Apple Maps Gradually Winning Over Google Maps Users, Report Suggests

[jarman92]

The fact that Apple Maps is just now getting downloadable maps in iOS 17 should still tell you everything you need to know.

I've literally never once in 15+ years of owning a smartphone needed to use a downloaded map.

 

[robbietop]

I am one of those happy Apple Maps users. Quit using Google Maps a decade ago. Launch was a bit sketchy and I used Waze for maybe a year? But after that no real issues other than whenever iOS updates from one version to another every fall, the voice guide turns back on which is a annoying

 

[jarman92]

One of the problems with maps for me is when you start the route. The app is very slow and cannot find its orientation until you start driving, and then you realise you are driving in the wrong direction and I have to turn around. I don't understand why Aplple does not use the compass to help Maps find its start up orientation.

They both have this issue, and in my experience Apple is far better at figuring it out than Google.

 

[jarman92]

"Haters" or people who almost had accidents? 🤦‍♂️

If you "almost" had an accident because you got poor directions, you're a terrible driver and shouldn't be on the road in the first place.

 

[alexandr]

So, speaking from personal experience, I switched to Apple Maps because it works with my HUD, and Google does not — if I'm traveling or have no use for a HUD, I still prefer Google.

 

[Bigkool2inSC]

I am a apple map only user in the US.
Never really had any issues with it.

Hey siri, directions too..
Create a calendar even with address and it's a suggestion when the event time comes or open even and tap address.
Tap on the address of a business or contact for directions
99.999% of my use of Apple maps and it works great.

(of course this is because you can't set Google Map as a default, and I get that)

Google maps is a bit too much for me.. It has a lot of information but that is the issue with it for me is that it has too much information on the screen and it can be overwhelming to look at some times.

as the saying to, use what you like and best for you..
to each's own though.

 

[Kaulini]

A few weeks ago, I noticed that there was a mistake - a cafe was in the wrong place (next door to where it was), and had also changed name (might have changed hands - not sure about that).

Put in an update explaining and within about two or three days it had been correctly updated. Received an email to let me know.

Obviously I have no idea how common or rare that experience is. As a one-off, I was perfectly happy.

But what we need is for the businesses themselves to put in changes. I suspect many do nothing, many think about Google only, and fewer do Apple Maps and others.

I live in an apartment complex that before was a hotel. on apple maps it still is a hotel, and once or twice a year people end up wanting to get in to book a room.

 

[P-DogNC]

Why is nobody talking about Waze for navigation?

For me it’s the number one tool by a mile. Google Maps has always been terrible for driving, but excellent for walking.

Apple Maps is just unnecessary and was never developed in the interest of the consumer.

iPhones used to ship with Google as the default maps until Apple got sad that Android was invented and decided to come up with what was the worst alternative in history, which they then integrated as the default maps for things like Calendar

Let’s take a moment to correct your perception of history here.

Back in the day, when Google maps was the default installation on all iPhones, google steadfastly refused to release their mapping app with turn-by-turn directions, although they did so on android phones to give those devices an unfair competitive advantage. All the while, google’s Eric Schmidt sat on Apple’s board. Apple had no choice but to release its own mapping app (and force Schmidt to recuse himself from most meetings until he resigned his seat) and consequently started acquiring mapping companies as early as 2009. This all happened following google’s *repeated* refusal to release turn-by-turn directions on their native Apple app. Google did not implement this mapping feature for iPhones until AFTER they were booted from Apple devices as a default installation, which left Google scrambling to save their prominent place on their biggest money making platform (iOS).

Apple Maps, as you can see, was born out of Google’s anti-competitive business practices.

