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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,194
30,135



Apple's Maps has been the subject of a significant amount of criticism since its launch with iOS 6. Apple had replaced Google Maps data with their own map data which had comparably worse coverage, especially in international markets. There had been enough outcry that Apple CEO Tim Cook posted an open letter apologizing for Apple Maps. There had been hopes that the Apple Maps application would be improved with iOS 8 but internal politics were said to have delayed those plans.

applemaps.jpg
Still, Apple does seem to making efforts to improve their mapping data. In April, they started deploying notifications to let users know when problems had been fixed.

Meanwhile, some users have recently noticed a significant improvement in POI (points of interest) data in their local Apple Maps. A discussion thread in MacRumors forums reports one user's experience. heyyoudvd writes:
Over the past month, I've noticed a TON of changes. POI markers are being moved to their correct locations, names and information for POIs are being corrected, and tons of places are being added that simply weren't there before. I don't know if it's merely coincidence, but A LOT of these changes are the exact ones that I've been reporting to Apple.

And I've noticed this happening on a weekly cycle. It seems like every Friday, a whole bunch of new changes are implemented in my neighborhood. All week, nothing happens, but then when I check on Friday/Saturday, I see that many of the suggestions that I had made during the week were suddenly implemented into the map, and its POIs suddenly look a whole lot better.
The same user also posted to Reddit, where several others have confirmed the same improvements in data and quick turnaround time with corrections.

Apple has made number of mapping-related company acquisitions in the past year, including Broadmap, Hopstop, Locationary, and Embark, and it's likely those acquisitions will be bundled into a future Maps update.

Article Link: Users Noticing Significant Improvements in Apple Maps Data with Quick Corrections
 

Surreal

macrumors 6502a
Jun 18, 2004
515
30
I understand why people *wanted* Apple Maps to begin its public life as a perfectly formed service but I don't know why people *expected* as much. It is great that they are making clear strides and I expect that they will keep it up. I have had more problems with the service than I would like but I think it works pretty well overall.
 

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,362
5,794
I understand why people *wanted* Apple Maps to begin its public life as a perfectly formed service but I don't know why people *expected* as much. It is great that they are making clear strides and I expect that they will keep it up. I have had more problems with the service than I would like but I think it works pretty well overall.

the problem with a service like Apple Maps is trust. Once you get burned by it, you are going to stop using it and it takes a lot to get that trust back.

arn
 

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
Same thing there! Apple Maps have been working well here for a while but the few errors I would find and report would never seem to be corrected. But very recently it seems every Friday pretty much everything I report has been corrected. Looks like Apple has been preparing some type of system or something to handle error reports for Maps and finally rolling it out now. Loving how well it works so far.
 

flyingember

macrumors member
Feb 16, 2011
61
51
Google's data is still 100x better than Apple's. And we're talking the basics.

It's all because Google has a world class map editing system that anyone can signup and use.

Hopefully Apple will implement something like this.
 

dpfenninger

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2005
201
124
Still too inconsistent for me...sticking to Google Maps for now

I do like Apple Maps, but overall I still find Google Maps to be much more thorough and consistent.

A couple of examples...the elementary school four blocks from my house shows as a middle school, one that was closed down MANY years ago. I've submitted the correction at least four times, but Apple doesn't seem to have taken notice. Another example is a KFC that still shows up, even though it too has been closed for several years...and replaced by one about a mile away that does NOT show up.

I do hope that Apple continues to update and refine, although it seems like they still have a long way to go to come close to Google's offering.
 

MellowFuzz

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2013
337
638
I understand why people *wanted* Apple Maps to begin its public life as a perfectly formed service but I don't know why people *expected* as much. It is great that they are making clear strides and I expect that they will keep it up. I have had more problems with the service than I would like but I think it works pretty well overall.

I expected Apple had the money to buy Garmin.
 

bkends35

macrumors 6502a
Feb 24, 2013
941
422
USA
I've been on vacation in the northern part of the UK this week and let me tell you POI locating is TERRIBLE. It couldn't find my B&B and obviously google maps finds it perfectly. Directions are okay, navigation is excellent when compared to google maps. Apple maps are incredibly light on battery when compared to google while navigating which I like. Once Apple gets it's POI locating down I'll switch to it full time.
 

MellowFuzz

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2013
337
638
the problem with a service like Apple Maps is trust. Once you get burned by it, you are going to stop using it and it takes a lot to get that trust back.

arn

Like showing up to a time-pressured lunch one hour late because Apple Maps sent you six miles off your destination in heavy traffic.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,922
12,470
NC
Hooray! Apple finally fixed the listing for Walmart in my town.

Ever since Apple Maps was first released they showed 2 Walmarts: the correct one... and the address of some old factory.

