Apple Fixes Australian Map Error That Caused Police Warning, Issue Traced to Official Gazetteer

Beeplance · Dec 11, 2012

pgiguere1 said:
Google wanted more control over branding, ads, and user data to be willing to provide any new data necessary for new features (turn-by-turn navigation, vector maps, voice navigation).

As Apple wanted to protect their users' privacy and not have big Google logos and ads everywhere while offering turn-by-turn navigation as a standard feature, they though about doing it themselves.

They probably expected the data to not be as accurate as Google's for a little while (although not as bad as this) but though it was worth it in the long run. They may have done things differently now seeing how it turned out.

Apple doesn't make competitors to Facebook or Youtube because those are not services expected to be preinstalled on a smartphone as they're mainly for entertainment purpose.

I doubt buying Garmin would have done anything. They already use TomTom's data and apparently it's not very good. Funny how you never heard about TomTom having bad mapping data before.

I guess people make a bigger deal out of it now because:
1) It's cool to hate Apple and generate a lot of attention in media
2) They're more easily being compared to Google Maps which has better data than any dedicated GPS company

People make a big deal out of it because it's funny that one of the richest company in the entire world do not have the competency to create a good and dependable mapping solution.

If you want to create a maps app, then you should jolly well do it well, or don't start in the first place if you're not confident of matching the current ones. People don't make a fuss of this situation for no reason. People have better things to do in life than to complain about a simple app, but looking at all the countless problems it has caused and the millions of apparent errors that exist in it , it is really no surprise why people are pointing their fingers at Apple.

Fishticks · Dec 11, 2012

SIRI - not working
iMessages - often not working
Facetime - not working
MAPS - not working
iCloud - not working

now when i pull out my iPhone 4S when people around have a Note II or an S III, i feel embarassed, just as if I was pulling out a blackberry or some years old motorola.

TheRainKing · Dec 11, 2012

Try searching for things in Lowestoft, England.. Nothing is where it's suppose to be and lots of things simply don't come up. It's pathetic.

I remember something Steve Jobs said in one of his keynotes "We build the products we want to use ourselves" and it always felt like that was true when Steve was around. But these days I ask myself, is it really likely that Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and all the other top guys at Apple are using this crappy Apple maps service? I doubt it.

It might be a typical thing to say but, I really doubt Apple maps would be this bad if Steve were around, he simply wouldn't allow it.

samcraig · Dec 11, 2012

Of course they respond quickly to a PR hit.

Now - if everyone with a problem with the map could get an article published with a scary headline - Apple Maps will be as good as gold.

Plutonius · Dec 11, 2012

maxwelltech said:
bring Google Maps back as an interim solution while you people figure out the problems.

If nobody used Apple maps, the problems would not be identified and eventually fixed.

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samcraig said:
Of course they respond quickly to a PR hit.

Now - if everyone with a problem with the map could get an article published with a scary headline - Apple Maps will be as good as gold.

Unfortunately, it looks like it will take awhile to approach google maps accuracy (if ever).

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Fishticks said:
SIRI - not working
iMessages - often not working
Facetime - not working
MAPS - not working
iCloud - not working

now when i pull out my iPhone 4S when people around have a Note II or an S III, i feel embarassed, just as if I was pulling out a blackberry or some years old motorola.

It's your money and choice. If you like the other phones, get one instead and sell your 4S.

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TheRainKing said:
Try searching for things in Lowestoft, England.. Nothing is where it's suppose to be and lots of things simply don't come up. It's pathetic.

Apple maps seem to work best in the US and have the most issues in the UK.

Beeplance · Dec 11, 2012

Plutonius said:
Apple maps seem to work best in the US and have the most issues in the UK.

Apple maps have the most issues anywhere outside of US.

Plutonius · Dec 11, 2012

Beeplance said:
Apple maps have the most issues anywhere outside of US.

True but, if you look through past post, it appears that the UK Apple maps have the worst issues.

SeanR1 · Dec 11, 2012

I'm starting to respect Apple more now. At least Cook admits to a mistake, I like that. Jobs would have said people were driving wrong. :apple:

840quadra · Dec 11, 2012

A simple suggestion before setting off on a trip for a new town, or city many miles (or Kilometers) away. Look at one map source for directions, then get a second opinion.

Perhaps I should thank my parents for this, but I learned early (since paper maps) to look at multiple routes, via multiple sources before setting off to uncharted (for me) territory. Looking at Google™ maps, Mildura is tens of Kilometers from other towns and cities near it's size. This type of issue is a lot different than someone casually looking up a coffee shop on their phone, and end up going to the wrong corner or block in an urban center.

