Apple maps has had significant improvements over the past few months.
And I'm sure they'll get s lot better from here on out.
And I'm sure they'll get s lot better from here on out.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Key Maps Engineer Chris Blumenberg Leaving Apple for Uber
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'd hardly call it fowl play when they're urging regulators to enforce regulations (i.e to act as taxi drivers you have to be certified and cars insured as taxi's) that have existed a lot longer than Über has been in operation. As for the "public outcry", it's a media war where Über is trying to rally public support having lots of tech sites put up stores that intentionally leave out crucial facts.
The fact of the matter is that it's a taxi service no matter how much they try to dress it up as "ride sharing" by letting drivers pick up multiple customers at the same time and having orders managed trough an app. As such the drivers should have a taxi license and their cars should be insured as taxies, however this is not the case. The reality is that they're just regular Joe's who have passed a background check driving around in their personal cars.
If they're allowed a pass on regulations relating to Taxi's, why should those who are honest enough to actually call themselves taxi drivers have to follow the regulations?
We didn't have interactive turn by turn directions. We had turn by turn directions.
And, at the time, it was still the best UI. Apple improved on the bar it set with the new Apple Maps in terms of UI. But it was already the best option.
The improved UI just didn't have the data to back it.
Also, we don't actually know what Apple's motivations for making this change are. It could be data control, it could be UI advancements, it could be other business reasons. It could be a future roadmap we have no idea is coming.
Right *now*, the net result is a less accurate maps experience from Apple in terms of map data.
Scotland and Australia aren't first world countries? Your hyperbole is ridiculous.
Nope. Give it time. They can't be better than a 9 year old project in 2 years. Apple will have their maps just as good as Google's. Apple Maps have given me zero issues. I've found it to be a little more accurate than Google, even.
Umm, wrong again. Tell me exactly what the regulations regarding taxi driver licenses protect me from in regard to a ride sharing service? Fact is that taxi "regulation" has basically turned into a "good old boy" franchising system that does its best to control and eliminate upstart competition.
I've never actually used Uber, but I get the benefits of it every time I use a cab. The cab drivers in my city no longer get cranky at you when you get in a cab and want to go 6-8 blocks. Why? Because they know they have competition.
Are you serious? It's almost common knowledge that Apple's own maps is much inferior to Google's own map data. There's a ton of things I can search for in my own area that does not show up in Apple Maps but does on Google Maps. Apple simply doesn't have enough data to compete with Google, although in Apple's defence, their data has much improved since release and is continuing to improve with user input. The fact that Apple are now integrating their own maps to replace Google's own maps into their online Find My iPhone and other services is probably evidence to suggest that Apple are becoming more confident in their own maps data and reliability. It's only a matter of time before Apple's map data will be able to contest more seriously Google's mapping data, but at the moment it certainly hasn't happened yet and Apple still have a way to go, especially in regards to POI and traffic data.
Although you may have had more success with Apple Maps over Google's own, it does not take away the fact that the majority of people still find Google's own mapping data much more reliable over Apple's. You only need to search the Macrumors Forums to see a handful of the complaints of Apple Maps.
Btw, Scotland and Australia are first world countries.
I am serious. I think the difference here is I use maps for directions, you know like a map. You use it to see if the Caribou Coffee three steps from your house has been added as a POI.
And you forgot another result: One less way for Google to mine your personal data.
I won't quibble over data accuracy, given Google's 10 year head start. But I, personally have never had an issue on Apple's maps that I didn't also experience at one time or another using Google maps.
The sarcastic content of a statement will be dependent upon the context in which it appears. Might want to construct a less serious header if that was what you intended to convey. Or learn the definition of hyperbole.
then the year old project shouldnt have replaced a 9 year old one.
apple maps dosent even have directions where i live and i doubt they will ever do that useless flyover here.
apple maps will reach google maps about as fast as numbers closes in on excel
Actually the mistake was yours...to live and/or travel to Cleveland in the first place
I was traveling through Cleveland, I don't live there, which makes a working Apple maps that much more important, since I didn't know where I was going. I had to pull over, shut Apple Maps down, and fire up Google, which got me there with no issue.
I did too. That article really got my hopes up that I went in and re-submitted all two-doezen errors via the Maps app. Still nothing showing up as fixed in maps. I'm really looking forward to the day they get around to doing my file.
Scotland and Australia arent first world countries? Don't see what the user has to do with the map as it's the location in reality.
How am I wrong in pointing out that Über is running a taxi service without proper licenses or insurance? Taxi license and insurance fees don't go to the actual taxi companies and drivers, it goes to the regulating authority and it's an expense Über circumvents while their competition, actual taxi drivers, has to put up with. It basically gives them an edge and of course taxi drivers don't like having to pay all these fees to a third party when they don't.
The reason why it's unfair that they're using regular personal car use insurance is because taxi insurance is much more expensive. Taxi insurance is much more expensive because taxi's (on average) get a LOT more miles done and in areas with more traffic (most road accidents are between two moving cars) than regular personal use cars. Not only that, but with regular car insurance the insurance company can easily stiff you and not pay out after an accident if they realize you were actually
As for the Taxi certification, it's a certificate of that the person in question is competent as a taxi driver. Not only do they have to have proper knowledge of the area they're working in (GPS's are far from perfect even today), they have to have the skills to deal with accidents, difficult customers and various other things where what you're supposed to do isn't so obvious.
Pretty much anyone can start a taxi company and so could Über, but they don't as that would bring them in under the same kind of regulation as their competition and drive up costs as they'd have to pay for proper insurance and demand that drivers have a taxi license or acquire one for them.
If Über was a restaurant it would bypass health inspections and hire chefs that don't have the necessary health certifications (where I live you have to have a so-called "Hygiene Pass" to be able to work with food to ensure you don't have salmonella or something equally nasty).
This. Nokia is not in the handset business anymore, so it's not even a competitor of Apple.
Also they have worked with C3, which Apple acquired some years ago for their 3D mapping technology. Nokia's Here maps did have the exact same Flyover feature a few years before Apple, though it required a browser plugin.
Edit: Nokia also has street level 3D mapping technology which Apple Maps lacks.
Last edited:
If flyover is useless, why do you even care? Why shouldn't they replace a third party's software with their own? Especially a competitor making money off of their OS. I don't blame them a bit. Like I said, it's great in some areas, not so great in others. It can't improve if people don't use it and let them know where it lacks. Making Apple Maps default will greatly improve the speed that it improves.
I've gotten lost with Google Maps, but that was before Apple Maps even existed, so that's excusable. My mom got lost with it recently because, for some reason, it was 10 miles off trying to find an address. Because its app also lags and has a slightly glitchy navigator voice, I don't use Google Maps anymore except on my iPhone 4 that can't use Apple Maps navigation.
----------
Just download Google Maps if you want it.
----------
This is the more accurate statement.
For goodness sake, just buy Yelp! and Foursquare. Location problems fixed. Stop paying $3B for two people. Hell, buy Nokia. They have enough cash. Location is everything. Hard to believe Apple soiled the bed this badly. Although I've heard Google's restrictions with anyone using their maps is pretty draconian and crazily expensive.
Am I the only one that finds Apple's Maps to be fine?
Yes! When apple maps works, it works perfectly.
When it gets lost is very bad.
I'm always using it for directions, but just when I want to seriously rely on it, it screws up.
I have google maps on my phone as a backup for the times when maps does a bellyflop.