Even worse, Google hasn't updated its other iOS apps. So they still point to maps.google.com via Safari, instead of using their brand new API to point to Google Maps app.
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Google Maps for iOS Downloaded More than 10 Million Times
- Thread starter MacRumors
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What is great about google maps?
I used a 3gs when the original google maps was around and it was... OK. When I got my iPhone 5, I seriously did not miss the old maps. Now google maps is back. Well, this is what I have noticed when I had asked for directions from the city (Adelaide, South Australia) to my home about 10 kilometres out.
1) Apple gave me the direct route (correct) Google actually didn't.
2) Siri sounds excellent, Google maps sounds like a peg around her nose. Also, google's pronunciation is way off.
3) When turning, or following a road that curves, Apple maps smoothly rotates, googles is very jagged.
4) Google asked me to make a turn at a street where a right turn is prohibited. Apple did not.
5) Apple maps show the road islands, and places where u-turns are possible, googles didn't. (And I don't know for sure, but with no setting changes, I can see gas stations on the apple maps not on the google maps).
6) Apples does look nicer although I do believe street names are easier to see on the Google maps version.
7) It is far easier to go to a friends house or search for a saved contact on Apples version than the google version.
8) Siri integration is so much better while actually driving.
8) Apple, at first shot, got a lot of things right (NO NOT PERFECT AT ALL). Google, After how many years? More than ten, google maps is JUST ok.
Yes my thoughts, but it feels like so many ppl complained about crap (sometimes very justified), but they don't bash google for having around 10 years head time and not perfecting it or beating apples version straight out.
I used a 3gs when the original google maps was around and it was... OK. When I got my iPhone 5, I seriously did not miss the old maps. Now google maps is back. Well, this is what I have noticed when I had asked for directions from the city (Adelaide, South Australia) to my home about 10 kilometres out.
1) Apple gave me the direct route (correct) Google actually didn't.
2) Siri sounds excellent, Google maps sounds like a peg around her nose. Also, google's pronunciation is way off.
3) When turning, or following a road that curves, Apple maps smoothly rotates, googles is very jagged.
4) Google asked me to make a turn at a street where a right turn is prohibited. Apple did not.
5) Apple maps show the road islands, and places where u-turns are possible, googles didn't. (And I don't know for sure, but with no setting changes, I can see gas stations on the apple maps not on the google maps).
6) Apples does look nicer although I do believe street names are easier to see on the Google maps version.
7) It is far easier to go to a friends house or search for a saved contact on Apples version than the google version.
8) Siri integration is so much better while actually driving.
8) Apple, at first shot, got a lot of things right (NO NOT PERFECT AT ALL). Google, After how many years? More than ten, google maps is JUST ok.
Yes my thoughts, but it feels like so many ppl complained about crap (sometimes very justified), but they don't bash google for having around 10 years head time and not perfecting it or beating apples version straight out.
Could also have tapped on the "30 min (20 mi)" at the bottom of the screen next to the "Start" button, before hitting start. Gives a better view, first in words, then in maps if you tap on any part of the list. Can't get the words with that tiny arrow.
I get it, but...
I know for people who travel a lot this map thing is a big deal (and I was also disappointed in how crappy Maps is in iOS6). HOWEVER, for people who have a Nav system in their car, which I do, I find this map hysteria way over blown. I have had an iPhone since 3G and even when I traveling, I have needed to use Maps on very rare occasions.
Also, as always, beware that Google is tracking you when you use their map app. (If your care.)
And yes, I did download the new Google Map app just in case I ever need it. It is free after all.
I know for people who travel a lot this map thing is a big deal (and I was also disappointed in how crappy Maps is in iOS6). HOWEVER, for people who have a Nav system in their car, which I do, I find this map hysteria way over blown. I have had an iPhone since 3G and even when I traveling, I have needed to use Maps on very rare occasions.
Also, as always, beware that Google is tracking you when you use their map app. (If your care.)
And yes, I did download the new Google Map app just in case I ever need it. It is free after all.
well yeah, I have never heard of a convenience store in the middle of a housing development, and if it was, it would exactly be convenient to anyone besides the people living in the housing development. And you should have realized as soon as you searched for the mapping app it was in a housing development not when you made your last turn, Neighborhood streets are a lot different than business areas, its pretty damn obvious that maybe you should try a different convenience store.
The problem here is people rely WAY too much on technology, its called common sense, something people seem to have lost since smart phones were released.
Irock619
macrumors 68000
whooleytoo
macrumors 604
Plus those who haven't upgraded any of their devices to iOS 6 (like me) are still happily using the old Google Maps. The fact that I haven't downloaded the new Google Maps isn't in any way a negative for Google or a positive for Apple.
So because Apple maps works better in my area than google maps, that means Im a fanboy and not just someone with facts? 🙄
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Ok then, so if 10 million downloads of a free app are a success, then even though people are touting IOS6 as a failure due to the maps app, 100 million downloads of IOS6 must mean it is a success and all these people complaining about apple maps are wrong. 🙄
I think I remember reading that apple tried for over a year to come to a compromise with google, and google flat out refused, and its not like it was difficult for google to put the features in, when IOS6 came out, google said they were not working on a maps app for IOS6, and then they magically have one after apple maps gets bad press? google is just trying to take advantage of the situation.
