Apple Adds New Flyover Locations in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan and Mexico

[tatonka]

Yep. They sure are. Moving landmarks. More flyover locations. Whoo hoo! Now I can get directions to the wrong location... in style!

Meanwhile their mapping data hasn't meaningfully improved in the last several years. And for a navigation app that's supposed to tell you where to go, that's literally the most critical part.

Why don't you simply use Google Maps then? I also find Apple Maps useless where I live .. so I don't use. That is a lot easier than driving to wrong spots on multiple occasions although you already knew their data sucked?

That being said .. the only reason I do use Apple Maps nowadays is actually flyover. We are house shopping and it is a great way to look at a neighborhood, sometimes even better than driving around.
Of course Google Maps has it too (the webapp) .. unfortunately the iOS app doesn't at this point, but I am sure that it will eventually be coming too.

T.

 

[mikesch]

Nice update, but... Mannheim?? While not bad, there is a city next to it called Heidelberg, which is 1000 times nicer, more interesting and suitable to get flyover feature first...

it seems, Tim chooses those flyover locations by playing darts on a map with Phil and eyes closed.

Apple not only added Flyover to Mannheim itself, but also to the surrounding area. Including Heidelberg.

 

[mr.steevo]

What a silly comment. Yes loads of people do, it's the only maps I use and have never had any issues with it! Having said that yes flyover is kinda pointless but maps work just fine for most people's uses.

I was using it yesterday to find a house. Apple Maps had it placed on top of an outdoor swimming pool two blocks from the actual address. Pretty poor effort.

 

[one more]

Why don't you simply use Google Maps then? I also find Apple Maps useless where I live .. so I don't use. That is a lot easier than driving to wrong spots on multiple occasions although you already knew their data sucked?

Well, I use Apple Maps as often as I can because:

1) I strongly prefer its UI to that of the competing apps;
2) I hope that Apple can use the feedback it gets from my drives to both improve the Maps & get the traffic feed for other Maps users nearby;
3) I often feel adventurous when I drive.

I just hope that Apple can put some more energy into it for everybody's sake.

 

[Keane16]

Flyover doesn't help you get where you're going - it's just a gimmick feature to allow people to 'remotely fantasize' about famous places in the world they may never go.

Apple is focusing on all the wrong things with maps. Fix your POI and address data. Streamline the process for incorrect map data reporting to make it easier to crowdsource the data to improve maps. Add real-time (accurate) traffic re-routing.

Google maps has all of the above and it's way more capable as a mapping solution.

I used Flyover extensively in Rome when I visited. Was so useful. Way faster than Street View, and way better than regular flat maps. On the other hand I never really needed it on my trip to Vegas as we didn't walk anywhere.

I like Street View too - but more for detailed views of places.

Both have their advantages, but day to day I'd take Flyover for it's speed.

 

[kyjaotkb]

Apple Maps has become a complete disgrace at this stage...

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B015yeZFheCtRF

 

[Aston441]

Apple Maps has become a complete disgrace at this stage...

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B015yeZFheCtRF

I don't understand why Apple Maps doesn't work as well as TomTom did 10 years ago considering they use TomTom data?

I also don't understand why they spent all that money on Beats, instead of buying Nokia Maps, which recently sold to a car maker for far less money?

 

[boomer0001]

I find it funny so many people complain about the maps. I've used Apple Maps since release and it's always took me to the right spot, right down to a cabin # when I went on vacation. I've had issues with google maps for years getting me lost in vague places, where apple maps has been superior.

 

[kyjaotkb]

I find it funny so many people complain about the maps. I've used Apple Maps since release and it's always took me to the right spot, right down to a cabin # when I went on vacation. I've had issues with google maps for years getting me lost in vague places, where apple maps has been superior.

YMMV...
Just my $0.02.
I was in central Paris the other day, searched for "Opera" and got "This place does not exist" as an answer. Google Maps will never show such inept behaviours and feels overall like a smarter tool. It better understands human language, has a better database on POI, better geolocation of those POI, usable transit directions with live updates (in London, using Google vs Apple Maps saves you about 20 minutes in my experience), Uber and other transports integration, and some very useful functionalities (i.e. Street View). I don't think that the underlying maps data is vastly superior on the Google product vs the Apple one, but Google makes a much, much more natural and efficient use of it. Google maps "just works". Even the iOS 3 version of Google Maps was more reliable and less frustrating than iOS9's Apple maps.

