Australian Police Warn Against Use of Apple Maps Due to Safety Concerns

[thekev]

Apple could have chosen to release maps once it was actually ready. Corrections are inevitable with something as complex as that. Releasing what should be a beta product at best is just asking for problems. On occasion I've had problems with Google maps too, so it's not like these things are perfect.

[Greg Priestley]

I'm in Australia and have noticed multiple towns being incorrectly located, and in fact just this weekend try to report a problem for one of the ones I found (Coolamon, NSW).

The options they give are completely unintuitive.

In the end I used "Search results are incorrect" and deleted the label for where they had it originally. And then selected "Location is missing" and re-added it back. There should be an option for saying - location is showing the wrong location.

I suspect when you are searching for a town name, rather than a specific address, that sometimes its showing the geographic centre of the local government area or something similar (electoral area, etc?)

[Not Bill Gates]

Originally Posted by 76ShovelHead

Crazy. I can't believe this app was ever released. You'd think they would have noticed all its flaws before they brought it to the public.

At least their not alone. Microsoft looks equally as stupid with Windows 8.

How so? Maps on Windows phone are quite fast and accurate and work perfectly without cell service or wifi.

[paulv1958]

Ha just go an email from apple re new apple store opening at fountain gate. Map location of store is 1KM away on a different street corner to where it will actually be.

Will be interesting if no one turns up for opening.

[csHokie]

Didn't feel like reading all 6 pages... Has anybody posted the, "Maps works just fine for me where I am."?

[2IS]

Originally Posted by csHokie

Didn't feel like reading all 6 pages... Has anybody posted the, "Maps works just fine for me where I am."?

Not sure, but we had a genius on here that said anyone who gets lost using Apple Maps is stupid and hoped they would "die off"

[Analog Kid]

Google Maps was hardly flawless when it first came online. Nor was Mapquest before it. I've heard plenty of stories about people throwing common sense to the wind and driving into rivers and what-not because their GPS told them to. My mom's house has been in the wrong place in Garmin's database forever. Just yesterday I lost half an hour because the GPS in my Toyota sent me on a wild goose chase through a major city. Some offramp must have moved and everything went pear shaped.

This does feel a bit like people piling on to Apple. Google knew this would happen, I'm sure, and I doubt that helped Apple's case in negotiating the future of Maps.

I find it remarkable how quickly people take enormously difficult tasks for granted. Being able to not only have a world-wide road map and tour guide up to date and available at all times, but being able to know where you are on it within seconds, and to have it give you directions and to your destination and warn you about traffic problems along the way. That is a very, very hard thing to do-- but we're used to it now, and apparently expect perfection in the first edition.

Shouldn't surprise me, I guess... We also got bored of going to the moon after just a few trips.

Kudos to Google for setting the bar, but I look forward to some alternatives.

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by twigman08

So even though Apple Maps does suck Google Maps did make mistakes every now and then. Though I will say I would much rather have Google Maps then Apple maps any day of the week right now.

Google maps was no better when it started and after some 7-8 years I still found major mistakes like roads that weren't real, directions telling me to go the wrong way down a one way street etc. and it was a bear to report issues

[haruhiko]

Originally Posted by Analog Kid

Google Maps was hardly flawless when it first came online. Nor was Mapquest before it. I've heard plenty of stories about people throwing common sense to the wind and driving into rivers and what-not because their GPS told them to. My mom's house has been in the wrong place in Garmin's database forever. Just yesterday I lost half an hour because the GPS in my Toyota sent me on a wild goose chase through a major city. Some offramp must have moved and everything went pear shaped.

This does feel a bit like people piling on to Apple. Google knew this would happen, I'm sure, and I doubt that helped Apple's case in negotiating the future of Maps.

I find it remarkable how quickly people take enormously difficult tasks for granted. Being able to not only have a world-wide road map and tour guide up to date and available at all times, but being able to know where you are on it within seconds, and to have it give you directions and to your destination and warn you about traffic problems along the way. That is a very, very hard thing to do-- but we're used to it now, and apparently expect perfection in the first edition.

Shouldn't surprise me, I guess... We also got bored of going to the moon after just a few trips.

Kudos to Google for setting the bar, but I look forward to some alternatives.

Because Apple REMOVED the choice for people to have Google maps on any iPhone with iOS 6 - Okay there is a web app but it's clear that it's not as good as the original map app.

