3d maps are cool but...

[Djs621]

After the initial wow factor I don't see how useful 3d maps will be in the long term. Probably just as useful as street view and satellite view are now. Useful, but for the average commuter it does not serve an important purpose.

What I don't get is why people aren't talking about the potential for turn by turn in the new maps. An Apple executed turn by turn feature would be a game changer. We know that Apple has been collecting anonymous traffic data since 2009 so it definitely would not be a rushed hack job. The current App store nav apps are good but the traffic aggregation still needs work. Plus Apple could integrate Siri into the mix making it really convenient and safe. Siri does a great job of locating businesses. It only makes sense that she would help you navigate to those businesses as well. The possibilities are endless.

The thought that an address link embedded into a website could now link me to a well executed turn by turn mode instead of the useless google maps app is really huge in my book.

 

[Cod3rror]

Actually a lot of people are talking about turn-by-turn navigation.

I'll be disappointed if Apple does not bring their own navigation, they are the only ones without a first party navigation solution, Android has Google Maps, Nokia has Nokia Maps, Apple has a Maps app that hasn't been given a good update since the first release.

3D, while it's a good addition, in practice and everyday usage it is not that important.

What really matters is 2D and the angled 2D(3D) that GPS apps have, various routing options, searching for various POIs, spoken directions, etc...

 

[gmikesell]

I've been using Navigon for the last 3 years or so and have totally loved it so don't feel a pressing need for Apple to integrate a 3D mapping system. Never the less, still excited to see what Apple brings to the table.

 

[Cod3rror]

I've been using Navigon for the last 3 years or so and have totally loved it so don't feel a pressing need for Apple to integrate a 3D mapping system. Never the less, still excited to see what Apple brings to the table.

The beauty of a first party navigation is integration.

Wouldn't it be great if somebody sent you an iMessage with a location and you could navigate there straight from the app? Instead of having to copy-paste GPS coordinates or an address into Navigon? Or use a third party jailbreak tweak(Navigate from Maps)?

Also many third party apps integrate iOS' Maps to show you a location, for example a cinema times app which shows you locations of cinemas around you on the map right inside of the app, it would be great if you could navigate straight from the app instead of having to resort to the above mentioned methods.

Also, third party GPS vendors are absolutely ripping people off with their prices! Apple bringing their own solution would be good for the consumers.

 

[gmikesell]

The beauty of a first party navigation is integration.

Wouldn't it be great if somebody sent you an iMessage with a location and you could navigate there straight from the app? Instead of having to copy-paste GPS coordinates or an address into Navigon? Or use a third party jailbreak tweak(Navigate from Maps)?

Also many third party apps integrate iOS' Maps to show you a location, for example a cinema times app which shows you locations of cinemas around you on the map right inside of the app, it would be great if you could navigate straight from the app instead of having to resort to the above mentioned methods.

Also, third party GPS vendors are absolutely ripping people off with their prices! Apple bringing their own solution would be good for the consumers.

Not sure what you mean about copy/pasting GPS coordinates into Navigon? It fully integrates with my contacts list or I can do POI searches via Google. Works like a charm. Not to mention, it stores my recents and favorites and the myriads of other features. I bought my Navigon app for $14 back in the day. Not sure what they are selling for now, though. Don't care to look.

Finally, Navigon maps are loaded directly on the phone and you can just select the specific states/regions you care about so you aren't maxing out memory. Hence, I don't lose my map data when I go into dead spaces. Very helpful when I used it to travel from Dallas, Tx to Denver, CO.

Not saying that Apple doesn't have a place for integrated 3D mapping. Just saying that I'm not particularly excited about it. With the upcoming announcement, Apple may probably have addressed some of these issues that I value in my Navigon app. One thing I'll be excited about though is the prospect of free map updates! That's the one thing I don't like about Navigon. It used to be that map updates were free but I think that changed when Garmin bought it.

Not intending to rain on anybody's parade. Just posting my perspective.

 

[OutSpoken]

Navigate from Maps has been a godsend. Still intrigued to see what Apple delivers, but if no turn by turn, I will simply stick with Navigate from Maps and TomTom.