 

[boomer0001]

YMMV...
Just my $0.02.
I was in central Paris the other day, searched for "Opera" and got "This place does not exist" as an answer. Google Maps will never show such inept behaviours and feels overall like a smarter tool. It better understands human language, has a better database on POI, better geolocation of those POI, usable transit directions with live updates (in London, using Google vs Apple Maps saves you about 20 minutes in my experience), Uber and other transports integration, and some very useful functionalities (i.e. Street View). I don't think that the underlying maps data is vastly superior on the Google product vs the Apple one, but Google makes a much, much more natural and efficient use of it. Google maps "just works". Even the iOS 3 version of Google Maps was more reliable and less frustrating than iOS9's Apple maps.

I'm not sure if it's something to do with overseas transit then. I live in the US, maps/siri has never gotten me lost and usually it reroutes faster then G-Maps does.

 

[Keane16]

I don't understand why Apple Maps doesn't work as well as TomTom did 10 years ago considering they use TomTom data?

I also don't understand why they spent all that money on Beats, instead of buying Nokia Maps, which recently sold to a car maker for far less money?

Maps 10 years ago were basic, where I live all current mapping solutions are better than TomTom was 10 years ago. Sat nav systems back then were frequently in the news and parodied in movies and TV as they were so error strewn.

Also there is zero overlap between buying Beats and Here. I'm sure Apple would have looked at Here if they wanted it. It's not like they could only buy one or the other.

Beats is a highly profitable business, with a strong brand recognition in the younger market. It will pay for itself in a very short time. Here would not.

And it's not like they haven't bulked up their mapping capabilities, there have been a number:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple

YMMV...
Just my $0.02.

As with all digital maps, depends where you live. China seemed very impressed with Apple Maps out of the gate:

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/117416-apple-maps-is-better-than-google-maps

That's 20% of the world.

They have usage statistics so if like you say it's poor in Paris and people in that area stop using it in favour of competitors I've no doubt they would put more resources into fixing it - especially as it's such a major city.

Personally in England it's been pretty good, especially in London and Manchester. I don't really use public transport so haven't tested that side of any maps.

 

[kyjaotkb]

As with all digital maps, depends where you live. China seemed very impressed with Apple Maps out of the gate:

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/117416-apple-maps-is-better-than-google-maps
.

I bet China was impressed with Apple Maps... at least it works there. Google has little reason to invest seriously in GMaps in China given the fact that their service is censored about every other month :-(

 

[Aston441]

I bet China was impressed with Apple Maps... at least it works there. Google has little reason to invest seriously in GMaps in China given the fact that their service is censored about every other month :-(

Excellent point about Google in China.

What worries me about Apple Maps being so awful, is that if Google ever decides to pull GMaps from iOS again, I (and millions of others) will have zero choice but to switch back to Android again. THAT is why Apple needs to get on the ball. I don't have time in my life to go to wrong destinations, not find obvious POIs, and spend extra time on poor routing choices. Waze could take up some of the slack, but oops, a Google bought them too. But Apple has Beats so everything is OK I guess.

 

[djcerla]

Apple Maps only here. Never a sigle problem, much better satellite imagery (my house was built 8 years ago, according to Google Maps there's only sand and rocks on the spot. Unbelievable).

Flyover is a very cool, completely unique feature that will become almost science-fictionesque once integrated with street level imagery.

 

[windowpain]

Flyover is a very cool, completely unique feature that will become almost science-fictionesque once integrated with street level imagery.

I just checked a couple of cities I know pretty well and I have to agree, very cool.
It's great how quickly all this is advancing, can't wait to see how good it gets.

 

[Keane16]

but oops, a Google bought them too. But Apple has Beats so everything is OK I guess.

More than one way to slice a cat...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple

Plenty of map related acquisitions by Apple.