Yes. Please. let's distort reality to make Google look like the (only) bad guy here.
Ridiculous to compare it to the last iOS update (which includes all iOS devices, including iPads) considering there is no iPad version of this app yet. C'mon MacRumors..
I never said anyone is the bad guy, I am merely trying to point out that Google is not the great hero in this case that everyone in this thread is making them out to be.
sure Apple maps is not perfect, but as people have pointed out, its been out for how long? 2 months? google maps has been around for how long? 10+ years? Lets all complain about the new service errors and forget about the errors still present in the 10 year old service
my point is, neither is perfect in every area, and number of downloads is a skewed method of determining success - in any case even for apple products. I also thinks sales figures are a skewed method of success because these never take in to account returns.
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No im calling him a retard for not having common sense and blindly following technology and expecting it to be perfect in every situation every time, when no technology is perfect because it is programmed by imperfect human beings and relies on map data from imperfect human beings in a constantly changing world.
before technology, we relied on other people, and if I asked a random stranger for directions, and he tried to tell me their was a convenience store in the middle of a housing development I would not use his directions, the same goes for any technology I use.
Yes the software made a mistake, but that does nto explain his lack of common sense.
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I still am yet to read one good thing in this thread about the new Google maps other than "it is not Apple Maps", which is probably what most of the 20,000 reviews say...
whooleytoo
macrumors 604
People understand a new service will take time to perfect, particularly one with such a massive data set as a global maps app.
The reason Apple is getting such flak is because we already had a fine, working maps app which - for political/business reasons - was replaced with an inferior service. People don't expect a backwards step in quality, particularly when it was unnecessary.
...says the guy who probably has never developed an app (for free or for a fee) in his life. You realize that Google's "free candy" is a result of years and years of refining their mapping technology and probably a few months of working very quickly to create a new iOS map app, right? I wonder where you were 8 or so years ago when maps.google.com was just released to the world. Did you use it and think "bah... this free candy is crap and represents a total failure" or did you think "hot darn, this is pretty neat.".
LagunaSol
macrumors 601
Also for iOS. How much do we pay for iOS. Oh yeah - that's right nothing.
I'll also add that just because something is free doesn't mean it's not better. I can think of a lot of free apps that are better than paid ones.
izyreal
macrumors regular
It can only be defined as a Google win if you choose just the right timeframe to look at. If you look at only the timeframe you have chosen, after Apple dropped Google, then yes, Google has a win. It is impressive for any app to get 10 million downloads in 48 hours. But include instead a year before Apple dropped Google, Google had their maps installed on 100% of iPhones! Apple played hardball and replaced Google (drops google to 0% of iPhones). Now Google has released an app with everything that Apple wanted in the first place and the result is that it is installed on 10% of iPhones.
End result:
Apple
-Has their own maps app that they can control and update as they see fit.
-Has a world-class Google maps app available for iOS users
-Has 90% smaller market share on iOS (yes, I know that this will increase. But it will never again be 100%)
-Has to compete with Apple, and every other app maker, for users
iOS Users
-Have a choice about which map app to use
---
To me it is pretty clear that Apple and their users won this battle. 🙂
Renzatic
Suspended
That's some stretched logic right there. No matter how you cut it, how you spin it, how you frame it, how you dismiss it, you just can't get around the simple fact that 10 million downloads in two days is rather impressive.
I think the biggest problem is there was absolutely no compromising on either side. Google wanted their brand on their own data, and Apple wanted complete control of their own map app. If there were a compromise, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now.
You CAN'T beat Street View...just can't Apple. I love Apple products, but 3D mapping is cool but not practical as street view.
Amen
Amen
paulsalter
macrumors 68000
All depends on what percentage of iOS users use Maps
IF 100% used google maps before iOS6 then I agree
The users won. I don't think Apple really won at this juncture in time. Yes - they have their own mapping solution. But that's garnered a heap of bad press. I don't see that as a win right now. Long term - TBD but most likely so.
Google creating an app is a win for customers. I wouldn't put that in Apple's "category." Is a win for Apple's customers a win for Apple? Debatable. I could argue either way.
Ultimately - you can only look at the reality and present. Google had 0% and now they have 10M as an install base. Did they have 100% in the past. Sure - but that was no longer a reality. Was never going to continue to be a reality.
I totally get what you are saying though - so don't think I don't.
KnightWRX
macrumors Pentium
I think you're just making stuff up. Google offered Apple the possibility of using the new features like turn-by-turn and vector maps, at the cost of branding and implementing Google Lattitude.
Apple refused those terms and rewrote the Maps backend to use their own brand new (and flawed) infrastructure. The Maps app on iOS has always been an app made by Apple, it just used Google data prior to iOS 6.
Google made a front-end to match with their backend data and released it recently. They also released an API for developers wanting to revert back to Google data for their Map enabled apps (MapKit uses Apple maps, so if you have a Mapkit app, you instantly got switched with iOS 6).
It helps to get the facts straight.