Apple Maps or Google Maps: Few months later

Easy... Google maps by a mile. Just wish Apple would allow us to select google as a presence instead of defaulting to their ******* app.

I often ask is Apple locking things out due to "security" or their paranoia that we will drop their stock apps for alternative apps that we like better. Lets just drop the hole if you don't like Apple get another phone. Well that's a BS answer and those who say it know it but won't admit it.

Bottom line is I got an iPhone/iPad because I wanted it, but that doesn't mean I should be forced into less quality apps just because Apple and iOS won't let me. They need to loosen their grip and maybe they will realize forcing someone isn't the right way. But hey what do I know I only buy what works for me and if iOS doesn't work for me I will buy something else until it doesn't work for me.

Google Maps has turn-by-turn voice navigation, which Apple Maps does not do on my iPhone 4. The downside is that it has a bad/laggy interface and won't integrate with the OS that well (not Google's fault). I'm grateful for the option to use this because the voice navigation is better than any other app's navigation and free

iOS Maps app is a LOT cleaner than Google Maps. It integrates nicely with the OS, hardly lags, and has a better interface. The Apple mapping data seems fine, so I don't know what the big deal is about it. The only problem I've seen so far is a school name being off, but I've experienced problems with Google Maps too. The downside is the lack of voice navigation. So I use it whenever I don't need the voice navigation.

There needs to be a "both" option. I use them in equal amounts.

drew0020 said:

Easy... Google maps by a mile. Just wish Apple would allow us to select google as a presence instead of defaulting to their ******* app.

Click to expand...

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416321,00.asp

temna said:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416321,00.asp

Click to expand...

These stupid articles are never good reasoning in an argument. It's like what that troll Lilo777 does: iOS is less secure because LOOK AT THIS ARTICLE! *Article says that iOS is prone to malware because a high percentage of apps get contact and location info.*

I use Google Maps. I prefer the turn-by-turn UI of Apple Maps... I wish I could use the UI of Apple Maps turn-by-turn with Google's data.

I tried both in one day: Apple maps to my destination, and Google maps back (always used google maps before ios6).

The test time may have been short, (about 45 mins each way) but I found Apple maps gave me a better route, the app was easier to navigate and choose my route, and it drained less battery. Google maps did have more options to set up the route though.

However, apart from navigation, I think I prefer google maps for just finding stuff on a map (probably more used to the symbols etc).

Google maps provides turn by turn for my iPhone 4.

Apple Maps offers up my usual route to work (a huge shortcut that never has any traffic) as an option. Not that I need it, but it's a huge shortcut on a fairly main road that saves me more than 25 minutes of travel time and about 2 miles of distance as well.

Google maps doesn't even know said road exists apparently. Won't suggest it when I tested it (old native app, as well as new app).

My thinking is that if Apple knows that route, while Google doesn't, then where else do similar things occur?

Also, I've never been led astray by Apple Maps yet, and I prefer the interface by quite a bit.

So I guess my Vote is with Apple.

sviato said:

I tried both in one day: Apple maps to my destination, and Google maps back (always used google maps before ios6).

The test time may have been short, (about 45 mins each way) but I found Apple maps gave me a better route, the app was easier to navigate and choose my route, and it drained less battery. Google maps did have more options to set up the route though.

However, apart from navigation, I think I prefer google maps for just finding stuff on a map (probably more used to the symbols etc).

Click to expand...

Not sure doing one each way is a fair test. It may have given you different routes based on traffic data at the time.

I prefer the "look" of the Apple Maps more.

Apple Maps. The only issues I have had using Apple Maps is the directions telling me to get off and get back on on this new section of limited access road that was completed in the last year. Every other direction I can think of has been spot on within reason.

Neither one is the awesomeness that my Magellan app is/was based on display. I really miss the speed limit showing on highways and my actual speed, elevation, etc. showing in some tiles on the screen. But since the app is 1.6GB and the address entry integrated with my contacts at an unbelievable rate of stupid -- It didn't recognize Street or Drive because they were St or Dr -- it got booted.

I also love Siri integration. A lot of times I need to figure out the fastest route from elsewhere back home. "Get directions to home." Works all the time. As someone else mentioned, I do wish there were a few UI improvements.

About the only thing that I really miss is night mode. The high contrast mode is OK, but it just makes everything bartastic orange, green, purple and black.

Apple maps is working fine for me, and it loads noticeably faster and updates faster, so I am currently favoring it. I have google maps downloaded as well, but haven't used it these few months.

sahni130 said:

Hello, everyone!

As you may have heard, or read the many threads about Apple maps, initially it wasn't the best. In my city, Atlanta, Apple Maps on many occasions directed me to places I had no intention of going towards. On one occasion, and I kid you not, I was directed towards a cemetery when I really was looking for coffee. So when Google released their app for iOS, I was jubilant. Since then, Google Maps has been my daily driver and I haven't looked back since. My favorite things about Google Maps are that it right off the bat shows me traffic information, I can avoid toll roads, and it has not let me down yet. However, now I hear that Apple Maps has definitely improved but yet I'm still hesitant to rely on it when I really need directions. I really like the fact that Apple Maps are definitely more pleasing to the eye and show directions even when the phone is locked, etc. So, what are your thoughts? Which app do you prefer and why?

