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Apple Issues Statement Over Day 1 'Maps' Glitches, Maps Team Reportedly Under Lockdown to Fix Issues
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Don't get our hopes up - Google maps is never coming back to iOS
a) Apple hates Google.
b) There is already a map app in the App Store hat is just about as good as Google Maps when it comes to accuracy and the wealth of POIs. It's called Bing. Get used to it.
a) Apple hates Google.
b) There is already a map app in the App Store hat is just about as good as Google Maps when it comes to accuracy and the wealth of POIs. It's called Bing. Get used to it.
Horatio meme:
Well it seems like the new iOS maps...
has taken a turn for the worse...
Well it seems like Apple has...
lost itself in developing its own mapping system...
Well it seems like after Jobs' death...
Apple went towards the wrong direction...
Well it seems like the google maps app...
still hasn't arrived on iOS yet...
Well it seems like the fix for the new maps...
is a long and windy road...
Well it seems like the apple maps...
has lost its way...
yyeeeaaahhh!!
Well it seems like the new iOS maps...
has taken a turn for the worse...
Well it seems like Apple has...
lost itself in developing its own mapping system...
Well it seems like after Jobs' death...
Apple went towards the wrong direction...
Well it seems like the google maps app...
still hasn't arrived on iOS yet...
Well it seems like the fix for the new maps...
is a long and windy road...
Well it seems like the apple maps...
has lost its way...
yyeeeaaahhh!!
Last edited:
I really don't understand all this hyperventilating.
I updated to iOS6 and I've been browsing the Maps app for the last few hours and looking around my usual places, as well as places I'll be travelling soon, and the data is mostly pretty good.
Its clear that there are some areas, particularly internationally, that are quite bad. But this is far from 'most' places.
Do people just believe that Apple is not attempting to fix these? Much of this data can be purchased, and Apple is undoubtedly already pursuing this.
First, let's not indulge fantasies about Google Maps:
- Google's data is not all in-house. They license and buy data (especially vector data) just like everyone else. Apple can do a lot of the same.
- Google's maps are not perfect. Google Maps has alternated between reporting my home address correctly and wildly incorrectly seemingly every month for the past 3 years.
- OMG, clouds in imagery! Different seasons! Google has many of these same issues. There are plenty of places where Google Maps has crap imagery. I've personally seen imagery in Google Maps that is probably 1km LANDSAT imagery. But, again, this changes frequently, and because Google doesn't own their own satellites, they buy this data just like everyone else. Guess what? So can Apple.
Databases like this are never 'done'. They are always being updated. And yes, usage matters. No amount of manual review can cover the globe, its going to require user feedback.
I used to write GIS software for a large military subcontractor. I worked intimately with a very large GIS vector data production team. I know what is involved in a database like this. Its a massive undertaking, but it can evolve rapidly. I can very easily see Apple wholesale purchasing vector/imagery data for 'bad' regions and dropping it in quickly.
The imagery will improve. The vectors will improve. Probably quickly.
If there was to be one area where I actually do believe Apple is in trouble, it would be with the search/POI data. This data isn't of much general utility to the broader GIS community, so there are relatively few places to obtain it. I imagine for this they are going to have to rely more heavily on crowdsourcing or broker a deal with Microsoft/Nokia possibly.
I updated to iOS6 and I've been browsing the Maps app for the last few hours and looking around my usual places, as well as places I'll be travelling soon, and the data is mostly pretty good.
Its clear that there are some areas, particularly internationally, that are quite bad. But this is far from 'most' places.
Do people just believe that Apple is not attempting to fix these? Much of this data can be purchased, and Apple is undoubtedly already pursuing this.
First, let's not indulge fantasies about Google Maps:
- Google's data is not all in-house. They license and buy data (especially vector data) just like everyone else. Apple can do a lot of the same.
- Google's maps are not perfect. Google Maps has alternated between reporting my home address correctly and wildly incorrectly seemingly every month for the past 3 years.
- OMG, clouds in imagery! Different seasons! Google has many of these same issues. There are plenty of places where Google Maps has crap imagery. I've personally seen imagery in Google Maps that is probably 1km LANDSAT imagery. But, again, this changes frequently, and because Google doesn't own their own satellites, they buy this data just like everyone else. Guess what? So can Apple.
Databases like this are never 'done'. They are always being updated. And yes, usage matters. No amount of manual review can cover the globe, its going to require user feedback.
I used to write GIS software for a large military subcontractor. I worked intimately with a very large GIS vector data production team. I know what is involved in a database like this. Its a massive undertaking, but it can evolve rapidly. I can very easily see Apple wholesale purchasing vector/imagery data for 'bad' regions and dropping it in quickly.
The imagery will improve. The vectors will improve. Probably quickly.
If there was to be one area where I actually do believe Apple is in trouble, it would be with the search/POI data. This data isn't of much general utility to the broader GIS community, so there are relatively few places to obtain it. I imagine for this they are going to have to rely more heavily on crowdsourcing or broker a deal with Microsoft/Nokia possibly.
Over time it will get better and better, but you wonder why they didn't build this years ago and beta test it more. It feels like they just threw it together in 6 months and we are the first ones testing it now.
wow. This is one of the stupidest, most reactionary posts ever. Don't worry about actual facts. Just emote.
Yeah Apple should just drop out of every other market but the US, they clearly can't handle the rest of the world...
