The advertising isn't intrusive in the Android version of Maps.

It's also worth noting that, like search advertisements, Maps advertisements have the potential to be useful. If I'm looking for a restaurant near some location, restaurants that care enough to advertise in Maps for that location could easily be worth considering.

True, because Google is trying to use Google Maps as a hook into Google+ Local. For maps, it all comes back to local search.

I guess in that sense, my 'map app' (a photo of the street I live on) also surpasses google's because it doesn't have any ads.

No, maps are not of any use if you can't use them and rely on them. It has nothing to do with how Google chose to monetize it. If your ad-free version works well enough - great. But the whole point is that the new maps don't work well enough.

Apple's Youtube app also made a large portion of content unavailable because of lack of advertisement support.

> There is one way Apple's maps already surpass Google's: no advertising.

For now. Let's not forgot Apple tried to push full screen, "interactive" iAds. While banners ads have been more popular, the extra screen real estate on the iPhone 5 could eventually become devoted to ads.