If Apple maps is an optional download or even if Google Maps is an optional download all of us would have shut up. Nothing is perfect (and Apple Maps is very very far from "not so perfect", it's actually closer to unusable) at the beginning but we are all forced to be guinea pigs!

----------

Originally Posted by charlituna

Google maps was no better when it started and after some 7-8 years I still found major mistakes like roads that weren't real, directions telling me to go the wrong way down a one way street etc. and it was a bear to report issues

Unfortunately I don't live in 2005 anymore.

[Oletros]

This is really bad press

[deannnnn]

Apple Map shows Weston, Florida as about 20 miles away from where it actually is. I've reported it, but as with everything else I've reported, nothing has been done.

[macs4nw]

Originally Posted by skellener

Apple should really just stop. They have never delivered services well - and Maps is now one of the biggest embarrassments to date.

Whatever they are spending to do their own Maps - it still must have been cheaper to simply use Google's data. Even if Maps gets to the point that becomes usable, how long is Apple committed to the service? A few years? Five tops? Google is obviously in it for the long haul. Streetview? Where is it Apple? Do you think the Google self-driving car is simply for R&D??? Nope - eventually those autonomous cars will be all electric, driverless and will be grabbing updated Streetviews monthly if not weekly. Apple are you ready to compete on that level? I doubt it. Apple Maps will eventually go the way of Ping or Dot Mac and everyone will forget about it. It's just another poorly implemented Apple service that will see no follow through.

Apple, save some money, stop fighting Google and just work WITH them. The combination of Google data and services with Apple interface and design works so well. It's such a missed opportunity to make everything better. Stop fighting!

Whomever was ultimately responsible for releasing APPLE Maps, obviously severely underestimated the scope of the problem with the accuracy of a lot of the information, but I think it would be a mistake for APPLE to abandon Maps now. It may very well have been cheaper in the short term, but relying for such an essential service as Maps, on others, with whom they don't have the greatest of relationships, is strategically a bad move, imho. They must do everything they can, as soon as is realistically possible, to improve the accuracy of Maps, and learn from this mistake and move on.

[andycv]

As bad as this is for Apple, I hope it highlights once again the problem with location of country town labels in Victoria, Australia (and I assume elsewhere).

The search results for these towns do not direct people to the town:
Seymour, Swan Hill, Nhill (10km away), Apollo Bay and Queenscliff (2.5km away). Of course drivers can use common sense and road signs, but it would be nice to have the town labels in the correct position.

The only other gripe I've had with maps in Melbourne is that rather than labels showing the name of a suburb on the map, the name of the local councils are displayed (eg. Whitehorse, Manningham, Monash, Nillumbik, Banyule).

I have found it interesting though that even though I've submitted an error for these town labels many times, they have not been fixed, yet the reports that I have submitted for direction errors (one way streets/no right turns) have been fixed quite fast.

[haruhiko]

Originally Posted by macs4nw

Whomever was ultimately responsible for releasing APPLE Maps, obviously severely underestimated the scope of the problem with the accuracy of a lot of the information, but I think it would be a mistake for APPLE to abandon Maps now. It may very well have been cheaper in the short term, but relying for such an essential service as Maps, on others, with whom they don't have the greatest of relationships, is strategically a bad move, imho. They must do everything they can, as soon as is realistically possible, to improve the accuracy of Maps, and learn from this mistake and move on.

Ultimately responsible? It's Tim Cook.

[rc80]

Still not fixed! We need to put more pressure on Apple to get the mapping folks to fix the errors quickly or someone is bound to have a life threatening incident.

[rc80]

Also, I submitted errors in Apple Maps over 2 months ago and they still have not been fixed. Not so sure about Apple's commitment to improve their Maps if they can't listen and act on users' reports of errors.

[Huracan]

It is so sad. People are reporting map errors and nothing is being done to fix them. This is particularly bad as it can be a life threatening error. I reported a few map errors around me soon after IOS 6 came out and they haven't been fixed either. With Apple sitting on so many billions and with unemployment hovering around 8% you'd think they could hire a few hundred or thousand people to fix the maps. Good for the economy, good for us.

I didn't care too much that the maps had issues when they came out. However, a few months after, it is just callous the lack of interest on fixing things. It is enormously disappointing.

