Hidden 'City Tours' Flyover Feature for iOS 8 Maps Discovered in Beta 2

SuperRob said:

You're one of those, huh? Just because they have someone who is skilled at creating 3D imagery, and can invest time into making maps prettier, doesn't mean they also have a skill set that could be applied elsewhere, like database work, for example.

Yes, it's frustrating as an end-user to see "pointless" features like this getting attention when their backend data is still abysmal. But you can't usually shuffle people between different types of jobs, so adding more of one thing doesn't necessarily mean that another thing isn't getting done because of it. It just doesn't work that way.

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I'm not saying things like Flyover are why the mapping data is still poor. But new features like these are not trivial, they still take time and resources to design, implement, and test. If the Maps app team is sitting around waiting for new data, then they should be moved to other projects until that data is ready. Not glitzy features like flyover, but other projects that need more engineers.

And you can't say that Apple doesn't need to add more people in this case, because when Apple has to move engineers to from iOS to OS X, you know they have a staffing problem.

Also saying "you're one of those" makes you sound really stuck up. Give it a rest.

very cool....i'm going to enjoy this

...or how much of new map improvements would there even be at all..

With all the struggling going on with trying keep Maps ahead of the curve. i would bet a few more employees will 'kick the bucket' before any better improvements are added.

Someone at Apple must already be cracking up.

na1577 said:

I'm not saying things like Flyover are why the mapping data is still poor. But new features like these are not trivial, they still take time and resources to design, implement, and test. If the Maps app team is sitting around waiting for new data, then they should be moved to other projects until that data is ready. Not glitzy features like flyover, but other projects that need more engineers.

And you can't say that Apple doesn't need to add more people in this case, because when Apple has to move engineers to from iOS to OS X, you know they have a staffing problem.

Also saying "you're one of those" makes you sound really stuck up. Give it a rest.

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Actually, with all the 3D modelling data already in the system and the ability to view cities from aerial vantage points already in the app as well as the ability to create a manual flyover experience by means of your fingers on the touch screen, it's a fairly trivial programming exercise to automate it into a 'fly by'... All you need is a layer on top of the existing mapping app that feeds it simulated touch events according to a predetermined list of them. I can't imagine it took Apple very long at all to create this 'easter egg' feature.

But don't let this dose of reality get in the way of a good fan boy/hater argument!!!

cogitodexter said:

Actually, with all the 3D modelling data already in the system and the ability to view cities from aerial vantage points already in the app as well as the ability to create a manual flyover experience by means of your fingers on the touch screen, it's a fairly trivial programming exercise to automate it into a 'fly by'... All you need is a layer on top of the existing mapping app that feeds it simulated touch events according to a predetermined list of them. I can't imagine it took Apple very long at all to create this 'easter egg' feature.

But don't let this dose of reality get in the way of a good fan boy/hater argument!!!

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Your post was informative, but then you had to make it combative with your last sentence. Typical

Yes, this is a relatively simple feature but if one engineer spent even a day on it, that's a day that could've been spent elsewhere. And clearly it has taken more than a day because it's not even active in the current betas, it's hidden in an unfinished form.

It's just silly for Apple to be devoting any resources whatsoever that are unlikely to be touched by its millions of users. Apple doesn't really throw bloat at its users which is why its surprising when they add things like this. Does it hurt the user experience? No, not at all; it will delight the seven people that actually use it once in a while, while not harming the millions that ignore it. I just hope that adding fluff features like this doesn't become a trend for Apple like it is with Samsung, which has S-everything under the sun.

na1577 said:

but then you had to make it combative with your last sentence. Typical

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Aww.... I sorry!



(In my defence, I did have my tongue stuck firmly in my cheek!)

cogitodexter said:

Aww.... I sorry!



(In my defence, I did have my tongue stuck firmly in my cheek!)

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No worries, I have seen far worse on this forum.

I think it might have been released? Working on both Macs and my iPhone. Very neat stuff I have to say (but my internet connection is so bad it doesn't render properly).