Apple Maps Launches Revamped Data Collection Website

[Dunk the Lunk]

As I mentioned before I have reported only once an error in Apple maps which was never corrected. You mentioned that in the US Apple will correct everything in 24-48 errors from your experience.

I just tried to correct another error again but in order to report the problem I need to send a photo to Apple. How am I supposed to do that if I'm not at the exact place? There are some terrible mistakes with street names in Apple maps and I have no way to report them without a photo ! Where I live there are streets that share the same name and all of them have the name misspelled ! Should I start going from street to street taking photos to help Apple? !

To be fair Google aren’t much better at fixing incorrect road names, even in a major market like the UK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-47000953

Edit: just checked and Apple Maps also has this wrong. I’ve submitted an error report (without adding a photo) - I’ll report back on if it gets updated!

 

[dialogos]

I’ve rarely submitted a photo with my corrections. Why do you HAVE to??

It’s an option.

I'm trying to correct the number as well, not only the street name. Unless I'm really missing something doesn't look like an option to me. How do you fix the numbering from your side?

Edit: You're right. I updated a street name and I typed the proper number in the "optional information" without a photo. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I will update you if they fix it. It's the same street I reported 2 years ago.

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To be fair Google aren’t much better at fixing miss names roads, even in a major market like the UK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-47000953

But eventually they fixed it Just kidding.

I don't get it how Google had good maps years ago even in countries where English is not the default language. That means they have to deal with different alphabets and they were getting the names correct !

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

I don't get it how Google had good maps years ago even in countries where English is not the default language. That means they have to deal with different alphabets and they were getting the names correct !

Because they purchased the data from a different, probably local supplier, rather than TomTom?
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Me too. This was a fascinating dive into Apple Maps and Google Maps -- and specifically the latest detail updates to Apple Maps.

https://www.justinobeirne.com/new-apple-maps

Definitely confirms what I've generally experienced: Apple Maps is getting quite good for wayfinding, but lags Google in place and business labelling.

Looks like this guy posts about once a year on the topic of digital app-based maps -- wish it was more!

Thanks for posting the link to the Justin Beirne article. An absolutely facinating analysis of Apple Maps and well worth a read whether you love or hate them.

 

[MozMan68]

Except they are second or in all these categories, worldwide. Just like maps!

Being number two in sales does not mean number two in customer satisfaction, innovation, ease of use...or even preference.

Porsche (or Mercedes, or Audi...) isn’t the number one selling car.

Apple is in fact the number one selling phone (iPhone) in the world overall (all models)...just not the number one selling operating system (more Android phones sold).

 

[ignatius345]

As I mentioned before I have reported only once an error in Apple maps which was never corrected. You mentioned that in the US Apple will correct everything in 24-48 errors from your experience.

I just tried to correct another error again but in order to report the problem I need to send a photo to Apple. How am I supposed to do that if I'm not at the exact place? There are some terrible mistakes with street names in Apple maps and I have no way to report them without a photo ! Where I live there are streets that share the same name and all of them have the name misspelled ! Should I start going from street to street taking photos to help Apple? !

I've reported at least a dozen errors to Apple Maps and have never been asked to supply a photo -- and every one of them has been corrected (with a direct notification back to me) within a week.

I have never reported a wrongly-named street, though. I wonder if street names are a particular instance in which Apple requires a photo so people don't vandalize their maps by submitting spurious bug reports.
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I earnestly tried Apple Maps a couple years ago and it often would ignore portions of main roads thereby sending me on circular back-country journeys. Every time I used Apple Maps something strange would happen. I gave up and went back to using Google Maps.

Navigation accuracy is more important than streetscapes.

Was Maps rerouting you to avoid traffic? On road trip last year to the American Southeast, we were routed on a big, multi-lane highway but as traffic started to pile up, we were given the option to take a reconfigured route along smaller roads. These options kept coming up, and we kept taking them through all kinds of little back roads. At the end of this 5-hour drive, we arrived at our motel within 30 minutes of the arrival time we were given at the very beginning.

I would also double-check that Maps is not set to "avoid highways". On this same road trip, we had a day where we had plenty of time to get to our next destination and set this option and were taken through lots of very beautiful back-country roads. We were told right off the bat this would add 2 hours to our trip but we did it anyway. Obviously not desirable in many situations, but a nice feature to have.

In my experience, Apple Maps has been excellent for driving and transit in the portions of the US I've used it in (Northeast, Southeast, Pacific Northwest, North and South California) and even in parts of Europe. What it has NOT been as good at is finding businesses. That's where Google still has a huge edge.

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

Was Maps rerouting you to avoid traffic? On road trip last year to the American Southeast, we were routed on a big, multi-lane highway but as traffic started to pile up, we were given the option to take a reconfigured route along smaller roads. These options kept coming up, and we kept taking them through all kinds of little back roads. At the end of this 5-hour drive, we arrived at our motel within 30 minutes of the arrival time we were given at the very beginning.

