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Original poster
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Apple is preparing to significantly improve its Maps application in iOS 8, claims a report in 9to5Mac. Apple will slow its work on UI changes and focus instead on improving the underlying infrastructure that powers the application. These data-level changes will make Maps more informative and reliable for iOS users.
The new application will also be injected with new points of interests and new labels to make places such as airports, parks, train stations, bus stops, highways, and freeways easier to find, the sources added. Sources also say that the mapping application's cartography design has been tweaked to be slightly cleaner and to make streets more visible.
Public transit is another major area that Apple will bring to the iOS 8 version of Maps, tapping into the engineering talent the company has acquired from mapping companies such as HopStop and Embark. The new Maps app likely will allow users to find train, subway and bus information in major U.S. and international cities. These public transit options will be embedded in the maps themselves and in the Directions panel, where they will show up in a new tab next to "Driving" and "Walking."

ios_8_maps_transit.jpg
Mockup of iOS 8's transit features
These changes are only the beginning of Apple's proposed plans for its Maps application, as the company is reportedly also working to add indoor mapping views, improved car integration, and augmented reality features in the future.

Apple switched away from a Google-powered mapping solution in 2012 when it introduced its own Maps application alongside iOS 6. Apple's Maps faced extensive criticism at launch when a series of high-profile incidents highlighted embarrassing inaccuracies in mapping data and missing features like street view and transit directions that were available in its competitors' products. Apple CEO Tim Cook even issued a personal apology to iOS owners, promising to improve the app until it lives up to Apple's "incredibly high standard."


Article Link: Apple Maps to Include Transit Directions, Improved Points of Interest Data in iOS 8
 

Nimrad

macrumors 6502
Jul 28, 2010
398
1,437
This "failure" will probably ensure that Apple Maps for iOS 8 will be better than it ever could have been if they did OK from the start.
 

RubenTheys

macrumors member
Feb 16, 2010
44
5
Good to hear they're working on POI.

In my experience, Apple Maps is a solid product from the moment you've got the exact address of your destination. Too often I can't find my destination by just searching the name, while Google has no problems whatsoever.

Other than that, Apple maps is a great navigation tool :)
 

Puponautas

macrumors newbie
Mar 10, 2014
14
0
I wish they would improve their maps not only for USA. Because in Europe, especially small countries, address search is horrible. 90% of time gives wrong results while map data is +- fine... :/
 

smithrh

macrumors 68030
Feb 28, 2009
2,722
1,730
I'm liking the contrast improvements in iOS 7.1, hopefully this comes to Maps as well, since currently they can be a *itch to read.

What *looks* good isn't always what works...
 

ng-design

macrumors member
Jul 18, 2011
47
18
Nashville
Last night I typed in "Hollywood" while trying to find a map in Los Angeles, and of course Apple Maps took me to Hollywood, FL instead by default.

Is that a first-world problem? Absolutely. But it's little quirks like that which still make it feel like a completely counter-intuitive app. So I hope it does continue to improve.

Edit: I also gave Apple Maps a try while vacationing in San Francisco. I typed in "Golden Gate Bridge" and it gave me directions to a diner. C'mon Apple. You prominently show the GGB in the background of your page for CarPlay, yet can't even take people to it when they type it in?
 

Zxxv

macrumors 68040
Nov 13, 2011
3,558
1,104
UK
Apple will slow its work on UI changes and focus instead on improving the underlying infrastructure that powers the application.

oh great. Leave it looking like **** half finished and move on. All that money for what??? :(
 

827538

Cancelled
Jul 3, 2013
2,322
2,833
I agree with the above poster. Maps works great when you have the location and I use it when I'm driving somewhere I've not been before. But when trying to initially find the location you want to go it's a nightmare here in Europe. But aside from that I have no problems with maps, I just wish it felt 'smart' like when using Google maps where it always seems to know the place you want.
 

twochoicestom

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2008
40
22
In the UK, right now. The business listings are absolutely APPALING for Apple Maps.

It's a deal breaker for me. They need to have the same coverage as Google for it to work out!
 

luckydcxx

macrumors 65816
Jun 13, 2013
1,158
419
They need to color the roads like google maps for traffic conditions, it's too hard to see the dots.