 

[aztooh]

How exactly would it be a "game changer"? You really think it's (if it's even there) would be THAT much better than what's already out there? From companies who concentrate on mapping devices/apps as opposed to Apple who does a myriad of things? Really?

I have free turn by turn with Mapquest4mobile that works great. Have Waze too, but not a big fan of it. I'd really welcome turn by turn in their integrated maps, just to get rid of the other apps...but it's not even something I use much. I've traveled cross country a few times with nothing more than a road atlas, and these days if I don't know where I'm going, I just look at the map and see where I need to go instead of relying on a device to annoyingly tell me I need to turn in 100 ft, 50 ft and at the turn.

 

[b24pgg]

Probably just as useful as street view and satellite view are now. Useful, but for the average commuter it does not serve an important purpose.

This is patently false. Street view is ENORMOUSLY helpful. For example, I live in a major city and I use Street View to show me where street parking/tow zones/etc. are located near my destination. At the end of a Google Navigation route, a screen pops up on Street View that I can rotate around to see exactly where I'm supposed to be.

What I don't get is why people aren't talking about the potential for turn by turn in the new maps. An Apple executed turn by turn feature would be a game changer.

It wouldn't be a game changer. "Game changer" implies that it is something new. Android has had turn-by-turn voice navigation with real time traffic for almost 3 years. If Apple added this, it wouldn't be a game changer; it would be playing catch-up.

Apple could integrate Siri into the mix making it really convenient and safe. Siri does a great job of locating businesses. It only makes sense that she would help you navigate to those businesses as well. The possibilities are endless.

Again...catch up. Google Voice Actions has been doing this for three years.

The thought that an address link embedded into a website could now link me to a well executed turn by turn mode instead of the useless google maps app is really huge in my book.

Lol...just get an Android phone man. It already does all of this.

 

[lordofthereef]

This is patently false. Street view is ENORMOUSLY helpful. For example, I live in a major city and I use Street View to show me where street parking/tow zones/etc. are located near my destination. At the end of a Google Navigation route, a screen pops up on Street View that I can rotate around to see exactly where I'm supposed to be.

To be fair, he did say "for the average consumer". You stated that you use it frequently. That's cool. Does everyone? I think not, though I don't know for sure either way (and I suspect nobody here really does). At least not on iOS. I am willing to be a good number of iOS users don't even know how to get a street view or care about 3D maps.

It wouldn't be a game changer. "Game changer" implies that it is something new. Android has had turn-by-turn voice navigation with real time traffic for almost 3 years. If Apple added this, it wouldn't be a game changer; it would be playing catch-up.

It would be a game changer for Apple and likely cause more people do adopt the platform. It would provide immense value to the platform as well. It is where iOS is lacking the most currently (IMO).

Again...catch up. Google Voice Actions has been doing this for three years.

Same response as above

Lol...just get an Android phone man. It already does all of this.

Android does navigation VERY well. No doubt. I am going to go with the assumption that Navigation is not the only thing this user wants from a smartphone, hence he has stuck with iOS.

 

[Sedulous]

Actually a lot of people are talking about turn-by-turn navigation.

I'll be disappointed if Apple does not bring their own navigation, they are the only ones without a first party navigation solution, Android has Google Maps, Nokia has Nokia Maps, Apple has a Maps app that hasn't been given a good update since the first release.

3D, while it's a good addition, in practice and everyday usage it is not that important.

What really matters is 2D and the angled 2D(3D) that GPS apps have, various routing options, searching for various POIs, spoken directions, etc...

Who cares? We're getting Faceblab integration!!!11!

 

[Vegastouch]

To be fair, he did say "for the average consumer". You stated that you use it frequently. That's cool. Does everyone? I think not, though I don't know for sure either way (and I suspect nobody here really does). At least not on iOS. I am willing to be a good number of iOS users don't even know how to get a street view or care about 3D maps.

Id bet they do. I used street view on my iPhone 2G. Its been around for a while now and it is very helpful.

It would be a game changer for Apple

and likely cause more people do adopt the platform. It would provide immense value to the platform as well. It is where iOS is lacking the most currently (IMO).