 

[iMacDragon]

The lack of universal cycling directions of some sort utilising walking directions as base source is what annoys me most, I try to use walking directions but if you deviate at all it deems you're going too fast to be walking and reroutes to driving directions.. frustrating as heck

 

[TechRemarker]

Apple Maps continues to improve is so many ways, but still suffers in the same way it always has, it unreliable data. When I search for a new location on Waze/Google Maps I have great confidence it will get me there. With Apple Maps, it certainly may but also a significant chance it will take me a location where it doesn't exist, or its now closed, or such. Apple has certainly greatly improved their data, but stats wise still seems to have a similiar failure rate for when going somewhere new, whether in our town, or in a major city. The problem has always I feel been their reporting method. With Waze you can actively resolve issues and also Google Maps (slightly less easy that Waze). Where if something is wrong you can be confident their is a quick and easy process to resolve it assuming you've provided a lot of useful correct info before. With Apple, it's sent into a void, through their limited app reporting feature. They do eventually let you know if was resolved, but otherwise 0 communication. Thus when a store temporarily closes I can let Waze know right away and fixed right away, with Apple report and by the time it's eventually updated the store may now be reopened. Apple chooses not to crowd source data and unfortunately getting straight from the source continues to show as not being reliable or fast enough.

That all said, the app is beautiful, transit is great, and notably the apple watch integration is amazing, as well as the dynamic island, so I use it daily when going places I know as more just for help with current traffic and such. But I also always first open Waze just so that if any issues on the road or traffic stops will alert be in the background while using Maps for the actual navigation. Apple does have reporting however, unlike Waze they more hide it, so people seem to rarely ever use it in my area or even in local major cities that I've seen vs Waze where it seems issues are reported within minutes.

 

[TracerAnalog]

I actually unpleasantly surprised recently by the public transportation directions of Google Maps. It was providing wrong information, or years out of date schedules. This was in Lissabon (Portugal), London (UK), and Amsterdam (Netherlands). Apple Maps was spot on however. As a result I use both AM and GM and compare against each other.

 

[VulchR]

Both Apple and Google map apps need to work on readability of the labels. There should be an option to enlarge text labels and to put the text on a plain background. Regrettably when one zooms, the labels don't become larger.

 

[Ruggy]

I don't use either of them for driving so can't comment but Maps is way better for walking- although I think the pointer is really stupid as you logically want to to go other way.
Google is way better for photos of places, reviews and nothing compares to street view. Maps has that in some places but it's nothing like as complete or as good.
On the computer, Google controls are way better if you want to use 3D and spin the map around, zoom in or out that sort of thing and you can't measure distances on Maps and that's a really useful tool.
Oddly however, when it comes to satellite images Maps are way clearer and very often more up to date.

 

[msackey]

My biggest problem with everything Apple is their terrible approach to localization / internationalization and lack of support for languages.

I speak four languages, usually have my systems set to English, since most of my work and daily communication is in English, but live in Denmark and receive messages in English, Danish and German.

After all this time, Apple does not allow you to set map language to a local language and different from your system language. Neither does it detect messages’ language to read it out in that language.

Drive by voice is therefore useless since Danish, German, Swedish etc streets would be pronounced with English gibberish and so would any message read out loud for you. And so while driving, iOS only serves me to play music, listen to audio books or call people.

Unless I want to constantly check guidance on screen, I have to use other services such as “Here” maps which always had the feature to switch spoken guidance to any language. And since typing and reading are often prevented in the Car Play versions to keep you focused, searching for locations requires you to go to your device, since even user spoken words are interpreted in English. So I would have to talk the same mangled gibberish. This might work for people who are not able to speak the local language and would pronounce places like Apple, but come on …

Why is something like that so difficult for you Apple? Why can Google and Microsoft do it but not you?

Or maybe I miss something? Have overlooked a fantastic switch in settings?

I agree with you that the approach to localization / internalization is terrible.

I live in the US but because I grew up in a different country, I like my dates and times displayed differently. Dates as YYYY-MM-DD or DD MMMM YYYY such as 18 July 2023, and time in 24 hour, with temperature in Celsius, distance in miles, speed in in mph, etc. In other words, I like a mix and match depending on the units and application. This is not always possible on iOS.

iOS incorrectly assumes that this kind of localization is region dependent when it's narrower than that or more complicated than that. People don't live in fixed regional boxes. The carry with them different cultures and histories!

 

[DominikHoffmann]

I prefer Waze for my day-to-day navigation, including for routine trips. The reason is that I know that the maps are up-to-date and the traffic and road-closure data is accurate. What allows Waze to accomplish that is that it obtains data from all Android users, not just those that use Waze, and community-edited maps. Apple has the first component of that from all of its iPhone users. What would help is allowing community members to edit and correct map details.

