Apple Maps Collecting Pedestrian Data Starting in California, Likely to Improve Walking Directions

[testcard]

Given the average walking pace is around 3mph, this may take some time.

 

[farnf]

This is a monumental task when you think about it...

No it isn't. Apple will just have this guy map the area near Tim's house, then put him back on the emoji team.

 

[MozMan68]

Objectively speaking they are being slow and opposite to the "monumental".
They've done only the part of US, very small part.

Let's not forget, they will have to do for other countries as well. [they do plan it, right? I mean, they won't just stop on US, right? They said it, so we have it settled]

So the fact that they do not invest in Car-mapping cars to ALL 100 countries or more is just a weak game.

We don't have transit maps in Poland, no speed limits, no 3D buildings, no buildings at all (even the flat one, just the shapes, only the capitol has them (flat ones)), and the maps are pretty much outdated.

So maybe, it would be a good idea to send those cars out now, as this process takes time, and by the time they will convert Poland to their new format, it will take DECADES (no kidding, mark this post).

But, at the same time, I'm pretty sure that France, German, will be available in their new and better format around 2022.

So if they will appear around this time, one could and should and will ASK, why so late? It's not a battery technology, it's not an nm technology of Ax Chips. It's just a matter of business decisions. Since they are going to SHELL OUT money for UK/France/Germany maps anyway, why wait? Why not just throw money at it now? Make a big entrance, send those cars to 100+ countries, give them some time, map them good, and ok, release better maps of Poland in 2022, that's fine! But with the current state of the affairs, I don't see that happening in decades from now.

You are assuming they won't...but remember, they are creating a whole new mapping process/technology that goes WAY beyond sending out cars/people.

Once they have validated the new process works (it's pretty awesome from my experience in Northern California), mapping the rest of the world can be achieved at an accelerated pace with just the cars/people.

It's scary how many of you assume their slow pace to start the initial rollout has anything to do with the speed once the process has been proven. Apple remembers just as well as you do what happened when they tried to do things quickly with Maps before.

 

[justperry]

With every update to Apple Maps I try to stay positive that someday they will be almost as good as Google Maps. On a recent trip I used Google maps to my destination, and Apple maps on my way home. Sadly, Apple maps failed again. It wanted me to go West for 90 miles instead of East. 90 Miles West would have put me in the ocean.

And I used Google maps before on a trip in Europe, Apple maps had to come to rescue, Google is not much better nowadays.
Switched to Apple Maps, haven't looked back.

Apple Maps failed us over the weekend. Directed us straight to the International Airport when what had been inputted was an indoor playground miles away from the airport.

Same as above, no Maps app is perfect.

 

[danieleilertsen]

I wonder how often they will update with cars and people walking around?

Every 1-2 years google cars drive around oslo and updates maps with pictures.

It seems everybody thinks its a one time thing. This has to be done all the time. The task is HUGE.

I cant understand how apple can think about catching up to googles 10 years lead.

 

[gnasher729]

So...you're hoping your phone some day will have a feature that helps you avoid stepping in dog poo whilst walking and staring at your phone? My god that's brilliant.

Shouldn't take too much AI to recognise dog poo in your path, as long as you are on a normal sidewalk, not out in the woods. Even then. Does anyone know how difficult it is for camera + AI to figure out how deep a water puddle is?

 

[alphaod]

I though we had this article like a month ago.

 

[Novus John]

Not sure why they're even trying in the first place, it's been so many years and their maps service still sucks as much as it did on day one. Maybe in the US it's slightly better but everywhere else it's a total disaster.

 

[mashdots]

if they really want to improve their walking directions, they should have someone walk around the Cambridge / Boston, MA area. The roads are so convoluted that if they figure out how to navigate people there, they'd be set.

 

[testcard]

“Hey Tim, it’s Eddie. We’re going to need to hire more walkers.”

 

[Sasparilla]

Nice to see them doing this. They appear to really be trying to change their take (move away from TomTom). It'd be interesting to know what they'll use the Lidar data for though.

Seems like a lot of data that could be valuable if you intend to make some autonomous vehicles besides cars....

Cars yes, although this is also the kind of thing that would be valuable for folks walking around with sunglasses that are AR - using their phones for the heavy lifting.

