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Wow. Apple Maps is a disaster.

firestarter

firestarter

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2002
5,506
227
Green and pleasant land
BHP41 said:
For Christ sake. You'd think the the world as ending by the way you're reacting. You don't like Apples maps and Google has just released theirs. If you don't like the way that Apple runs theircompany or their stores then move on to another platform. It's thatsimple.
Click to expand...

I did. I just bought my first Android phone.

But I still care about Apple as a company (having been a Mac owner for over 20 years), so I think it's better to call them on things they do wrong, rather than pretending they're perfect. An uncompetitive Apple helps no one.

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Kukulcan said:
Good luck to the masters of nitpicking with keeping this topic alive.
Click to expand...

You know where the 'unsubscribe from thread' menu item is don't you?

Or perhaps you just can't resist making another posting? :confused:

For a thread you don't like, you sure spend a lot of time here.
 
P

PhoneandPad

macrumors member
Sep 23, 2012
62
6
Reported on BBC today: Official Google Maps app is in the app store since this morning (UK time). Nothing in this thread? Off to confirm this rumour and discover if/how Apple has hobbled it.

Edit: is in app store with over 2000 reviews already. Needs iOS 5.1 minimum. Hmm should I move this iPhone 4 to IOS 6 now? Cannot so far confirm if compass integration and auto orientation is included.
 
Last edited:
theautopilot

theautopilot

macrumors 6502a
Jul 27, 2010
709
39
PhoneandPad said:
Reported on BBC today: Official Google Maps app is in the app store since this morning (UK time). Nothing in this thread? Off to confirm this rumour and discover if/how Apple has hobbled it.

Edit: is in app store with over 2000 reviews already. Needs iOS 5.1 minimum. Hmm should I move this iPhone 4 to IOS 6 now? Cannot so far confirm if compass integration and auto orientation is included.
Click to expand...

Er... One page back ;)
 
P

PhoneandPad

macrumors member
Sep 23, 2012
62
6
All I saw one page back was "Google has created the Google Maps for iOS SDK". Maybe the main discussion has now moved to another topic.
 
H

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
PhoneandPad said:
Reported on BBC today: Official Google Maps app is in the app store since this morning (UK time). Nothing in this thread? Off to confirm this rumour and discover if/how Apple has hobbled it.

Edit: is in app store with over 2000 reviews already. Needs iOS 5.1 minimum. Hmm should I move this iPhone 4 to IOS 6 now? Cannot so far confirm if compass integration and auto orientation is included.
Click to expand...

I don't know what you mean by auto orientation, but it has compass integration. Not quite the same as before, as it lacks the little cone of vision that indicated which way was forward. Not really necessary though, as the whole map swivels so forward is always at the top, and the map turns as you do.
 
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PhoneandPad

macrumors member
Sep 23, 2012
62
6
If you turn the compass on in IOS 5 version, phone is held approx horizontal, the map auto swivels so it's orientated in the same direction as the real world.
 
J

jjr74

macrumors newbie
Oct 29, 2012
10
0
Apple Maps is SOOOOO gone.
Any idea as off how to make google maps the default map application that launches when you click an address ?
 
S

snerkler

macrumors 65816
Feb 14, 2012
1,153
166
jjr74 said:
Apple Maps is SOOOOO gone.
Any idea as off how to make google maps the default map application that launches when you click an address ?
Click to expand...

Don't think you can unfortunately. If someone knows otherwise please tell me how (without jail breaking)
 
Beeplance

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
Heb 7:4 said:
I've stopped looking. Google maps is great and all is well in the world ;)
Click to expand...

Same for me. I guess the amount of maps problems reported plunged after the arrival of the Google maps app. Not like Apple will actually fix any problem sent to it anyway...
 
Beeplance

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
MozMan68 said:
Seriously?

I've noticed significant improvements in search logic and poi's...
Click to expand...

Good for your area, I guess, Still the same crap here, I'm unable to identify a single improvement at all.

How long more to a decent mapping solution, Apple?
 
S

SONiC5

macrumors regular
Sep 21, 2012
186
2
U.S.
I have yet to be lead astray using Apple Maps.

I only use Google Maps for transit directions and the occasional Street View when I'm bored.
 
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heyyoudvd

macrumors regular
May 13, 2011
218
74
I don't understand what's going on with Maps.

2 weeks after iOS 6 was released, Apple implemented an update that improved the back end mapping data via some improved satellite and 3D imagery, more POIs, and better data. It wasn't an enormous update, but it was noticeable, and given that it occurred just 2 weeks after iOS 6 was released, I thought this was a sign of things to come. If they could provide a noticeable upgrade after just a couple weeks, I thought we'd continue to see periodic improvements that slowly but surely lead the new Maps app to a better place.

What have we seen since then? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's been 3 months now and the app is virtually unchanged since that very first update. I haven't noticed any improvements in the back end data since that point, and none of the corrections have gone through, even after 3+ months.