Someone should Apple know that "denial" is a river in Egypt. I'm so tired of their lame explanations ... they are so insulting
They will pore through the user feedback (NOT HERE, but the feedback placed through the Maps app itself), and identify problem areas. The maps, satellite images, and POI locations that have the most feedback will get the quickest attention, and they will try to acquire more accurate information.
Search for Washington Monument. Apparently there are now two, but one is right at the correct location. Google's map only has one, but theirs is out on the road.
Very disappointed
with Apple Maps as a lot of other people are. Tried it coming home from daughters Taekwondo and instead of a straight shot home, it had me going through subdivisions that I would never go because the road that I use, is on Apple Maps but it still has me going through a subdivision then off on another side road over to another road then back down to the road I am on. The distance showed about 1 mile longer than it takes because of all of the nonsense. I was hoping it would be better because of all of the bad reviews and comments but I was wrong. Guess Navigon will still be my go to navigation system.
with Apple Maps as a lot of other people are. Tried it coming home from daughters Taekwondo and instead of a straight shot home, it had me going through subdivisions that I would never go because the road that I use, is on Apple Maps but it still has me going through a subdivision then off on another side road over to another road then back down to the road I am on. The distance showed about 1 mile longer than it takes because of all of the nonsense. I was hoping it would be better because of all of the bad reviews and comments but I was wrong. Guess Navigon will still be my go to navigation system.
Unimpressed
I would almost tend to agree with you. I tried similar questions that would relate to my local sport like Rugby, Rugby League etc and SIRI just apologizes for lack of any information.
Australia has the biggest take up of new technology per person and yet we pay more for that technology, and we get APPS lacking information for this region.
The new Maps APP is very inaccurate. It's a good thing I can get alternatives until it improves. I didn't buy the iPhone 5 yet but I will be looking closely at reviews as more people get to play with it.
I hate to say it but I may even consider a Nokia Lumia 920 this time round. Again, I need to actually see hands on reviews and also pricing. The main thing keeping me with IOS are the APPS right now but this may change later in the year/new year.
I would almost tend to agree with you. I tried similar questions that would relate to my local sport like Rugby, Rugby League etc and SIRI just apologizes for lack of any information.
Australia has the biggest take up of new technology per person and yet we pay more for that technology, and we get APPS lacking information for this region.
The new Maps APP is very inaccurate. It's a good thing I can get alternatives until it improves. I didn't buy the iPhone 5 yet but I will be looking closely at reviews as more people get to play with it.
I hate to say it but I may even consider a Nokia Lumia 920 this time round. Again, I need to actually see hands on reviews and also pricing. The main thing keeping me with IOS are the APPS right now but this may change later in the year/new year.
Well first off, they didn't create anything. They bought the damn stuff from another company, which was a stupid mistake in the first place. If you want original data you go to a national mapping agency.
I'm guessing you are joking. You can notify them about areas that need newer aerial photos, right in the app itself. Let them take care of finding the areal photos.
you would think. lockdown hell I think I would fire whoever let this happen.
Urgh - PR are all over that statement
At the end of the day, the one thing people need from a Map application is TRUST
Trust it is correct
Trust it'll get them to the right location
Trust it has POI correct
Apple Maps has lost all trust from consumers and this is the one thing Apple can't "innovate" back into our beliefs and is the cardinal sin for an Apple device/software
It goes to show the little consumer research they made on it - did they give anyone (but Developers) Maps to test and use....clearly not and they've released it believing in their own hype
At the end of the day, the one thing people need from a Map application is TRUST
Trust it is correct
Trust it'll get them to the right location
Trust it has POI correct
Apple Maps has lost all trust from consumers and this is the one thing Apple can't "innovate" back into our beliefs and is the cardinal sin for an Apple device/software
It goes to show the little consumer research they made on it - did they give anyone (but Developers) Maps to test and use....clearly not and they've released it believing in their own hype
"most places"? try rest of the world (and Manhattan)...
People seem to be pissed off by a very useless product replacing a very useful product - that might lead to hyperventilating and I would do that too but Apple just moved a restaurant and a pharmacy into my kitchen so I'd rather have some free latte and some pills...
You really need to read up on the way Google Maps works and the way they get their data. First of all - Google Maps is MASSIVELY crowd-sourced, You can map and submit a blank spot yourself if you need to (a lot of poor neighborhoods in Africa are done this way). Second, they are updating rapidly - this is why you get few errors in directions and locations, it's up to date quickly. Google (or partners) also does a lot of flyovers - and by now a great deal of the world is in a rather high definition.
Apple doesn't seem to fix any of the errors people submit - there's been a lot of examples of people providing input even since the first beta. It's unclear how anybody can "help" Apple with more accurate data - other than the "report a problem" thing that they generally seem to ignore and is useless if You want to fix the 1000 things that are wrong around you - Google has this down to an art-form and they must be laughing their asses off right now.
Sure it does - but again, tell me the "other way" of submitting data, the one that doesn't go to the "manual review", I'd be happy to help but not by submitting things through a tiny keyboard on an iPhone. You can fix Google maps from a browser.
Why did they use old datasets from TomTom then? Why haven't they already purchased the missing data - after all the app has now launched? This is a massive undertaking - ask Google, Apple simply wasn't prepared for this thing, and they will never catch up...
Microsoft/Nokia can't help with POI (they have very few) and do You really think Apple is going from Google to Microsoft? This disaster will just have to play out, IOS will be crippled for a long time in maps/search.