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Wow. Apple Maps is a disaster.
- Thread starter b24pgg
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Apple maps is like a device without retina display
Best way to describe it(not counting it doesnt find anything and 3d ****tyness)
In google maps its nice and clear and with apple maps its all blurry and not clear.
/whine.
Best way to describe it(not counting it doesnt find anything and 3d ****tyness)
In google maps its nice and clear and with apple maps its all blurry and not clear.
/whine.
I understand what you're saying. In some spots Apple Maps is ok but more often than not the map imagery is low quality in my area. I'm not in a rural area either.
I handle my mapping needs by using Apple Maps for turn-by-turn and Google for anything else.
I handle my mapping needs by using Apple Maps for turn-by-turn and Google for anything else.
Maps look nice, but don't like the search functionality and driving directions. It took me around the block to a destination when I could have just made a right turn, recently.
Apple's data is lacking compared to Google. However, I will say that Apple appears to be better than other mapping providers. The one thing that I like with Apple Maps is that it's extremely smooth and fast. Other than that, it's worse than Google Maps.
Yup.
it's a nice tech demo, but the mapping data, at least where i live is just garbage. the hilarious thing is that it can tell me the address of something, so it clearly knows where it is (and luls you into a false sense of hope), but driving directions rarely get me any closer to the destination than about 2-3km radius.
it's like it only takes into account the suburb/city part of the address when giving driving directions most of the time...
To be honest, the navigation is fine for me (where I live). I usually only use GPS if I am trying to get someplace where I have never been. I usually tend to memorize or learn shortcuts (directions) on my own.
One thing that's annoying is that it displays very little data with the standard look. Google maps outlines buildings (which is very useful). It appears that Apple only outlines buildings for areas that support flyover (which is very limited).
Apple has the application perfect in sense of design and fluidity, however its data is horrible. Apple has a large amount of money laying around that they NEED to use to push forward. Apple has no excuse for releasing half finished products at this point. They overcharge customers for their products (to milk us out for more profit) yet are not putting that money to good use.
They need to simply license more deals to get better data for their maps. They also need to hire more people. Google has about a 7-10 years head start. Now's not the time to play catch up.
Compared Apple and Google Maps for a short trip to Brugges, Belgium a few days ago. We were staying in the hotel "Oud Huis De Peellaert", a 4* hotel in the city center.
In Google Maps, I started typing and as soon as I had typed "oud h" the first search suggestion was the hotel in Brugges. A misspelled search for "oud huis de pellert" and "old huis de pellert" also turned up the correct address.
In Apple Maps, when fully typing in the correctly spelled name "Oud Huis de Peellaert" it showed up an entry called "Oud Huis de Peellaert NV" near the airport in Ostende, Belgium. That's about 35km from the hotel. Searching for "Hotel Oud Huis De Peellaert" or "Oud Huis De Peellaert Brugges" didn't show any results. I actually had to get the actual street address from the hotel's website and enter it in Apple Maps to get the address - which was still wrong. The location pin was in a side street of the actual hotel location. Again, this was not some small rundown motel but one of the best addresses in the center of Brugges!
The hotel is in Hoogstraat 20, while the pin was showing in Ridderstraat adjacent to it. Strangely, when I tapped the location on Hoogstraat where the hotel is, Apple Maps correctly identified it as "Hoogstraat 20".
That's how messed up the data in Apple Maps is. I have many more examples like this.
Once you have the address though, the routing seems to be pretty good. I had Apple Maps run on my iPhone and my girlfriend had Google Maps run on hers. Both suggested slightly different routes at first (we took the Apple one) but got us to the destination effortless.
In Google Maps, I started typing and as soon as I had typed "oud h" the first search suggestion was the hotel in Brugges. A misspelled search for "oud huis de pellert" and "old huis de pellert" also turned up the correct address.
In Apple Maps, when fully typing in the correctly spelled name "Oud Huis de Peellaert" it showed up an entry called "Oud Huis de Peellaert NV" near the airport in Ostende, Belgium. That's about 35km from the hotel. Searching for "Hotel Oud Huis De Peellaert" or "Oud Huis De Peellaert Brugges" didn't show any results. I actually had to get the actual street address from the hotel's website and enter it in Apple Maps to get the address - which was still wrong. The location pin was in a side street of the actual hotel location. Again, this was not some small rundown motel but one of the best addresses in the center of Brugges!
The hotel is in Hoogstraat 20, while the pin was showing in Ridderstraat adjacent to it. Strangely, when I tapped the location on Hoogstraat where the hotel is, Apple Maps correctly identified it as "Hoogstraat 20".
That's how messed up the data in Apple Maps is. I have many more examples like this.
Once you have the address though, the routing seems to be pretty good. I had Apple Maps run on my iPhone and my girlfriend had Google Maps run on hers. Both suggested slightly different routes at first (we took the Apple one) but got us to the destination effortless.
Already posted this in another thread, but there seem to be more Aussies here:
Apple is seeking to hire a "ground truth" data specialist for Australia.
http://www.macnn.com/articles/13/02/22/country.has.particular.issues.with.labels.in.apple.maps/
Can't help but wonder if Apple's only had a "ground lies" specialist up till now? Or maybe a only a "good enough for the Aussies" maps specialist?
Apple is seeking to hire a "ground truth" data specialist for Australia.
http://www.macnn.com/articles/13/02/22/country.has.particular.issues.with.labels.in.apple.maps/
Can't help but wonder if Apple's only had a "ground lies" specialist up till now? Or maybe a only a "good enough for the Aussies" maps specialist?