 

[alien3dx]

I seem to recall when Google started doing this many years ago they actually had a program whereby backpackers, hikers, etc. who were traveling in locations Google wanted to map could arrange to borrow one of Google's version of this backpack in order to collect the relevant data. I wonder if Apple may do the same sort of thing at some point.

In fact a quick Google search just found that you can actually apply to borrow one of these rather easily: https://www.google.com/streetview/loan/. I just searched for "Google map backpack" and this was the first result. Nothing similar for "Apple Map backpack" however...

only for certain country. My place google map street view don't updated .Last 2014..

 

[justperry]

Not sure why they're even trying in the first place, it's been so many years and their maps service still sucks as much as it did on day one. Maybe in the US it's slightly better but everywhere else it's a total disaster.

Have you been to all countries in the world....guess not... so nonsense.
It works just as good as Google here.(Or even better)

 

[wigby]

Are they going to indicate all the, uh... "debris"... on the sidewalks throughout San Francisco?

Oh you mean living people. Yeah that's funny because they're homeless and you're not.

 

[MozMan68]

Oh you mean living people. Yeah that's funny because they're homeless and you're not.

I don’t remember anyone saying it was funny...but a problem? Yes...it is.

 

[9081094]

I still think this is Jony Ive.

I wish it was... he can walk from California to Rome. Knowing Apple, they probably have one guy out walking and mapping. It'll probably take 10 years to map California alone.
Hey Apple? When we get cycling maps in the Netherlands? Maybe sent out Cook on a bicycle over here

 

[velocityg4]

Are they going to indicate all the, uh... "debris"... on the sidewalks throughout San Francisco?

I think this is for the rumored AR product that Apple is developing...

These two ideas can work together. AR can make the sidewalks look clean. Problem solved.

 

[alien3dx]

I wish it was... he can walk from California to Rome. Knowing Apple, they probably have one guy out walking and mapping. It'll probably take 10 years to map California alone.
Hey Apple? When we get cycling maps in the Netherlands? Maybe sent out Cook on a bicycle over here

even 1 trillion resources not enough.. for a one earth

 

[ryanwarsaw]

I am surprised we needed a follow up to state that a guy on foot with maps cameras is likely doing pedestrian routes. Does that mean that conversely if a guy in a car has maps cameras on the roof he is likely working on motor vehicle routes?

 

[ignatius345]

And I used Google maps before on a trip in Europe, Apple maps had to come to rescue, Google is not much better nowadays.
Switches completely to Apple Maps, haven't looked back.



Same as above, no Maps app is perfect.

Amen. I've had fails on both platforms but generally great luck with Apple Maps. Used it exclusively to take a 2000 mile road trip (south-eastern US) last year and because we had extra time set Maps to "avoid highways". It routed us flawlessly through all kinds little obscure roads in western Maryland and West Virginia. At one point on the way back we were on a big highway and it kept asking if we wanted to avoid traffic by taking another route -- we kept saying yes and it just threaded us through all kinds of weird roads at night, in the rain. I got worried at a couple points at the end of the night, we hit our end point (a hotel) within like 15 minutes of the original estimate, on a five-hour drive. I'm not saying Google Maps couldn't have done that, but my experiences in many places across the US and even Europe with Apple Maps has been excellent. And the big bonus? I'm not feeding Google's data pig any more than necessary.
[doublepost=1542650493][/doublepost]

Could see them buying DuckDuckGo, take it to the next level and then have it become the default search engine for Apple products very easily.

Please, and maybe change the goofy name so people take it seriously? "DuckDuckGo" sounds like it's from the era when it seemed like a great idea to name something "Yahoo!"

 

[Bacillus]

Given the average walking pace is around 3mph, this may take some time.

But he could double his usability as a Wifi pole ($5/hr)

 

[deannnnn]

Okay so we're going improve walking directions and we're going to start with a city where no one ever walks.

 

[Glideslope]

I wonder if this dude glows in the dark after he goes to sleep at night?

 

[ibivibiv]

You would think with all that money Apple always brags about they could just pay for enough map data to get this nailed. I understand that Google has a jump on them especially after the Waze data purchase (that was a dumb move not to buy that by Apple), but still.

 

[darksithpro]

I'd be worried on how much EM radiation those huge Lidar backpacks are emitting. What could possibly go wrong when you're using high powered radars encased in a backpack, inchies away from your brain...