On the contrary, hopefully they will so they get lost and then start improving them quicker....
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Apple-Leased Vans Gathering Maps Info for Shift to In-House Mapping Database
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On the contrary, hopefully they will so they get lost and then start improving them quicker....
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Sighting yesterday in Arlington, TX.
Saw this in Arlington, TX at Noon CST yesterday. (5/28/15)
https://youtu.be/g_U0AoP0mR0
Saw this in Arlington, TX at Noon CST yesterday. (5/28/15)
https://youtu.be/g_U0AoP0mR0
About time they did this.
Apple Maps has been a huge failure for a company with such hi standards.
They dropped the ball with Maps and can't fix it fast enough.
Another issue.
Updated satellite images for maps seems painfully slow, like years behind.
My house and area, near major city hasn't been updated in over 5 years.
Apple Maps has been a huge failure for a company with such hi standards.
They dropped the ball with Maps and can't fix it fast enough.
Another issue.
Updated satellite images for maps seems painfully slow, like years behind.
My house and area, near major city hasn't been updated in over 5 years.
condescending attitude?
Pot calling the kettle black?
Get the Google Maps app if you don't find Apple's functional enough for you.
condescending attitude?
Pot calling the kettle black?
Get the Google Maps app if you don't find Apple's functional enough for you.
im not sure what the eek emoji is supposed to mean here or what exactly you find condescending. how else did you want me to point out something that was very obvious?
is not that it isnt functional for me. its that its absolutely awful. 3 years and no directions yet. for a company like apple to let their customers suffer and have a worse (un-installable) app because of a disagreement is a huge disrespect to paying customers.
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Many of the forum members here seem to think they just need to release a software update to make maps more accurate.
On my iPhone, I usually start with Apple Maps but often switch to Google because I can't find a POI in the Apple app. On the desktop, I prefer Google because it lets me jump into Street View, which I find very helpful to navigate new areas. It's hard to see how any company, even one with Apple's resources, could duplicate the massive amount of data in Street View in a reasonable time frame.
I saw one of these vans in Kona, Hawaii back in around December or January. It seems like a random outpost to send one of these vans, unless they decided that if they were going to do Oahu, that they might as well do some of the other islands too.
Its probably because they believe in their Maps product and want to improve customer experience (since they promised they would), but also want to reduce reliance on Google. It may be more profitable in the long term for them to have complete control of mapping and location information, which is important to lots of apps and programs. And with concerns over privacy, having your own location service under your own control is a big advantage. In addition, they won't have to wait for features, can integrate map information and have it coded/compressed they way they want for use in other devices like the Apple watch and laptops.
Imagine if you were Apple and had to check with Google for permission for everything and update contracts, versus just using your own maps data. Maps are here to stay, Apple should have their own. Why bother developing their own music app, email app, and photos app?
ouch... only U.S ?
Personally the mapping Google does it better even though they use the same tech........ the camera at least on their vans are cameras on a ball....
I do not see how Apple can get all possible angles on this.
unless the whole thing spins round like a propeller on a helicopter.
So, now we know what that "working on a car" deal was.
Personally the mapping Google does it better even though they use the same tech........ the camera at least on their vans are cameras on a ball....
I do not see how Apple can get all possible angles on this.
unless the whole thing spins round like a propeller on a helicopter.So, now we know what that "working on a car" deal was.
Beside the mere fact that they are sitting on billions in cash, and therefore might as well invest in something, does anyone know what real benefit this serves to Apple? It's not like they're making money with all this research? I mean I get they no longer have to pay for contracts with Google and the like but I'm wondering what the bigger picture is here.
...from the company's perspective. As a consumer, I love it. Who would turn down research and map updates?
...from the company's perspective. As a consumer, I love it. Who would turn down research and map updates?
not sure about driveby.
but yes the google streetview navigation is outdated and slow but if apple keeps up its current pace then the minority of the worlds cities will have their "street view"
Your comment lacks depth, and is downright comical in some ways.
