[MapKit JS] Geocoding restriction (follow up)

I really need to have this question answered by Apple Staff if possible, I have asked a similar question before but today I looked at the terms of use for Mapkit JS and got a little bit confused again.


Lets say that I have a web application where an user is able to create a shipment request and for others to search and look at. This is partially done by using MapKit JS where user will lookup the pickup/delivery address by the geocoding methods provided by the Mapkit JS library.
Is it safe to assume that it is legal to save this response (address, longitude and latitude) to a central database used by the web application for further use? For an example, other users will later on be able to search and display this shipment request in the web application where address, longitude, latitude will be displayed along with other related information and a map will be rendered using the MapKit JS library.

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Regarding Attachment 6 in TOS...


2.5 Unless otherwise expressly permitted in the MapKit Documentation, Map Data may not be cached, pre-fetched, or stored by You or Your Application, other than on a temporary and limited basis solely to improve the performance of the Apple Maps Service with Your Application.

If the term "Map Data" do include longitude/latitude, what if you store the longitude and latitude for the lifetime of the shipment and then discard the data when shipment is complete or deleted?

I have researched this issue for a few days now and no one seems to talk about it, but pretty much every map app that I have been using seem to do what I need to do, even though it feels like a grayzone if you look at the TOS.

Regardless, if you are not allowed to cache longitude/latitude, this is a huge performance hit for the map service, if every user need to lookup the same location over and over again for same shipment or any other item you may have.


Long story short, I am not saying that you are not allowed to store longitude/latitude, I am rather trying to understand whether it is allowed or not, which is not clear in the documentation and/or terms of use.


As I am patiently waiting for an answer from any Apple staff, what are your own thoughts in this group?

  • From the Xcode and SDK Agreement:

    “Map Data” means any content, data or information provided through the Apple Maps Service including, but not limited to, imagery, terrain data, latitude and longitude coordinates, transit data, points of interest and traffic data.

    https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/xcode.pdf

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Seriously, there is no one at Apple that can answer this simple question, whether you are allowed to save a longitude/latitude response temporary/permanently?

I have the same situation now and I've been researching for 2 days already, but no body seems to know. Do you have an answer for this? How did you manage it?