I would also double-check that Maps is not set to "avoid highways". On this same road trip, we had a day where we had plenty of time to get to our next destination and set this option and were taken through lots of very beautiful back-country roads. We were told right off the bat this would add 2 hours to our trip but we did it anyway. Obviously not desirable in many situations, but a nice feature to have.

In my experience, Apple Maps has been excellent for driving and transit in the portions of the US I've used it in (Northeast, Southeast, Pacific Northwest, North and South California) and even in parts of Europe. What it has NOT been as good at is finding businesses. That's where Google still has a huge edge.

Yep, the Apple Maps search engine is still pretty rubbish and (in the U.K. at least) the POI are of variable quality at best. However the routing engine is great. It’s shown me loads of short cuts or different routes I or Google Maps hadn’t considered, and often gives you the option to divert away from traffic mid trip

 

[dialogos]

I've reported at least a dozen errors to Apple Maps and have never been asked to supply a photo -- and every one of them has been corrected (with a direct notification back to me) within a week.

I have never reported a wrongly-named street, though. I wonder if street names are a particular instance in which Apple requires a photo so people don't vandalize their maps by submitting spurious bug reports.
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Hello Ignatius345

I don't know if you live in the US but things are different over there.

As an update to my previous post I reported few wrongly-named streets. Apple didn't correct any of them so far. It's exactly the same experience I had a few years ago.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Where's the option for people to blur their home like on Google Maps?

https://www.offthegridnews.com/privacy/how-to-hide-your-house-from-google-maps/

Do you hate where you live?

 

[The last time]

Google Maps take corrections seriously. I live in a new community and Apple repeatedly ignores corrections submitted by those of us living here (Apple adds intersection locations that don’t exist, if they’d only look at their own satellite imagery!). These are serious mistakes that could result in injury or death (accident last week involved a pregnant woman airlifted from one of these fake intersections). Google includes our corrections and goes further delineating new land developments fast. It’s really quite appalling how Apple behaves around user feedback.

 

[MozMan68]

Google Maps take corrections seriously. I live in a new community and Apple repeatedly ignores corrections submitted by those of us living here (Apple adds intersection locations that don’t exist, if they’d only look at their own satellite imagery!). These are serious mistakes that could result in injury or death (accident last week involved a pregnant woman airlifted from one of these fake intersections). Google includes our corrections and goes further delineating new land developments fast. It’s really quite appalling how Apple behaves around user feedback.

I like how your post infers that a pregnant woman got in an accident because of Apple Maps. I’m sure if that was true, we ALL would have heard about that on the news.

Apple, like nearly EVERY map solution outside of Google does not (yet) own its own mapping solution as you should know if you’ve even read one story these threads are based on...TomTom is most likely to blame for the incorrect maps you reference...and are still not responsible for any accident that may have happened.

 

[The last time]

I like how your post infers that a pregnant woman got in an accident because of Apple Maps. I’m sure if that was true, we ALL would have heard about that on the news.

Apple, like nearly EVERY map solution outside of Google does not (yet) own its own mapping solution as you should know if you’ve even read one story these threads are based on...TomTom is most likely to blame for the incorrect maps you reference...and are still not responsible for any accident that may have happened.

Did you know Apple has a feedback option on its map service?

 

[MozMan68]

Did you know Apple has a feedback option on its map service?

Classic troll post...

Every single person on here seems to know that the feedback option is there...and that it is forwarded on to the data providers responsible...who, in turn, make it do not make the corrections for whatever reason...and as I clearly stated in my post above (but you are choosing to ignore, because “troll”) is TomTom, not Apple.

TomTom updates its maps 4 times a year and obviously that does NOT mean every correction submitted to them.

I guess we will never hear from you about this accident with the pregnant woman...link to news article about it? How about details about this new community you live in showing comparisons between Google Maps and Apple for reference? And no, please don’t tell us you won’t share it because we will then know where you live, because that’s ridiculous and a cop out.

 

[dialogos]

Google Maps take corrections seriously. I live in a new community and Apple repeatedly ignores corrections submitted by those of us living here (Apple adds intersection locations that don’t exist, if they’d only look at their own satellite imagery!). These are serious mistakes that could result in injury or death (accident last week involved a pregnant woman airlifted from one of these fake intersections). Google includes our corrections and goes further delineating new land developments fast. It’s really quite appalling how Apple behaves around user feedback.

I'm sorry if something like that happened. I agree that Apple doesn't correct corrections - at least that's my experience where I live. It's very annoying.

Despite the fact though that Apple maps is not my preference, I'm curious how can you blame Apple for a car accident? I have also seen some outrageous mistakes in Apple maps but I pay attention to the road while driving! Any mapping software is just a helpful tool that doesn't replace a driver's responsibility.

Where did this accident with the pregnant woman happen and how do you know it was Apple's fault?

 

[tennisproha]

Can you show what you are referring to??

