When Apple unveiled iOS 6 two weeks ago during their WWDC 2012 keynote, they announced that after five years they were finally booting Google Maps out of iOS and replacing it with their own in-house Maps app. The announcement wasn’t really a surprise to most people (especially those who had been paying attention to the rumors). After all, the relationship between the two companies has been getting increasingly sour since the launch of Android in 2008.

Google Maps fans, though, have reason to be hopeful. Although Google Maps won’t be a native part of iOS anymore, that doesn’t mean it won’t be available on iOS at all. It seems that Google is working on a Google Maps app for the iOS App Store. Over the weekend Googler Jeff Huber posted a picture on his Google+ of the new Google Street View exhibit at the Computer History Museum. In response to a comment on the pic, Huber promised one loyal Google Maps user that Apple’s announcement wasn’t the end of Google Maps on iOS:

So there you have it. We will be seeing Google Maps for iOS, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Having Google Maps built into the iPhone has been important for Google, and they’re not likely to give up their presence on Apple’s platform so easily. Of course, there’s no information yet on when Google might have this app ready, or what it will look like when they do. With over three months to go until the (probable) launch of iOS 6 and the new iPhone, they could have it ready to go by launch time. Even if the app isn’t ready to roll when iOS 6 drops, though, you can bet Google won’t let iOS go Google Maps-less for too awfully long.