What does that mean? LOL, all you hear in here is how Apple sets the standard and changes the game and they would just be copying Android here. Holy crap, we cant have that now can we? Though in here i bet it would be welcome. I keep forgetting it is a sham only if Samsung copies something

Apple is playing catchup in many areas now.

 

[Cod3rror]

Not sure what you mean about copy/pasting GPS coordinates into Navigon? It fully integrates with my contacts list or I can do POI searches via Google. Works like a charm. Not to mention, it stores my recents and favorites and the myriads of other features. I bought my Navigon app for €10 ($14) back in the day. Not sure what they are selling for now, though. Don't care to look.

Finally, Navigon maps are loaded directly on the phone and you can just select the specific states/regions you care about so you aren't maxing out memory. Hence, I don't lose my map data when I go into dead spaces. Very helpful when I used it to travel from Dallas, Tx to Denver, CO.

Not saying that Apple doesn't have a place for integrated 3D mapping. Just saying that I'm not particularly excited about it. With the upcoming announcement, Apple may probably have addressed some of these issues that I value in my Navigon app. One thing I'll be excited about though is the prospect of free map updates! That's the one thing I don't like about Navigon. It used to be that map updates were free but I think that changed when Garmin bought it.

Not intending to rain on anybody's parade. Just posting my perspective.

Let me give you another scenario, imagine you're planning to meet somebody you don't have in your contacts. They've got an iPhone but no Navigon, they send you a location through iMessage... how do you enter that location into Navigon? You either copy-paste the address piece by piece or you enter coordinates.

Would it be a game changer if Apple introduced turn-by-turn navigation? Well, that depends on how good it is. If it really is good, it could be a game changer for GPS companies and for Google too. If done well, it'd open up a whole new battlefield between Apple and Google, which is good for us, hell Google already went so far as to schedule a maps event right before the WWDC.

Finally, Navigon Europe is $80, you get GPS in Nokias and Android for free, on Nokia you can even pre-load maps for offline usage, so yea, it would be good if Apple had their own GPS.

Also consider this, if Apple starts using OpenStreetMap, it's going to contribute HUGE amounts of information to the open map project.

 

[lordofthereef]

Id bet they do. I used street view on my iPhone 2G. Its been around for a while now and it is very helpful.

You use it on your 2G. Well, that means most people know about it, right? Ask around. I bet people who are not enthusiasts, but just average users have no idea how to bring up street view. Pulling up street view on iOS is not at all intuitive. You virtually have to find it on accident or just KNOW it's there.

What does that mean? LOL, all you hear in here is how Apple sets the standard and changes the game and they would just be copying Android here. Holy crap, we cant have that now can we? Though in here i bet it would be welcome. I keep forgetting it is a sham only if Samsung copies something

Apple is playing catchup in many areas now.

It means exactly what I said. There is no cryptic meaning here. It will be game changing for the iOS platform and force all of those apps to either adapt... or become irrelevant. We will have something "for free" built into the OS that we essentially had to pay (extra) for before. I don't know why you bring up Apple copying Samsung as a direct repsonse to my quote though. You must not have seen me around before. I am the first person saying that 90% of this patent infringement stuff as garbage. That said, unless using 3D maps and pictures of your location are all patented, trademarked, and/or registered by Google, I am not sure there would be a whole lot of infringement going on here.

 

[b24pgg]

Finally, Navigon Europe is $80, you get GPS in Nokias and Android for free, on Nokia you can even pre-load maps for offline usage, so yea, it would be good if Apple had their own GPS.

You can do this with Google Navigation on Android too.

 

[Cod3rror]

You can do this with Google Navigation on Android too.

Can you load countries and continents? You can only pre-cache a route, that's it.

 

[lordofthereef]

Can you load countries and continents? You can only pre-cache a route, that's it.

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/07/offline-maps-and-transit-navigation-in.html

The above link shows a specific example of a person caching a map for a 10 mile radius. Whether this can be changed currently (the blog entry is a year old) or not I am not sure as I have never had a reason to try. Either way, it seems like it is more than just a cached route. How much more? That I cannot say.