After years of being mislead by various mapping solutions including Kings (paper), Rand McNally (Paper), MapQuest, Microsoft Streets & Trips, Bing, Google Maps, Garmin GPS systems, and now Apple Maps, I still find it odd that people have such undying faith with any single tool. Google Maps have been amazing, however it still commonly sends me to Malls, Office buildings, and single family homes as opposed to Hotels and restaurants when I travel. Because of Google's own errors, it was nice to utilize Streetview to better confirm a location before setting off.

I am not defending Apple for their errors, however maps (in general) having errors is nothing new or unique to Apple.

SeanR1 said:
I'm starting to respect Apple more now. At least Cook admits to a mistake, I like that. Jobs would have said people were driving wrong.

Actually Steve would Have said "Just avoid traveling that way".

rmwebs · Dec 11, 2012

shurcooL said:
Also, Apple Maps basically has Google Earth built-in. Sometimes it's pretty neat to see some place in 3D.

Um, have you ever actually used Google Earth?

If you're trying to compare the '3D' part of Apple Maps then no - its nothing like Google Earth. It's a piss poor copy attempt that only works in a few places on the globe.

Here's the big difference though: Anyone can help make buildings 3D in Google Earth. Take Disney - they did the whole of Walt Disney World in complete 3D, with proper photos being taken (so not using stretched satellite images).

You cant compare Apple Maps with Google Earth - you can however compare it with Google Maps.

Apple Maps data is a pile of crap compared to Google Maps - thats not opinion, thats fact.

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SeanR1 said:
I'm starting to respect Apple more now. At least Cook admits to a mistake, I like that. Jobs would have said people were driving wrong.

I'd respect them even more if they:

A) didnt release a half-assed app that's clearly got years more development needed.
B) Opened it up to allow 3rd parties to add data to their systems (i.e the way Google does)
C) Kept an alternative in place until the issue was fixed.

KnightWRX · Dec 11, 2012

840quadra said:
I am not defending Apple for their errors, however maps (in general) having errors is nothing new or unique to Apple.

It's not that Apple's maps have errors that gets most people, it's the sheer amount of errors it has.

TheRainKing · Dec 11, 2012

SeanR1 said:
I'm starting to respect Apple more now. At least Cook admits to a mistake, I like that. Jobs would have said people were driving wrong.

Or maybe Steve would have said we're not shipping this crap until it's fixed.

Remember how he went berserk at the MobileMe team? That's what I'd expect him to do to the people responsible for Apple maps.

rmwebs · Dec 11, 2012

Plutonius said:
True but, if you look through past post, it appears that the UK Apple maps have the worst issues.

Yup, they are terrible in the UK, with towns missing, or 50+ miles away from where they are supposed to be in some cases. Theres a huge lack of local data too (e.g restaurants, shops, etc).

The satellite imagery is out of date too. Our house was extended about 12 years ago - it doesn't show the extension on our house on Apple Maps.

KnightWRX · Dec 11, 2012

TheRainKing said:
Or maybe Steve would have said we're not shipping this crap until it's fixed.

Remember how he went berserk at the MobileMe team? That's what I'd expect him to do to the people responsible for Apple maps.

But they did ship MobileMe before it was fixed, even under Steve.

Shishu · Dec 11, 2012

Plutonius said:
True but, if you look through past post, it appears that the UK Apple maps have the worst issues.

This is an english speaking forum which means that most people posting on this site are going to be from english speaking countries hence bias towards problems in UK or Australia.

However I can assure you that situation is equally as bad (if not worse) in other European countries.

Krazy Bill · Dec 11, 2012

Yeah, but...

... my neighbor's driveway is not a street Apple. (Even if you say so)

rmwebs · Dec 11, 2012

Shishu said:
This is an english speaking forum which means that most people posting on this site are going to be from english speaking countries hence bias towards problems in UK or Australia.

However I can assure you that situation is equally as bad (if not worse) in other European countries.

I'd imagine its worse than our broken UK maps. Non-English speaking countries probably have terrible map data as Apple will be 100% reliant on 3rd parties (e.g TomTom) for that kind of information.

The idiotic thing is that Apple's 'fix' for maps is to throw a bunch of people at it, and hope they can update the 'pins' showing where places are - but really they should be DROPPING TomTom's crap sources, and getting a decent license with the likes of Google, Nokia, Microsoft or their providers (iirc Digital Globe is one of them).

