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Apple Planning Transit Routing in iOS 9 Maps, Advances on Indoor Mapping Project

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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ios_8_maps_transit-250x221.jpg
Apple is planning to add a new Transit view to Maps in iOS 9 that features bus, subway, and train routing and directions, according to 9to5Mac. The much-rumored Apple Maps feature would bring native transit routing back to the iPhone for the first time since Apple ditched Google as the default mapping provider on iOS. The report also claims that Apple has made advancements on its indoor mapping project.
"Sources said last year that the transit functionality for Maps includes larger icons for users to more quickly spot airports, subway stations, and train stations within the Maps app. In addition to the main functionality, there is also a trip planning feature for transit, and a new Transit view alongside the existing Standard, Hybrid, and Satellite/Flyover views."
Click to expand...
Transit features in Apple Maps were originally expected to launch alongside iOS 8 last year, but were delayed due to personnel issues and data inconsistencies within Apple. The company has reportedly "refined the data, added new cities, and developed a new push notifications system" since that time, however, and the feature is now ready to be unveiled at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple has been actively expanding its in-house routing team over the past few years through multiple job openings. In late April, for example, the company put out a job listing for a "Maps Software Engineer" part of the Routing team, as reflected by at least one Apple employee's LinkedIn profile. "As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps," the job description reads.

Transit-Routing-Engineer-800x195.jpg
Apple has also been making progress on its indoor mapping project, which will enable iOS users to navigate major buildings, offices and landmarks. The company has been using autonomous robots with iBeacon sensors to collect indoor mapping data, starting at its offices in Cupertino, although the feature may not go live this year. The indoor mapping project is in conjunction with Apple's van-based street mapping data collection.

Article Link: Apple Planning Transit Routing in iOS 9 Maps, Advances on Indoor Mapping Project
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/21/ios-9-maps-transit-routing-indoor-mapping/
cmichaelb

cmichaelb

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,280
740
Italy
Well who didn't see this coming with Apple's acquisitions?

Since I travel a lot, this will be welcomed.
 
I

icanhazapple

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2009
578
1,246
hiring fail

how can you work at Apple and be dumb enough to post in your LinkedIn profile that you are working on unannounced features for a product.
 
The Barron

The Barron

macrumors 6502a
Mar 5, 2009
858
1,080
Central California Coast
This is good.

I'm using Apple Maps more & more for routing in cities I haven't traveled and the errors have been very few the past year.

This development is great news from a commuter standpoint when it comes to public transportation in our large cities. We always use public transit when we travel within a destination city and this will be a real assist.
 
2

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
3,327
3,015
I have liked the map app since the start regardless of the naysayers.

I look forward to the on-going improvements and continued deep integration with the rest of the iphone and now watch.
 
Mr Fusion

Mr Fusion

macrumors 6502a
May 7, 2007
841
1,061
Too Little Too Late

For most users these upgrades make little difference. When an app initially launches with such spectacular failure, it gets written off for good. The users of this site may give it a second chance, but that doesn't represent the outcome for the vast majority.

No matter what Apple does, they'll always be playing catch-up to Google. It's time they cut their losses and focused their already thin resources elsewhere.
 
R

redmac

macrumors regular
Apr 7, 2008
215
239
San Francisco
Mr Fusion said:
For most users these upgrades make little difference. When an app initially launches with such spectacular failure, it gets written off for good. The users of this site may give it a second chance, but that doesn't represent the outcome for the vast majority.

No matter what Apple does, they'll always be playing catch-up to Google. It's time they cut their losses and focused their already thin resources elsewhere.
Click to expand...

I guess you would prefer your personal information to be handed to Google.
 
R

robotfist

macrumors regular
Nov 7, 2007
134
235
The transit routing is a much need addition. Indoor mapping? I don't care much about that. I wish they'd focus more on making their exterior maps a lot more accurate and user friendly as opposed to adding extraneous interior features. I really dislike how you can't move around the iOS map while it is engaged in GPS navigation mode. Being only able to pull the map to the left or right slightly does not help much at all. And Google's system of swiping at the top to see your next turn is fantastic. I feel like Apple has closed the gap with their maps app but there are numerous user interface changes they need to implement to bring theirs up to par.
 
L

leftynaut

macrumors member
Nov 10, 2009
66
85
icanhazapple said:
how can you work at Apple and be dumb enough to post in your LinkedIn profile that you are working on unannounced features for a product.
Click to expand...

To be fair, she just directly quoted from the job posting, which was posted for the public at one time. Just like the article mentions... :rolleyes:

In late April, for example, the company put out a job listing for a "Maps Software Engineer" part of the Routing team. "As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps," the job description reads.
Click to expand...
 
d21mike

d21mike

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2007
3,320
356
Torrance, CA
Contacts Integration

I think the early Maps App you could select a Contact from within the Maps App to go to but I believe it was removed at some point. Now I have to go into Contacts first then select then Address which brings me into Maps. Am I missing something? You can search for a name but I don't think it searches my Contacts first. I normally want my Contact list to include most of the Addresses that I use Maps for. Obviously I do not use it much.
 
nfl46

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,374
8,832
Sweet! I'm looking forward to iOS 9. It seems to be shaping up nicely!
 
B

betabeta

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2013
880
160
This is certainly coming but all I want with maps update is something close to street level view. Those apple vans people spotted at least give me hope we might see a few cities.
 
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