inappropriate user-created content,” adding that “the vast majority of users who edit our maps provide great contributions.”

However, enterprising Maps users often pull of stunts like this, adding clever additions to Google Maps when nobody’s watching. Not too long ago, NSA leaker Edward Snowden got his very own space at the White House, in the “Snow Den.” That particular addition was swiftly removed by Google, probably at some sort of official request. So far, the audacious Android has lasted much longer in Pakistan.

Editors' Recommendations

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
What is an eSIM? Here’s everything you need to know
eSIM page on the iPhone 14.

If you've purchased a new cell phone in the past decade or so, you're probably already familiar with the SIM—the little thumbnail-sized card that's used to connect to your your carrier's cellular network —but in recent years smartphone manufacturers and carriers have started replacing them with something called an eSIM.
The "e" in eSIM stands for "embedded," which makes sense as this is a SIM card that stays inside your phone and can't be removed. It performs the same function as a traditional SIM card but has the potential to make things a lot simpler for most smartphone users. Almost any new phone you buy nowadays features eSIM technology, including the new iPhone 15. In fact, the iPhone 15 doesn't even have a physical SIM card slot available, and all iPhone 15 users need to transfer to eSIM -- giving a hint at where the technology is going. Pretty soon eSIMs could become the standard, with physical SIM cards gradually fading out of use.

But if you're confused by the concept of an eSIM, don't worry -- we've got you covered. Read on as we get more specific about what eSIM technology truly is, and how it differs from its predecessor, the physical SIM card. 

Read more
We may have just learned how Apple will compete with ChatGPT
An iPhone on a table with the Siri activation animation playing on the screen.

As we approach Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, the rumor mill has been abuzz with claims over Apple’s future artificial intelligence (AI) plans. Well, there have just been a couple of major developments that shed some light on what Apple could eventually reveal to the world, and you might be surprised at what Apple is apparently working on.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is in talks with Google to infuse its Gemini generative AI tool into Apple’s systems and has also considered enlisting ChatGPT’s help instead. The move with Google has the potential to completely change how the Mac, iPhone, and other Apple devices work on a day-to-day basis, but it could come under severe regulatory scrutiny.

Read more
Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages: Which app should you use?
Google messages versus samsung messages app icons side by side on Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Amid the rise of third-party messaging apps, texting remains a popular means of messaging in the U.S. If you own an Android phone, you've likely used or heard of Google Messages, which is positioned as the default text messaging app for Android. It is the culmination of Google's long history with multiple messaging platforms. Google has pursued smartphone companies to use its Dialer and Messages apps as their default since at least 2017 and now mandates them to use Google Messages as the default messaging app on all devices.

Meanwhile, if you have been a Samsung user in the past, you have likely also known and experienced the Samsung Messages app, which comes preinstalled on all Samsung phones and cannot be uninstalled. This is despite losing its spot as the default messaging app on Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Read more