How would I be able to open google maps when I press a button in my app?

Question

I have this app and I want to use google maps or apple maps to open when the user presses a button in my app. How would I be able to do this? Is there like a link to the maps that opens the app or is it something else? If you can point me in the right direction it would be really helpful. Thanks! I have the button set up below like this:

override func touchesEnded(touches: Set<UITouch>, withEvent event: UIEvent?) {

    for touch in (touches ) {
    let location = touch.locationInNode(self)
    let node = self.nodeAtPoint(location)

    if node.name == "openMaps" {

     //code to open google maps or apple maps....

    }

Answer 1

Use this:

if node.name == "openMaps" {
    let customURL = "comgooglemaps://"

    if UIApplication.sharedApplication().canOpenURL(NSURL(string: customURL)) {
        UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(NSURL(string: customURL))
    }
    else {
        var alert = UIAlertController(title: "Error", message: "Google maps not installed", preferredStyle: UIAlertControllerStyle.Alert)
        var ok = UIAlertAction(title: "OK", style: UIAlertActionStyle.Default, handler: nil)
        alert.addAction(ok)
        self.presentViewController(alert, animated:true, completion: nil)
    }
}

You can find more info about the google maps URL scheme here

Edit: You must add a key to your info.plist for this to work.

<key>LSApplicationQueriesSchemes</key>
<array>
    <string>googlechromes</string>
    <string>comgooglemaps</string>
</array>

Edit: Per updated Google Maps docs added "googlechromes" to plist above also.