What's going on? Is the app just not improving or is Apple stockpiling all these improvements and preparing for one big re-release announcement? Even if it's the latter, I don't think that's a good idea because when customers don't see their corrections being implemented, it causes disillusionment and people simply stop hitting the "Report a Problem" button.

And now that Google Maps is out, I feel like Apple has missed the boat on showing its customers that the new Apple Maps is an ever improving, quality app. People are switching to Google and giving up on the very notion of improving Apple Maps.

I hope Apple has something up its sleeve. Otherwise, this entire mapping ordeal it has undertaken over the past couple years will have been all for naught.
 
Beeplance

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
heyyoudvd said:
I don't understand what's going on with Maps.

2 weeks after iOS 6 was released, Apple implemented an update that improved the back end mapping data via some improved satellite and 3D imagery, more POIs, and better data. It wasn't an enormous update, but it was noticeable, and given that it occurred just 2 weeks after iOS 6 was released, I thought this was a sign of things to come. If they could provide a noticeable upgrade after just a couple weeks, I thought we'd continue to see periodic improvements that slowly but surely lead the new Maps app to a better place.

What have we seen since then? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's been 3 months now and the app is virtually unchanged since that very first update. I haven't noticed any improvements in the back end data since that point, and none of the corrections have gone through, even after 3+ months.

What's going on? Is the app just not improving or is Apple stockpiling all these improvements and preparing for one big re-release announcement? Even if it's the latter, I don't think that's a good idea because when customers don't see their corrections being implemented, it causes disillusionment and people simply stop hitting the "Report a Problem" button.

And now that Google Maps is out, I feel like Apple has missed the boat on showing its customers that the new Apple Maps is an ever improving, quality app. People are switching to Google and giving up on the very notion of improving Apple Maps.

I hope Apple has something up its sleeve. Otherwise, this entire mapping ordeal it has undertaken over the past couple years will have been all for naught.
Click to expand...

I agree, especially the parts in bold. The rate of maps correction is dismal. Possibly the people that benefit most from Apple maps are in the states, because they got majority of the POIs and satellite imagery right there.

Doesn't look the case in my country and many others.
 
H

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
MozMan68 said:
Seriously?

I've noticed significant improvements in search logic and poi's...
Click to expand...
Which is doubly annoying, as by all accounts it was pretty good in your area to start with. You'd have thought they might actually have concentrated on improving it in the areas where it totally sucked.
 
throAU

throAU

macrumors G3
Feb 13, 2012
8,817
6,985
Perth, Western Australia
So yeah, apple maps failed me again today.

tried to get to a furniture shop. Apple maps located the shop in search, set me up directions to it, with "location is approximate" warning.

Fair enough, i'll probably see it if i get near enough, right?

It directed me to the centre of town, said "the destination is on your left" and that was that.

It wasn't.

Fired up google maps, google sent me back the way I came and down a slightly different route, directly to the shop in question. About 4km away.


See, the problem is - it looked up the shop fine. It claimed to know the address of the shop when i clicked on the search result. All initial indications were good. But the navigation just didn't work.

If it didn't find the shop initially, fair enough i wouldn't have wasted my time (and fuel). But it made me expect a successful outcome. And it just isn't good enough - there was no indication of failure until i ended up 4km away from where i was supposed to be. Good thing I wasn't walking it!

Google got me all the way to the shop's carpark.
 
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MozMan68

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,071
5,145
South Cackalacky
Heb 7:4 said:
Which is doubly annoying, as by all accounts it was pretty good in your area to start with. You'd have thought they might actually have concentrated on improving it in the areas where it totally sucked.
Click to expand...

True...but probably because it was easier. Correcting or adding missing poi's is probably much more difficult than correcting the search logic. I have to believe the logic was corrected across the globe and the issue of missing poi's and updated maps will be fixed as soon as they can.

I don't actually think the data or maps have changed in my area, just the way they are presented and the logic of the search results.
 
H

heyyoudvd

macrumors regular
May 13, 2011
218
74
Beeplance said:
I agree, especially the parts in bold. The rate of maps correction is dismal.
Click to expand...

It seems to me like there are two possibilities:

1. Apple has been slowly and steadily making improvements all along, but the rate of improvement is so slow, that it's hardly even noticeable.

2. Apple has been collecting all the corrections and hasn't actually pushed them out to the public yet because it wants to save them all up for a major re-release of the Maps app.


If it's #1, then things are hopeless. If Apple hasn't been holding things back and is really just this genuinely slow about improving the app, then I can't see Apple Maps ever improving to the point that it can compete with Google.

If it's #2, then I have more hope for the app, but it's still not great. If there's a big re-release planned that showcases the improvements, then that's great, but on the same note, the fact that Apple has held off for so long has caused many people to be disillusioned. The fact that users can't actually see any of the problems being fixed causes them to stop reporting any problems because the whole thing seems futile. People have switched to Google and they may never switch back.

#2 is definitely far preferable to #1, so I hope #2 is the correct one, but even if it is, Apple still has a steep mountain to climb if it wishes to be on the same level as Google Maps.
 
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