I don't even know how Apple got that other wrong address. There's no document in the world that ever had a Walmart listed at that other address.

Where does Apple get their POI data? They could have checked the phone book to discover there was only one Walmart.

I'll still use Google Maps though. I can plan a trip on my desktop browser, star locations, and save addresses in my Gmail contacts. It works better for me.

YMMV (lol)
 

GuitarDTO

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2011
687
110
As soon as Apple maps was released, Google FINALLY magically was offering turn by turn on the iPhone. That move alone made Apple maps worth it for me. With that said, I've never had any problems with Apple maps either when I've used it, but I'm glad they are continuously improving it. I still use Google though.
 

gmanist1000

macrumors 68030
Sep 22, 2009
2,832
824
Still too many issues around my neck of the woods for me to use it. Still, I hope it improves someday.

Edit: Just checked some errors that had been there since iOS 6 - some of them are fixed. Good to see! Keep it coming, Apple.
 

PocketSand11

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2014
688
1
~/
It's always been good for me. Slightly better than Google Maps, in fact. It hasn't given me bad directions, but its search is bad, often forcing me to give an exact address to go somewhere that Google Maps can find just by a street name or POI name.

Google Maps tried to take me to the wrong destination 10 miles off a week ago in Yucca Valley, California, while Apple Maps gave me the correct location, and it also gave me wildly inaccurate ETAs in Los Angeles while Apple Maps gave pretty accurate ETAs. On the East Coast, I used both as testing and always got good directions from both (except that Google Maps misspelled a street name once). So I trust Apple Maps a little more.

Because the Google Maps app is also laggy, won't work with Siri (yet), seems to tell me to turn a little late, and requires like 5 buttons of confirmation to start navigation, I don't even have it on my phone anymore and rely on the stock iOS 7 Maps app.
 
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ATC

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2008
1,185
432
Canada
For those users who are seeing their error reports being implemented, how are they reporting them and are they all in the US?

I only ask because I'm in Canada and not a single error report that I've submitted has been implemented. I've reported each error via both the Apple Maps app itself and via TomTom MapShare site. Is there another error submission method that works that some of us don't know about?
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,778
2,026
Colorado Springs, CO
It's always been good for me. Slightly better than Google Maps, in fact. It hasn't given me bad directions, but its search is bad, often forcing me to give an exact address to go somewhere that Google Maps can find just by a street name or POI name.

Google Maps tried to take me to the wrong destination 10 miles off a week ago in Yucca Valley, California, while Apple Maps gave me the correct location, and it also gave me wildly inaccurate ETAs in Los Angeles while Apple Maps gave pretty accurate ETAs.
I've got to agree. Google Maps' POIs are still superior (better than anyone else) but Google Maps isn't perfect either. There are numerous POI's that I've had to correct and the one time a newer road was built Apple was quicker to add it than the almighty Google Maps by a few months.
 

duffman9000

macrumors 68020
Sep 7, 2003
2,327
8,044
Deep in the Depths of CA
It's always been good for me. Slightly better than Google Maps, in fact. It hasn't given me bad directions, but its search is bad, often forcing me to give an exact address to go somewhere that Google Maps can find just by a street name or POI name.

This. This. This. This is the absolute worse aspect of Apple Maps. Apple Maps is as stupid today as it was 2 years ago.
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,778
2,026
Colorado Springs, CO
This. This. This. This is the absolute worse aspect of Apple Maps. Apple Maps is as stupid today as it was 2 years ago.
It's that reason and also that the UI is too bleached for me to use. I LOVED the look in iOS 6, it was super smooth and easy to read. Plus getting started couldn't be easier. Google really needs to fix that last one and add custom routing (I want to drag my finger to choose a route darn it!).
 

dannyyankou

macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
12,900
27,646
Westchester, NY
Users Noticing Significant Improvements in Apple Maps Data with Quick Correct...

Update: It appears the issue has been fixed! Thank you apple for listening
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Apple maps still has a while to go. An example is that saw a concert earlier this month at the PNC Bank Arts Center (a pretty well known amphitheater) and I wanted directions to the venue. While Google Maps pulled it up right away, Apple Maps didn't recognize the name of it at all.

Edit: And I reported this several times a few months ago.

uny3eput.jpg

gura2yhy.jpg
 
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Lancer

macrumors 68020
Jul 22, 2002
2,217
147
Australia
One thing I'm noticed recently is Apple Maps is actually more up-to-date in my area (outside the US) than Google, not only for navigation but also the aerial/satellite images.

But both are not perfect. I would hope Apple could do what Google is planing and have its own satellites to keep images and information updated in real time.

Also I've noticed it appears Apple uses the same map data as my Garmin GPS in the car.

The biggest thing missing from Apple Maps is street view, one of the reasons I still use Google Maps most of the time.
 
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