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Apple Hiring Maps Engineer to Work on Improved Community Crowdsourcing, Siri/Passbook Integration
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Adjusting the difference would probably be a legal problem (copyright infringement). Making a list of all points that give significantly different results should be fine.
Also, after the trouble in Australia a while ago, scanning your own database and listing all results that lead you to a point nowhere near a decent road and checking them would be an idea.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Maybe tweak that "corrections" algorithm then. For example, if 5 competitors put Subway at the corner of Main & Elm but Apple Maps has it 3 blocks away, adjust it to about 90% (in favor of the 5). While that wouldn't be as accurate, it would be much closer than "as is".
Furthermore, add a group "verify" mode to the app. Instead of dropping a red pin, drop a yellow one or maybe have a question mark next to it as a call to Maps users in the area to verify the location when they actually go there. Get X number of verifications that it is on Main & Elm and adjust the official entry to Main & Elm (maybe still in verify mode to gather another X number of votes).
OR, adopt a hotels.com/trivago/progressive, etc strategy of showing where Apple Maps thinks something is AND where some of the other guys think it is. Then "know" when the user spends some time at one of the points and ask them "was it there" (where "there" is where they spent the time).
And/Or, when in doubt or when enough users identify a wrong pin, adopt an approximate flag (maybe some kind of graphic bar) that shows where Apple Maps thinks it is to where other Maps pin it with user input too. Back to the Subway example: instead of showing a (wrong location) pin at a specific point 3 blocks away, this might show a zone bar from that pin across the 3 blocks. These bars could then be the call for users to narrow the search when they go to the actual location. With X number of "this is the actual location" verifications from users, reduce the bar length or zone. With a few more verifications, switch to a pin.
Furthermore, add a group "verify" mode to the app. Instead of dropping a red pin, drop a yellow one or maybe have a question mark next to it as a call to Maps users in the area to verify the location when they actually go there. Get X number of verifications that it is on Main & Elm and adjust the official entry to Main & Elm (maybe still in verify mode to gather another X number of votes).
OR, adopt a hotels.com/trivago/progressive, etc strategy of showing where Apple Maps thinks something is AND where some of the other guys think it is. Then "know" when the user spends some time at one of the points and ask them "was it there" (where "there" is where they spent the time).
And/Or, when in doubt or when enough users identify a wrong pin, adopt an approximate flag (maybe some kind of graphic bar) that shows where Apple Maps thinks it is to where other Maps pin it with user input too. Back to the Subway example: instead of showing a (wrong location) pin at a specific point 3 blocks away, this might show a zone bar from that pin across the 3 blocks. These bars could then be the call for users to narrow the search when they go to the actual location. With X number of "this is the actual location" verifications from users, reduce the bar length or zone. With a few more verifications, switch to a pin.
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Huge apple Fan. Huge apple maps hater after a few years of reporting problems no one of them has been addressed tried to email apple support with no luck guess iill never get a siri reminder when i get home
This is what they should have done in the app right off on launch.
Crowd sourcing data is the only reason google maps got good but apple has loads of people in the field with portable computers to make corrections on the spot.
It should be like wikipedia for maps, you should be able to link so much more info.
I also feel like apple maps is now picking up too much noise from businesses with names of places and doesn't prioritise places first. If you search for anything there needs to be a ranking of what is the most searched for place.
Apple could really delve into so much more detail it's an area that is practically ignored.
I would love to see more indoor stuff too, gps is usually available anyway and interiors should be added even if the gps signal is inaccurate so you can still navigate around shopping malls etc and find the right shops!
Crowd sourcing data is the only reason google maps got good but apple has loads of people in the field with portable computers to make corrections on the spot.
It should be like wikipedia for maps, you should be able to link so much more info.
I also feel like apple maps is now picking up too much noise from businesses with names of places and doesn't prioritise places first. If you search for anything there needs to be a ranking of what is the most searched for place.
Apple could really delve into so much more detail it's an area that is practically ignored.
I would love to see more indoor stuff too, gps is usually available anyway and interiors should be added even if the gps signal is inaccurate so you can still navigate around shopping malls etc and find the right shops!
Yeah. I get that. But the company they bought and turned into Siri had 10x the functionality already built out and instead of expanding on it, Apple cut the platform down while allowing competitors to catch up.