Who does Google partner with? Every company it has ever went into business with, it has eventually wanted to compete directly with. I'd never partner with Google for that reason. Apple on the other hand, has historically been willing to partner with lots of companies. Mapping is a prime example, it uses Tom Tom for mapping data, Yelp for Point of Interest data. Look at its new partnership with IBM. It promotes lots of third party products on its various stores.
In certain areas, however, Apple wants to control its destiny. That is why it eventually developed its own Internet Browser after companies like Microsoft and Netscape were stalling on Mac development. That is why Apple created its own retail stores after retailers like Comp USA and Sears treated Macs like second class citizens. It is why it designs its own chips. The list goes on and on. History has shown Apple that in certain areas it simply is prudent to control its own technology.
Mapping is a huge feature on phones. Prior to Apple Maps, Google was holding back features like Turn-by-Turn. Tech Journalists were always pointing out how Google Maps was far better on Android. Further, it wanted from Apple's perspective unprecedented access to Apple's users information. Whether you consider Google's demand reasonable or not, Apple wasn't willing to pay that price.
Moreover, as time went on, Google's power to demand a higher price would only go up. Google could simply deny to allow Apple to use its mapping app all together. For proof of this type of behavior, you simple have to look how Google initially promoted Android as being open, anybody could use it as they saw fit. That has changed significantly with Google exerting a lot of control over Android, and punishing companies who do not comply. Google is doing the same thing to long term users of youtube content providers.
It simply makes no sense for Apple to surrender that much control to a competitor that has a history of acting against Apple's best interests, and has demonstrated it is not a good partner.
Time has shown Apple's decisions was the right one. First, a recent study showed more than 70 percent of IOS users use Apple Maps. For me, that is believable since most people generally use the default options. That is why Google is rumored to pay Apple billions of dollars for the right to be the default search option on Apple products. Second, as soon as Apple released its own product, Google all the sudden decided it had better start improving its mapping options, and now offers features it wasn't willing to release before.
Personally, I doubt most people complaining about Apple Maps even use it (at least recently). For people, like myself, who merely want directions, and turn by turn, I suspect Apple maps works great. I use it every day, and it rarely causes me any problems. Moreover, it has improved tremendously since it has been first released. It also learns your behaviors.
Occasionally, I use Google Maps and Apple Maps simultaneously on different phones to compare the two. I still prefer Apple Maps as it works better in terms of performance on an iPhone, it looks better, and in the US where I drive it has never given me wrong directions [although occasionally it, like Google maps has taken me the long route].
People knocking Apple Maps should just use Google Maps [or whatever they prefer], and trying to rain on other people like myself who prefer to use Apple's offering. Next you guys will be trying to tell me, how much better a Butterfinger is over Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and demanding Reese's stop making its product.
Offline Maps viewing with GPS
How about offline viewing of 'maps' to use with GPS?
Hey, I hope this will happen soon.
It'd be great if it was possible now with ios. When driving, I'd like to use the GPS with a 'maps' that don't need an internet connection.
Simply a matter of caching?
I guess not. Otherwise, it'd already be implemented? not. not. not. etc.
How about offline viewing of 'maps' to use with GPS?
Hey, I hope this will happen soon.
It'd be great if it was possible now with ios. When driving, I'd like to use the GPS with a 'maps' that don't need an internet connection.
Simply a matter of caching?
I guess not. Otherwise, it'd already be implemented? not. not. not. etc.
If Apple is serious about selp-mapping wouldn't there be a lot more of these vans everywhere? Like in every state, and every city above 50k population. With the infrequent spotting, we can surmise that they are only working in a few areas, maybe just to get the process down. Of course Apple rarely goes as whole-hog as Google when it decides engage something huge like this. Apple has way too conservative cost controls internally to ever throw the money and people needed to "map the world". Google on the other hand has done this and continues to develop their process and system. They even have backpack systems to map walking trails etc.
I'm no Google fan, but they have done pretty well with maps. If Apple really wants to compete and catch up to them, they need to put it in high gear. A few vans in a few cities will not get the job done.
I'm no Google fan, but they have done pretty well with maps. If Apple really wants to compete and catch up to them, they need to put it in high gear. A few vans in a few cities will not get the job done.