What does Beats have to do with mapping? Did Apple spend all of their money on Beats, leaving nothing left for maps? People can be so short sighted. These billion dollar companies can juggle more than one product.

 

[Toutou]

I would love to finally see Prague. Both Google and our Czech map provider (Seznam) have made their 3D models of Prague.

 

[doelcm82]

What worries me about Apple Maps being so awful, is that if Google ever decides to pull GMaps from iOS again, I (and millions of others) will have zero choice but to switch back to Android again. THAT is why Apple needs to get on the ball. I don't have time in my life to go to wrong destinations, not find obvious POIs, and spend extra time on poor routing choices. Waze could take up some of the slack, but oops, a Google bought them too. But Apple has Beats so everything is OK I guess.

That's an unlikely scenario (Google pulling Google Maps from iOS again) leading to an unlikely result (millions switching back to Android because they don't have a choice).

 

[Aston441]

That's an unlikely scenario (Google pulling Google Maps from iOS again) leading to an unlikely result (millions switching back to Android because they don't have a choice).

It still gives Google a lot of power over Apple. Although they're all in the elite club. I wish there was more real competition in mobile space, like the Linux alternative for PCs that keeps Microsoft and Apple in check on the desktop.

 

[doelcm82]

It still gives Google a lot of power over Apple. Although they're all in the elite club. I wish there was more real competition in mobile space, like the Linux alternative for PCs that keeps Microsoft and Apple in check on the desktop.

If Google is willing to forego the revenue they get from iOS users of Google Maps, then yes, they have power. But they just updated their app to work with the Apple Watch, so it doesn't appear that they want to give up that revenue.

 

[Mactendo]

Flyover is a 'bells and whistles' feature for 'armchair' travelers as you pointed out. Nobody - nobody uses it for navigation. Period. It'd be disingenuous to say that you do.

Flyover is the great tool to discover interesting and nice places in an unknown city. It's not a gimmick, it's a revolution in mapping. If Apple adds street level 3D imagery to Flyover so people would be able to zoom down to the street and see it as if standing there then it'll be a hit.

 

[happywaiman]

YMMV...
Just my $0.02.
I was in central Paris the other day, searched for "Opera" and got "This place does not exist" as an answer. Google Maps will never show such inept behaviours and feels overall like a smarter tool. It better understands human language, has a better database on POI, better geolocation of those POI, usable transit directions with live updates (in London, using Google vs Apple Maps saves you about 20 minutes in my experience), Uber and other transports integration, and some very useful functionalities (i.e. Street View). I don't think that the underlying maps data is vastly superior on the Google product vs the Apple one, but Google makes a much, much more natural and efficient use of it. Google maps "just works". Even the iOS 3 version of Google Maps was more reliable and less frustrating than iOS9's Apple maps.

I tried that on my iPad, I didn't got anything wrong. (Maybe I'm still in US? )
But Apple did have the best POI possible (outside of EU, Here Map is sad. Hong Kong is just a flat plane. Even Yelp has more data)
The problem is, over the year, Google bought most of the POI, kinda like the time Tim Cook buy all the NAND supply in 6 months.
So, the only move for Apple, beside having their own Map POI team, is stopping Google from getting Flyover by buying all 3D camera technology existed (think about it, if Apple put quad camera on their drone, flyover could be more clear, and maybe even work like street view), while glooming Yelp, and other third party developers to replace Google. (In US, Transit beat Google map)
In the meantime, if your store is not listed, you can use MapConnect to claim it in 24 hours, and prevent anyone in the world messing with your place even if you don't do it. (Well, unless you let people dial international phone number on your store phone. )
And don't forget, Apple Map do have crowdsourcing: OpemStreetMap

I'm not saying Apple Maps I better than Google Maps. But Google Maps has some fundamental flaw (unless you are the biggest guy, like Uber, they are not adding you to their system)
And overcoming it, is more challenging and difficult than something Tim could fix by saying "let's open that API) and "let's fire some satellites" (if you haven't notice, flyover is a fix for the satellite monopoly, and it works perfectly for specifically that problem)