Click to expand...

I too live in Atlanta, and apple maps is still pretty inaccurate a lot of the time. My major issue is with alternative routes. Google maps will offer up the alternative route I personally know by default. Apple maps does not even give it as an option, and if I head down that road it tells me to make a u-turn or reroutes me an even longer direction. Google maps is still superior as a navigation service. If you want looks and integration, go with apple maps......if you want to get where you need to, use google maps.

I am completely shocked how bad it is in a major city like Atlanta.

Apple Maps, since Day one it has been accurate for me, and works just like Google maps did, I really see no difference in my area or where I have used it.

sahni130 said:

Which app do you prefer and why?

Click to expand...

For what? For POI searches, Google Maps. I find its results more useful. For navigation, neither as I prefer having locally stored map data.

macMD said:

I often ask is Apple locking things out due to "security" or their paranoia that we will drop their stock apps for alternative apps that we like better. Lets just drop the hole if you don't like Apple get another phone. Well that's a BS answer and those who say it know it but won't admit it.

Bottom line is I got an iPhone/iPad because I wanted it, but that doesn't mean I should be forced into less quality apps just because Apple and iOS won't let me.

Click to expand...

Before you criticize others for providing BS arguments you should consider that Apple and IOS don't prevent you from using other apps otherwise you wouldn't even have Google Maps (and the countless other options) on IOS 6 in the first place. They may prevent you from designating non-stock apps as default but that's an entirely different matter from what you're stating.

macMD said:

They need to loosen their grip and maybe they will realize forcing someone isn't the right way. But hey what do I know I only buy what works for me and if iOS doesn't work for me I will buy something else until it doesn't work for me.

Click to expand...

You may not agree with Apple's design decisions but that doesn't make it BS. In many cases you can JB to overcome this but if you're unwilling to JB and not being able to specify default apps is a dealbreaker then the only realistic option to you is to switch platforms. You have to decide which is a priority to you and act accordingly. Apple's history doesn't indicate that they intend to change things so expecting such a change seems fairly pointless to me.

gmanist1000 said:

Not sure doing one each way is a fair test. It may have given you different routes based on traffic data at the time.

Click to expand...

Yeah I know which is why my test isn't very conclusive. Google maps did direct me through more small streets though with about 5-6 stop signs. Apple's went around that area on the main street.

OP, you're polling a very biased group. You might as well run another poll entitled: Windows or OS X? More than 90% of all PCs everywhere are running Windows but I bet that poll run here will imply that OS X is far more popular.

You're also asking a very subjective question and getting subjective answers. For every google maps putdown, there should be an equivalent for Apple maps. For example: "google maps didn't even know the shortcut road existed" is like hunting for rationale to support a preconceived argument (pro Apple maps). Does anyone think that there wouldn't be some roads that don't show in Apple maps? And if someone wanted to make the argument for Google, wouldn't those be cited in exactly the same way?

If you run a poll for extreme republican views among only republicans, you'll deduce mainstream support for those views. If you run a poll of extreme democratic views among only democrats, you'll deduce mainstream support of those views. Pick your topic: religion, politics, pop culture, beatles vs. stones, coke vs. pepsi, toilet paper rolling over the top or under, etc. Ask a group strongly biased one way and you get a biased answer.

Asking a very pro-Apple group a question about any Apple offering vs. any competitor offering is likely to get a biased answer.

Both are free apps. Download the one that doesn't come with the iDevice and thoroughly test them yourself. See which one works best for your own situation. You can't get much objective guidance from a biased pool.

In many ways Apple maps are still way behind. I was looking for a pharmacy here in Stockholm (Sweden) so I searched the map for "apotek" (swedish for pharmacy) and about half of the hits I got was irrelevant. One suggestion was a bar and two suggestions were headquarters for pharmaceutical companies. When I tried it on Google I got more hits close to me and all of them were pharmacies.

Google is naturally great at search and they seem to have more business listings. Apple needs to become quite a bit better at this to become a decent alternative. But I would still miss street view though.

None, I use my Garmin.

I tried both at first, but found Apple maps easier to use honestly. Google maps was still better at searching for a POI than Apple. But after the first month (probably after October) I got rid of Google maps and have been strictly Apple maps ever since. I haven't had any issues with directions although it doesn't seem to recognize construction that is currently ongoing on a major interstate through my town and a certain exit has been shut down for quite some time.

Going to back to searching, the one time I've had a problem with Apple maps was searching for a place that I knew where it was, I just didn't know the quickest way to get there. It didn't even pull it up in the search, even when I narrowed my view down to almost the individual block and could see the business (it was a local coffee shop) name on the map itself. I just tested it now to see if it was still doing it and it appears to have corrected itself.

Google Maps is better for looking for stores and such (by typing stuff like "barber shop"), while Apple Maps is better at navigation because the interface is less cluttered.

That said: when I try to find shops and companies, I use Google Maps. If I want to go somewhere then I use Apple's turn-by-turn solution (and not Google's).

I have an iPhone 4, so apple maps is out (no voice turn by turn). I mainly use Google maps and Waze.