Location: California
Could have something to do with it
Haha true that. I live in a suburban city that has a population size of about 250K people. The data is still lacking compared to Google (as in low resolution and non satellite images not showing buildings).
This isn't a game of Solitaire but an essential app that people rely on and that needs to be accurate for it to be useful. There's no excuse for putting out a map (of all things) that is inaccurate or kind of wacky.
Wow, for the first time in months, I actually noticed some differences in Maps today.
You know how the regular map colour is a light tan and where malls, plazas, and other businesses are located is more of a yellowish tan? Well, in my city (Toronto), I've begun to notice an expansion of that yellowish tan colour. I've come across a number of examples where beforehand, the POIs were just sitting on the light tan colour, but now, they are within yellowish tan rectangles. This indicates that Apple is doing a better job of indicating commercial districts. On top of that, I've also noticed a few more POIs.
It's not a huge improvement by any means, but after not having seen anything change for months, seeing actual changes in the Maps app is a good sign.
Edit: Also, in addition to more yellow-zoned areas, I've noticed a lot more green-zoned areas, including golf courses. I don't remember ever seeing golf course before. They even have a little POI icon, which I believe is new.
Edit #2: Unless I've been blind the past 5 months, I'm noticing a few other new POI icons, as well. I came across a red and white tooth icon for dental offices, a blue and white bus icon at certain intersections, and a blue and white "P" for parking. I don't remember ever having seen those before.
You know how the regular map colour is a light tan and where malls, plazas, and other businesses are located is more of a yellowish tan? Well, in my city (Toronto), I've begun to notice an expansion of that yellowish tan colour. I've come across a number of examples where beforehand, the POIs were just sitting on the light tan colour, but now, they are within yellowish tan rectangles. This indicates that Apple is doing a better job of indicating commercial districts. On top of that, I've also noticed a few more POIs.
It's not a huge improvement by any means, but after not having seen anything change for months, seeing actual changes in the Maps app is a good sign.
Edit: Also, in addition to more yellow-zoned areas, I've noticed a lot more green-zoned areas, including golf courses. I don't remember ever seeing golf course before. They even have a little POI icon, which I believe is new.
Edit #2: Unless I've been blind the past 5 months, I'm noticing a few other new POI icons, as well. I came across a red and white tooth icon for dental offices, a blue and white bus icon at certain intersections, and a blue and white "P" for parking. I don't remember ever having seen those before.
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Apple Maps told me to park on a tollway and walk to my destination
I didn't really get all the people criticizing apple maps - it worked perfectly for me until today.
I was driving to ABT store in Glenview, going north on i294. The address i typed to my iPhone/apple maps = "1200 Milwaukee ave, Glenview IL". As I'm getting closer to my destination, my iPhone tells me that in 0.5 miles I should park my car on i294 and walk to my destination.
At first I thought I didn't hear it right, but then the same message came up again - I've reached the destination, park the car (on the tollway) and walk.
I could see the ABT store - so I guess Apple got me to the right place....
I didn't really get all the people criticizing apple maps - it worked perfectly for me until today.
I was driving to ABT store in Glenview, going north on i294. The address i typed to my iPhone/apple maps = "1200 Milwaukee ave, Glenview IL". As I'm getting closer to my destination, my iPhone tells me that in 0.5 miles I should park my car on i294 and walk to my destination.
At first I thought I didn't hear it right, but then the same message came up again - I've reached the destination, park the car (on the tollway) and walk.
I could see the ABT store - so I guess Apple got me to the right place....
Yes, just noticed that. Looks a lot better (which wasn't difficult really). They need to update the data as some of it is quite old (Port Mann bridge is only half complete in this map).
Still don't know how useful the 3d stuff is. Can't say I'd ever use it, whereas I use goggles streetview all the time.
Each to their own I guess..nice to have choices
Speaking of 3D, here's a rather strange piece of information:
I was browsing Nokia's recently updated Here maps, and they also include 3D functionality. Well, in Toronto, I noticed that the 3D coverage is far more extensive with Nokia Here than it is with Apple Maps. It covers a much larger portion of the city.
Why is that strange? It's strange because Nokia's 3D functionality comes directly from C3 Technologies, a company that Apple owns. Nokia had a licensing deal with the company, and when Apple bought C3, the deal continued.
The point is that Nokia has functionality from an Apple-owned company before Apple products have this functionality. That leads me to believe that Apple has all sorts of Maps updates they they could have already pushed out, but are holding onto because they want to unleash them together as one major upgrade with iOS 7.
I was browsing Nokia's recently updated Here maps, and they also include 3D functionality. Well, in Toronto, I noticed that the 3D coverage is far more extensive with Nokia Here than it is with Apple Maps. It covers a much larger portion of the city.
Why is that strange? It's strange because Nokia's 3D functionality comes directly from C3 Technologies, a company that Apple owns. Nokia had a licensing deal with the company, and when Apple bought C3, the deal continued.
The point is that Nokia has functionality from an Apple-owned company before Apple products have this functionality. That leads me to believe that Apple has all sorts of Maps updates they they could have already pushed out, but are holding onto because they want to unleash them together as one major upgrade with iOS 7.
That's a pretty big assumption.
Nokia maps were out way before Apple bought C3 and many cities were offered before Apple maps had them. Most likely, what you are seeing are portions that are not up to date or have been scrubbed by Apple for release.
Great, so 3GS and iPhone 4 users will not get the updated Maps from iOS 7 since the devices will no longer support Apple's new updates?
I think they release updated mapping data over-the-air. I don't think iOS software patches are required to see new mapping data that Apple has pushed out.