To give you a couple of examples:

1. I am not a Waze map editor myself. It’s a bit complicated—which keeps vandals away, too, I guess. A nearby road has a 30-day closure, because of roadway realignment, starting in two days. I reported this in the Waze map. An editor has already implemented this change and scheduled it, and two days from now, I can expect Waze to send me on a detour (not necessarily the officially suggested one). After 30 days this road closure will automatically disappear, unless someone reports that the construction project finished early, or—let’s hope not—took longer.
2. A while back, Waze advised me to make a left turn across a median that was not interrupted at that point. I reported that, and a community editor implemented that change. Community editors are eager to help make even minor edits like that, which improve overall map accuracy.

With Apple’s loyal following, I would think that an army of willing editors could easily be found who conscientiously would make edits. This could propel Apple Maps ahead and would likely help especially in markets outside of the U.S., on which Apple places a lower priority (case in point: today’s news that Apple Pay is rolling out in Morocco, nine years after its inception).

 

[cfountain72]

As for commuting, I prefer Waze's simpler interface. Both sharing and planning future drives are also easier. When I upgraded to the 14 Pro, I did give Apple Maps a shot for a few months, but I found its traffic and routing sometimes unreliable. They've done a great job rendering monuments and stadiums, but when driving, you can't actually see those places from above, so they aren't of much utility. Also, while I know that Tampa isn't exactly New York or San Francisco, the Look Around feature still hasn't arrived here?

 

[jarman92]

It continues to amaze me how the reason Apple ditched Google Maps in the first place has seemingly been memory-holed by the media.

For those who don't know, smartphone mapping apps in the early days provided directions but not navigation. That is, they didn't have "turn-by-turn" functionality. Google introduced TBT on Android in 2009, but refused to do the same on iOS unless Apple handed over all their user data. Since Apple wouldn't do that, for obvious reasons, they began working on their own solution, which was introduced in 2012. Shortly thereafter, apparently fearing the massive loss of Maps users to Apple, Google released Maps on the App Store with TBT. So really we have Google and its data-sucking machine to thank for the mess of 2012-era Apple Maps.

 

[BlairMALL]

All in all, I agree with the assertion that Apple Maps has improved. The trouble for Apple Maps is that google/waze are getting better too (actually, they have been really good for a while). I like Apple Maps interface, so I use it for general navigation for trips or places I tend to go more casually. However, if I need to arrive at a particular time and need any kind of traffic advice, I still go with Waze. The rerouting, alerts, etc. are just more helpful than Apple Maps at this time. I believe that Apple Maps will need more than incremental improvement to really move me off of Waze in those critical situations.

Having said all of that, Waze does have a huge problem for me with navigation: Ads. I am old and old school so I use the visual side of waze (as opposed to just listening to nav direction). Ads popping up at intersections when I have the ability to evaluate the next few steps is AWFUL for me. Not enough for me to move away, but I often find myself frustrated by it. For those of us who would like Apple Maps to catch up... I believe Apple is rapidly working toward Ads in Apple Maps (akin to Waze, I believe), and that just makes me sad.

Note: I am not mad at advertising or even at the practice of tiered removal of Ads through subscription. To me, this is a safety concern. The ads appear when the car has stopped at an intersection (good idea), but they obscure (bad idea) the best opportunity for a driver to more than quickly refer to the map for clarification. I get that many people will criticize me for using visual reference and not audio navigation direction as I discuss safety, but I am talking about contextual glancing, not texting my aunt about what I should bring for dinner.

 

[BlairMALL]

It continues to amaze me how the reason Apple ditched Google Maps in the first place has seemingly been memory-holed by the media.

For those who don't know, smartphone mapping apps in the early days provided directions but not navigation. That is, they didn't have "turn-by-turn" functionality. Google introduced TBT on Android in 2009, but refused to do the same on iOS unless Apple handed over all their user data. Since Apple wouldn't do that, for obvious reasons, they began working on their own solution, which was introduced in 2012. Shortly thereafter, apparently fearing the massive loss of Maps users to Apple, Google released Maps on the App Store with TBT. So really we have Google and its data-sucking machine to thank for the mess of 2012-era Apple Maps.

Wow. I didn't know this.

 

[hirsthirst]

I default to Apple Maps on my phone as I prefer the cleaner design & find the driving directions easier to use, particularly in landscape on a magnetic vent mount. The native integration with Calendar and Contacts etc is clearly also an advantage.