[MartiNZ]

Bring on the Google app. It's pretty hard going in NZ too, coastlines are still messed up for a start, and locations of things are generally wrong when they are found at all. One location it suggested in central Auckland, it actually reported as being in the UK!

[PsyOpWarlord]

I've found errors in about all mapping software at one point or another. I always keep at least three different navigation software installed just in case. I could never just blindly trust one.

[lostngone]

They are on a freak'in island how hard is it to get lost...

[ohm007]

hey I am currently Living in Australia. I have been using the Apple maps for a while, and I agree it is not that good. however when it comes to addresses and especially the slightly less popular locations, I advise the use of a full address if you are aware of the address you are going to, for example in the case of Mildura, VIC, if the search was Mildura, VIC 3500( which is the postal code of the area) it will take to the correct location. knowing the exact address is very helpful.

[MGCP]

I live in London, and had London showing in maps. Twice over the weekend I tried to use maps , the first to search a London address, the second a London restaurant. The first result took me to Maine, US as the first option, the second to a barely related result just outside of Toronto. I've given up trying to search for places now and am waiting for Google.

[KiwiAdventure]

Theirs not much I complain about with Apple products but their mapping is rubbish in New Zealand and I wish I could get Google maps back.

[erangaj]

Originally Posted by Analog Kid

Google Maps was hardly flawless when it first came online. Nor was Mapquest before it. I've heard plenty of stories about people throwing common sense to the wind and driving into rivers and what-not because their GPS told them to. My mom's house has been in the wrong place in Garmin's database forever. Just yesterday I lost half an hour because the GPS in my Toyota sent me on a wild goose chase through a major city. Some offramp must have moved and everything went pear shaped.

This does feel a bit like people piling on to Apple. Google knew this would happen, I'm sure, and I doubt that helped Apple's case in negotiating the future of Maps.

I find it remarkable how quickly people take enormously difficult tasks for granted. Being able to not only have a world-wide road map and tour guide up to date and available at all times, but being able to know where you are on it within seconds, and to have it give you directions and to your destination and warn you about traffic problems along the way. That is a very, very hard thing to do-- but we're used to it now, and apparently expect perfection in the first edition.

Shouldn't surprise me, I guess... We also got bored of going to the moon after just a few trips.

Kudos to Google for setting the bar, but I look forward to some alternatives.

Did Google recommend Google maps for serious day to day use or for turn by turn navigation in its early days. See http://www.apple.com/au/ios/maps/ Apple says "you want get lost with apple maps"!!

The point is IOS already had a good mapping app based on google maps. But Now it is DOWNGRADED to **** maps.

[skellener]

Originally Posted by macs4nw

Whomever was ultimately responsible for releasing APPLE Maps, obviously severely underestimated the scope of the problem with the accuracy of a lot of the information, but I think it would be a mistake for APPLE to abandon Maps now. It may very well have been cheaper in the short term, but relying for such an essential service as Maps, on others, with whom they don't have the greatest of relationships, is strategically a bad move, imho. They must do everything they can, as soon as is realistically possible, to improve the accuracy of Maps, and learn from this mistake and move on.

Why does Apple NEED to do it's own closed Maps app?

Steve Jobs of all people made a deal with Microsoft that basically buried the hatchet between the companies. MS continued to make Office for the Mac and both Apple and the Mac thrived. Sure Apple created their own suite of apps but they don't necessarily compete with the ones from MS. But they fill a niche for people who do not use or need Office.

Why can't this spirit of cooperation exist with other vendors and Apple? Why does Apple feel it must crush Google to win? That is a failed concept. It almost killed Apple before Steve came back.

What Apple needs to do is concentrate on what Apple does best. That is hardware, OSes and user experience. It should stay far, far away from services. Everything Apple delivers with their services is crap. It is NOT in Apple's DNA. They are terrible at it.

But, when they work together with other companies they can deliver some truly great user experiences. Let Google do the heavy lifting. Let them provide the data and services, but Apple can deliver the design and user experience. I don't know why the richest company on the planet can't afford work with another company to do this. They have the cash, they can afford to pay. So why not simply pay for the best? They are most likely spending more on Maps now than they ever did with Google and it is failing.

And as I stated earlier - how long is Apple committed to their Maps? A few years? Five at the most? They have never been committed to services. They drop them or simply let them wither and die off. Better to simply team up and work with Google. Everyone will benefit from cooperation.