Apple is really good at putting its foot on the gas and getting a head start with workable products. Their issue is that they do not keep their foot on the accelerator.
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Most of that functionality already exists.
better maps not just app
Crowdsource, mass transit, features 90% of the country doesn't use...
How about better maps?
Google's maps are still more accurate, more complete, and readable (street lines and names are thicker, bigger, easier to see/read).
Crowdsource, mass transit, features 90% of the country doesn't use...
How about better maps?
Google's maps are still more accurate, more complete, and readable (street lines and names are thicker, bigger, easier to see/read).
Traffic data sucks, and on one heavily travelled commuter route 20 miles from Apple HQ, it doesn't even exist. I know of several sections of Hwys 1 and 92 where it poops out frequently. But Apple employees get limo coach service to and from their $4,000/mo City apartments, so they may not notice.
Thats a great point. Why, after buying Siri, did Apple not let them carry on development, give the Siri team an insight into what Apple wanted, then every year grab a new version of Siri for inclusion within ios?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Where's it at? I think if much of that functionality existed in a way similar to what I describe, Maps would be in much better shape than it is now. It's been out for years now and still can't find "Ft. Lauderdale Airport"?
I stopped using Google maps awhile ago and recently removed it.
For me Maps is more integrated and getting better all the time.
For me Maps is more integrated and getting better all the time.
WOW!
Try "Palm Beach Airport" (which is commonly shortened to PBA and shows on tickets & travel sites that way). None of those are right- you have to add "international" in there if you want to get to PBA.
Try "Ft. Lauderdale Airport". That dropped about 20 pins on my map, none of which actually point to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport.
I've seen this many times. If you use an accurate description Maps will usually find the location. Misspell or omit a word and Maps doesn't have a clue.
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Or Apple could have done what Nokia did and buy its way into a decent maps application. I don't work for or get paid by Apple to improve it's ****** app.
i have a problem with the roads being too close to the ground in color...makes it impossible to see in bright daylight. Just fix that!!!
Nearly impossible to read Apple Maps in any light for me. There is so little contrast, the roads are too small and disappear completely when zooming out, and the font is hard to read. To me the design of Apple Maps is the biggest issue I have with it. It rises to the level of another "what were they thinking" Apple issue. Maybe it was another instance of Apple trying to make something look cool, but actually making it less useful, which has now also crept into Yosemite's design.
I really try to avoid Google in general, but their maps are so much better.
More integrated? Not really sure what that even means.
Apple maps may well be improving, but for the vast majority of people to switch, Apple Maps needs to be markedly better than Google Maps. Maybe that'll need a big name acquisition like a TomTom or other Sat-Nav company, but something big needs to happen for people to believe that Apple Maps is better than Google Maps en mass.
Most people on Iphones use Apple map, so, "no one" is patently false : try again with some better lie next time.
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Apple map already has the plurality of users (by being the default choice). Most people don't bother to switch anything.
I wonder how effective this will finally be...
I mean Siri is not exactly perfect even now. and never will be..
U must take some action for siri to understand you.... (ie,,, no background noise, speak clearly etc)
Thus, if you integrate to make it "easier" just by voice, that's one thing it won't be when it make mistakes. and that's across any voice assistent apps, not just maps.
Crowd-sourcing is a better idea......
Siri will be second place always. Although useful, when it works.
I do use Siri, but just like maps, or any thing, i never rely on it, like most of us reckon we do today....
I mean Siri is not exactly perfect even now. and never will be..
U must take some action for siri to understand you.... (ie,,, no background noise, speak clearly etc)
Thus, if you integrate to make it "easier" just by voice, that's one thing it won't be when it make mistakes. and that's across any voice assistent apps, not just maps.
Crowd-sourcing is a better idea......
Siri will be second place always. Although useful, when it works.
I do use Siri, but just like maps, or any thing, i never rely on it, like most of us reckon we do today....
I am still waiting for them to have it accurately show your exact location so you don't miss turns and such...
I'm not comparing Cook to Jobs, he has made bad decisions and he need to solve the problem with maps and Siri. Right now, he is more focused on Fashion and activism. No problem with those two, but the day has only 24 hours and he need to deal with that.