Google Maps has a better database of commercial listings, so if I was searching a 'category' rather than a specific name or address then I'd use that instead, but I still find it cluttered and busy on iPhone. I'd default to Google on computer when there's more screen space.

I don't use either regularly enough to see any meaningful differences in routing or accuracy etc - I've always got where I'm going ...

 

[macmac30]

iPhone users are increasingly finding reasons to choose Apple Maps over Google Maps, with some customers commending its clear public transport directions and visually appealing design.

That's according to anecdotal reports collected by The Wall Street Journal (paywalled). While Apple Maps comes preinstalled on all iPhones, the overwhelming majority of iPhones in the U.S. have Google Maps downloaded as an alternative, according to Canalys.

But that hasn't stopped some users becoming particularly impressed by how far Apple's transit route information has come. The app is often recommended by users for its cleaner view versus the more cluttered design of Google Maps.

For example, Jane Natoli, a Google Maps "power user" told WSJ she finds herself using Apple Maps more in her everyday life after her iPhone prompted her to use it in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The app knew she was at the airport and offered recommendations for shops and restaurants in her terminal. It had clearer information that was easier to interact with than Google Maps, said the 42-year-old.
A recent graduate from Georgia Tech shared a similar sentiment. At night while driving, she said she finds that the roads are easier to look at on Apple Maps, and there are fewer points of interest cluttering her view. "Apple's really good at making things look pretty," she told the outlet.

Apple Maps launched in 2012 and was quickly criticized for having incomplete and inaccurate mapping data, which led some iPhone users on dangerous routes. Apple CEO Tim Cook offered a rare public apology for the frustration it caused customers, and then iOS chief Scott Forstall was ousted just one month later.

Since then, Apple has made significant improvements to Apple Maps, building in new features and correcting lingering errors. Real-time traffic information and navigation options for pedestrians were added to Maps in 2013, which is also the same year Maps was extended to OS X. In 2015, Maps was updated with "Nearby," a feature that offers up local points of interest and transit directions in a handful of cities.

In early 2020, Apple completed a complete overhaul of its maps in the United States, featuring significantly greater detail including updated building massing, parks, sports field, pools, and more. A new Look Around feature in select cities is similar to Google's Street View, and the updated maps have been rolling out to more countries in the time since. In iOS 17, coming in the fall, users will be able to download maps for offline use in Apple Maps – something Google Maps users have been able to do now for quite some time.

Praise for Apple's offering isn't by any means universal. One user told WSJ she was frequently led astray by Apple Maps as she walks around Boston, while another user said his experience with Apple Maps via CarPlay had often added time on to his commute by taking him through neighborhoods with stop signs in an effort to avoid gridlock.

Apple Maps still gets a bad rap among some users, but Apple's continued efforts to improve the app appear to have helped reverse some of those opinions. "Maps has come a long way, and people have noticed," Craig Federighi, Apple's head of software, said during WWDC in June. Are you more or less likely to use Apple Maps these days? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Apple Maps Gradually Winning Over Google Maps Users, Report Suggests

The only thing keeping me from moving from Google to Apple Maps are the hundreds of saved locations that I have marked in Google Maps going back well over a decade. is there a way to easily import these in to Apple Maps?

 

[Grumpyman]

maybe its a UK thing but I use Google maps only because it has a satellite/aerial view whilst driving which is really nice on the screen.
Apple Maps don't do that in the UK or at least I can't find a setting for it.
So until then its google maps for me

 

[tylersdad]

I'm sure it's better than it used to be, but it still has terrible algorithms for determining step-by-step directions. It regularly gives me directions which take me down tiny neighborhood backroads with tons of stop signs and unprotected turns because it's 200 feet shorter distance than taking the main roads.

 

[Grumpyman]

maybe its a UK thing but I use Google maps only because it has a satellite/aerial view whilst driving which is really nice on the screen.
Apple Maps don't do that in the UK or at least I can't find a setting for it.
So until then its google maps for me

Ooops. i just hit the top right icon in apple maps and there is satellite view haha i bet i get shouted at now for replying to myself but I'm old so i don't care

 

[STC1709]

ill always be a google maps person