Google Maps hides image of Android robot urinating on Apple in surprisingly insolent Easter egg

Wow, Google went in.

Christopher Hooton
Friday 24 April 2015 15:45 BST
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Google Maps has housed several hidden pictures, normally geeky nods to things like Doctor Who, in the past, but its latest is quite something.

Zoom in on a small patch of terrain to the south of Rawlpindi in Pakistan (33°30'52.5"N 73°03'33.2"E) and you'll find what is clearly an Android robot urinating on the Apple logo. At the time writing, it's still there.

It would be a mind-blowing coincidence if Rawlpindi had a field shaped like this, and a quick look at the satellite image shows this is definitely not the case.

Some elements of Google's mapping data can be edited by users but supposedly not the land terrain, suggesting this was the work of a Google employee or at least someone with privileged access.

Has Google seriously resorted to a literal pissing contest in the battle for tech brand supremacy? Or is this a case of an employee gone rogue?

A Google spokesperson told Independent.co.uk: "We've been made aware of the issue and are working on getting it removed."

Update: Another image has been spotted further to the east in Pakistan. Both images were apparently added using Google Map Maker, which, as the image suggests, isn't being moderated very fastidiously.

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