 

[Cod3rror]

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/07/offline-maps-and-transit-navigation-in.html

The above link shows a specific example of a person caching a map for a 10 mile radius. Whether this can be changed currently (the blog entry is a year old) or not I am not sure as I have never had a reason to try. Either way, it seems like it is more than just a cached route. How much more? That I cannot say.

I drove 130 miles couple of days ago using TomTom and CoPilot, that 10 mile radius would've been useless.

I don't know exactly how Nokia, TomTom and others manage to cram countries into around 200-300MB, but Google should get in on that.

 

[lordofthereef]

I drove 130 miles couple of days ago using TomTom and CoPilot, that 10 mile radius would've been useless.

I don't know exactly how Nokia, TomTom and others manage to crap countries into around 200-300MB, but Google should get in on that.

Listen, I don't know if the restriction is still there. I was intrigued, did a search, and was more intrigued to see a 10 mile radius deal, which I hadn't seen before. Responding to your comment, you can do more than just cache routes, which is all I am saying. Google tends to pack more information into their map data in terms of what you see when you zoom in and out than do any competitor I have come across (Tom Tom, Navigon, Nokia, Garmin). Whether that warrants all the extra data in most cases, I really couldn't say.

 

[Vegastouch]

You use it on your 2G. Well, that means most people know about it, right? Ask around. I bet people who are not enthusiasts, but just average users have no idea how to bring up street view. Pulling up street view on iOS is not at all intuitive. You virtually have to find it on accident or just KNOW it's there.

Correction, i USED to use it on my 2G. I havent used the 2G for two years though i think ill fire her up today just to check out the old stuff from back then.

As far as some not knowing how to bring up street view, ..man i dont know. Then they must not ever use their Maps app because i dont see how you can miss it. Should be able to bring it up on accident if you just touch things that you dont get what they are.

It means exactly what I said. There is no cryptic meaning here. It will be game changing for the iOS platform and force all of those apps to either adapt... or become irrelevant. We will have something "for free" built into the OS that we essentially had to pay (extra) for before. I don't know why you bring up Apple copying Samsung as a direct repsonse to my quote though. You must not have seen me around before. I am the first person saying that 90% of this patent infringement stuff as garbage. That said, unless using 3D maps and pictures of your location are all patented, trademarked, and/or registered by Google, I am not sure there would be a whole lot of infringement going on here.

I wasnt singling you out and sorry if it appeared that way. I was speaking in general in the forum.

 

[DodgeV83]

I'm interested to see if they (or anyone else really) can come out with something that competes with the TomTom iPhone app. In terms of traffic (both live and historical), routing, and interface, nothing anywhere comes close. They need much more than a pretty 3D picture to compete in the GPS market.

 

[hot spare]

These patents Apple need to worry about:

https://sites.google.com/site/esailmari/patents

These somehow all relate to Google.

 

[lordofthereef]

Correction, i USED to use it on my 2G. I havent used the 2G for two years though i think ill fire her up today just to check out the old stuff from back then.

As far as some not knowing how to bring up street view, ..man i dont know. Then they must not ever use their Maps app because i dont see how you can miss it. Should be able to bring it up on accident if you just touch things that you dont get what they are.




I wasnt singling you out and sorry if it appeared that way. I was speaking in general in the forum.

I didn't feel singled out, just confused, so no worries.

I am just saying street view isn't intuitive and never was. It is the silhouette of a person with an orange icon that only pops up when you tap on a pin you have dropped. Don't think about the power user. Think about Joe Blow who may even be afraid to tap around things because they "might break something". The other day I had to show a person how to activate iMessage, and iMessage is way more intuitive. In fact you are asked if you want to use it when you set up your 5.x+ iPhone. I fall into the trance too, thinking "If I know how, so does everybody else". The more people I talk to about their phones, the more I realize some of the everyday features that seem second nature to me aren't so for everyone. And this is on an OS widely accepted as the easiest and most intuitive smartphone OS on the market!

 

[takeshi74]

I don't know exactly how Nokia, TomTom and others manage to cram countries into around 200-300MB, but Google should get in on that.

Not going to happen. Consider Google's business and services model.