Also I want to be able to zoom out when I am in a route, I can't believe that apple maps won't let you do that.
 

Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
LOL, the fallacy of updating apps that are tied to the OS only once a year. This is why Apple is STILL behind and why people use alternative apps.
 

NMBob

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2007
1,900
2,413
New Mexico
The Apple maps slogan should be "Life is a journey, not a destination". :p

I hate it when people create a whole post just to say things like "downloading now...", or "got it!", but I just had to create one to say

Great slogan!!

You really should send that to Apple. How can they not love it?
 

carfac

macrumors 65816
Feb 18, 2006
1,241
29
I still find this app unusable. Besides the base data STILL having massive errors, it is just not user friendly in interface. Why dont they bother fixing it before they start on something new?
 

dallardice

macrumors regular
Jan 29, 2008
235
99
In the UK, right now. The business listings are absolutely APPALING for Apple Maps.

It's a deal breaker for me. They need to have the same coverage as Google for it to work out!

Couldn't agree more. I've been telling Apple since the first beta of Apple Maps that there isn't a McDonalds at the end of my road (in London) and it's still there. I thought I would be a good cyber citizen and reported lots of changes in my neighbourhood (restaurants and shops that closed down in some cases YEARS ago) and very very few of the changes I submitted have been actioned. I've stopped bothering now...
 

bmunge

macrumors 6502
Mar 7, 2012
319
385
LOL, the fallacy of updating apps that are tied to the OS only once a year. This is why Apple is STILL behind and why people use alternative apps.

Because the Calendar App wasn't updated yesterday...
 

Kariya

macrumors 68000
Nov 3, 2010
1,820
10
Can't say I have much of a problem with Maps. In fact it's helped me out of lost situations that Google Maps got me into

And it's navigation looks better.
 

sualpine

macrumors 6502
May 13, 2013
497
513
I was hopping iOS 8 would be more exiting than one or two updates to maps....

This is an article because it's all they can talk about. Makes you think they have insider info but they don't. iOS 8 is sure to be far more than just the maps app.
 

NMBob

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2007
1,900
2,413
New Mexico
Dear Apple,

Please add electric vehicle charging points to maps.

Love, EV drivers

How do those "stations" work? Do you just, like, stick in your credit card and plug in like a regular gas pump, or what? I live in New Mexico. We ain't got that kinda stuff here. People kept ending up in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery. I have to do about a 180 mile roundtrip just to go to a decent movie theater. :)
 

827538

Cancelled
Jul 3, 2013
2,322
2,833
Couldn't agree more. I've been telling Apple since the first beta of Apple Maps that there isn't a McDonalds at the end of my road (in London) and it's still there. I thought I would be a good cyber citizen and reported lots of changes in my neighbourhood (restaurants and shops that closed down in some cases YEARS ago) and very very few of the changes I submitted have been actioned. I've stopped bothering now...

I spammed my uni location 3 times thinking hmm, I hope Apple will listen... Now we have three locations for my university all within 50m of each other :rolleyes:
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
Last night I typed in "Hollywood" while trying to find a map in Los Angeles, and of course Apple Maps took me to Hollywood, FL instead by default.

Is that a first-world problem? Absolutely. But it's little quirks like that which still make it feel like a completely counter-intuitive app. So I hope it does continue to improve.

Edit: I also gave Apple Maps a try while vacationing in San Francisco. I typed in "Golden Gate Bridge" and it gave me directions to a diner. C'mon Apple. You prominently show the GGB in the background of your page for CarPlay, yet can't even take people to it when they type it in?

I get similar results from Google Maps.
 

Puponautas

macrumors newbie
Mar 10, 2014
14
0
Couldn't agree more. I've been telling Apple since the first beta of Apple Maps that there isn't a McDonalds at the end of my road (in London) and it's still there. I thought I would be a good cyber citizen and reported lots of changes in my neighbourhood (restaurants and shops that closed down in some cases YEARS ago) and very very few of the changes I submitted have been actioned. I've stopped bothering now...

Report here http://www.tomtom.com/mapshare/tools/ Apple maps based on TomTom maps. I have reported via Apple maps 100 times and nothing. Reported via TomTom, they verified and after two weeks it was on Apple maps
 
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