Apple will never fix maps by fixing coding errors, they need new sources of data, not a better app.

winston1236 · Dec 11, 2012

shurcooL said:
Have you noticed how much better the map interaction inside Find Friends app became? Or how Siri can now give you turn by turn directions.

That was not possible before cuz Apple had their arms tied by the limiting Google maps contract.

Also, Apple Maps basically has Google Earth built-in. Sometimes it's pretty neat to see some place in 3D.

There are problems with the new maps, but there are improvements too. Most people seem not to notice them.

Oh apple lets you read their contracts?

asweatman · Dec 11, 2012

annirowe said:
Don't get too excited.. The rest of Australia is still incorrect.

They are still using the central location of the Council/Shire as the pointer. so whenever a town name is the same as a Shire name, you still get the problem..

I just tested Whittlesea which is the Shire I live in, but also contains the town of Whittlesea, and its completely wrong...

Agree, this needs a complete system review rather than looking at each council in isolation, just remove the council references and it would be fixed, the councils references server no useful purpose.

mccldwll · Dec 11, 2012

BuckusToothnail said:
As I mentioned in another thread, I've submitted at LEAST a couple of dozen corrections to Maps the past few months since I got my iPhone 5 and NONE have been updated yet. And reading other people's post it doesn't seem my experience is uncommon.

In comparison the few times I needed to send a correction to Google Maps, all POI-related like a store having moved or being on the wrong side of the street, it was usually fixed within a couple of weeks.

Sadly it seems this whole "crowd sourcing" and "the more people use it the better it'll get" mantra is all just smoke-and-mirrors RUBBISH. What's the point of "crowd sourcing" if Apple isn't going to utilize the user data?

Yes, but that's part of your job with google.

BurchBoy · Dec 11, 2012

charlituna said:
Yes there would be. Google has had and still has major issues, even with their 7 year led. Directions going to the wrong place, bad timetables saying there's a bus run an hour after the last one, driving the wrong way down one way streets etc

Yep, I once got a $300 ticket following google maps into the wrong street. Even mapquest has sent me 30 minutes in the wrong direction. The reality is, NO ONE has fully mapped the entire planet and can keep it updated every time some business moves or a neighborhood is built or even edited like my ticket situation. Google info was just out dated and apples is just getting started.
I remember a time when they said apple was going out of business because of the iPhone 4 antenna gate. It even caused Steve Jobs to leave his much needed family vacation to tell the world to relax. It's just a phone and there will be a new one in 12 months. We could all just choose to relax. The maps will be better in 12 month. Use maps.google.com for now if you want. Mapquest voice nav is free!!! Many choices and apple/google will keep making money one way or the other.

lkrupp · Dec 11, 2012

maxwelltech said:
Lots of angry customers are switching to other platforms because of this, but I am still sticking around because I expect you guys to fix it very soon.

Wrong. Sales figures show otherwise. And other map apps are available so why would "Lots of angry customers" pay tons of money to break contracts and switch? It's a made up fantasy. Just because you want this to be true doesn't mean it is. Please read other posts which indicate Google Maps aren't that accurate either.

KnightWRX · Dec 11, 2012

BurchBoy said:
The maps will be better in 12 month.

It's now been 6 months since people have started reporting problems with Apple maps. How much of it has really been fixed ? Take that, times 2 and you have Maps in 12 months.

Again folks : It's not that Apple's maps are the only ones with mistakes, it's both the sheer amount of mistakes and the fact that the competition have much better products on the market, products Apple used to provide to its customers and now yanked with the latest OS update.

mccldwll · Dec 11, 2012

gnasher729 said:
If you typed in "Mildura" yesterday and showed the street view, there were _no_ streets. That should have been a giveaway if you wanted to go to the _town_ of Mildura which has lots and lots of streets. In the hyprid view, it looks to me like wilderness. Which would also have made me think.

Worse than that: It specifically stated that the road stopped short of the destination and zooming in on the standard map showed not only no roads, but no connection with the "Mildura" dot. The map was flawed but you have to wonder to what extent the story had elements of a negative PR stunt.

asweatman · Dec 11, 2012

warwickharry said:
Still broken Apple, they haven't fixed anything. Mildura is still in the wrong spot!

If you search for Mildura it is correct but the central point of Mildura Council, is still on the map. PLEASE Apple remove the point that says "Mildura Rural Council" by putting a "dot" there it looks like there is a place there. Like having a dot on the map of Australia near the title AUSTRALIA.

So remove the dot and if you must have the Council title actually say "MILDURA RURAL COUNCIL" see images.

Apple Fixes Australian Map Error That Caused Police Warning, Issue Traced to Official Gazetteer

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