Marked Location
https://maps.apple.com/?address=Sta...rQkAx6UkIjHyRXsA52VjvlVnCQkBB8p5uhvaCXsA=&t=h

 

[MozMan68]

Marked Location
https://maps.apple.com/?address=Sta...rQkAx6UkIjHyRXsA52VjvlVnCQkBB8p5uhvaCXsA=&t=h

I guess I’m confused. What is messed up about them? Looks like really nice 3D to me.

 

[tennisproha]

I guess I’m confused. What is messed up about them? Looks like really nice 3D to me.

The parked cars, trees, etc. From my understanding that was the criticism, that the renderings look bad.

So what exactly has changed then if that wasn’t what they were fixing? Because otherwise it looks just like it has since day 1.

 

[MozMan68]

The parked cars, trees, etc. From my understanding that was the criticism, that the renderings look bad.

So what exactly has changed then if that wasn’t what they were fixing? Because otherwise it looks just like it has since day 1.

Areas with 3D will only be updated as needed...that was pretty well set.

It’s the addition of 3D buildings in map view that is being enhanced.

The fact that every building in the satellite view as well as pools, tennis courts, baseball fields, etc. is represented is the biggest update. Still needs some work on roof shapes/pitches etc, but I think that has a low priority right now.

Google Maps on iPhone shows some more detail in some spots, but is missing so much detail in other areas mentioned above. And the color is washed out IMO and makes it hard to tell what you are looking at (lots of grey). I’ve always preferred Apple Maps for this reason over all others.

Comparing the Apple 3D satellite to Google shows how much better (to me at least) Apple is in this same area (cars and trees in particular.

Apple

Google Earth

 

[tennisproha]

Areas with 3D will only be updated as needed...that was pretty well set.

It’s the addition of 3D buildings in map view that is being enhanced.

The fact that every building in the satellite view as well as pools, tennis courts, baseball fields, etc. is represented is the biggest update. Still needs some work on roof shapes/pitches etc, but I think that has a low priority right now.

Google Maps on iPhone shows some more detail in some spots, but is missing so much detail in other areas mentioned above. And the color is washed out IMO and makes it hard to tell what you are looking at (lots of grey). I’ve always preferred Apple Maps for this reason over all others.

Comparing the Apple 3D satellite to Google shows how much better (to me at least) Apple is in this same area (cars and trees in particular.

Apple

Google Earth

Ah I must’ve misunderstood. Was none of that stuff 3D before? I was assuming they were using the cars rigged with the cameras to update the street level data. What are the cars being used for then?

Huh I didn’t realize Google Earth was actually worse at cars and trees then Apple Maps. Honestly I’ve actually always preferred Apple Maps navigation and UI. It looks gorgeous. They just need better data integration to make it great imo. Been trying to convince others of this. Great to see your side-by-side comparison.

 

[MozMan68]

Ah I must’ve misunderstood. Was none of that stuff 3D before? I was assuming they were using the cars rigged with the cameras to update the street level data. What are the cars being used for then?

Huh I didn’t realize Google Earth was actually worse at cars and trees then Apple Maps. Honestly I’ve actually always preferred Apple Maps navigation and UI. It looks gorgeous. They just need better data integration to make it great imo. Been trying to convince others of this. Great to see your side-by-side comparison.

Yes...Apple Maps vans WILL do that, but that will be for whatever their version of “StreetView” ends up being.

Since they are using Lidar instead of pictures like Google, one will be able to zoom in from space and have a continuous, seamless view of what they are looking at...even to the point of “walking” indoors at some locations.

And yeah, the vans are mapping the streets, reading signs, blah blah blah. The tech is so much more advanced than what anyone else is doing, it will make the maps better than anything else.

I think what is wrong is that people assume they can just turn all this on. What we are seeing in CA is just some improved layers of the map, mostly visual, with some of the newer data helping. Even CA will get much better as they work through all the raw data.

 

[tennisproha]

Yes...Apple Maps vans WILL do that, but that will be for whatever their version of “StreetView” ends up being.

Since they are using Lidar instead of pictures like Google, one will be able to zoom in from space and have a continuous, seamless view of what they are looking at...even to the point of “walking” indoors at some locations.

And yeah, the vans are mapping the streets, reading signs, blah blah blah. The tech is so much more advanced than what anyone else is doing, it will make the maps better than anything else.

I think what is wrong is that people assume they can just turn all this on. What we are seeing in CA is just some improved layers of the map, mostly visual, with some of the newer data helping. Even CA will get much better as they work through all the raw data.

Ah okay, that makes sense. I prefer Flyover over StreetView because it’s free-axis. Even now I can simulate a drive on Apple Maps, something you can’t do on Google StreetView easily.

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

Ah I must’ve misunderstood. Was none of that stuff 3D before? I was assuming they were using the cars rigged with the cameras to update the street level data. What are the cars being used for then?

Huh I didn’t realize Google Earth was actually worse at cars and trees then Apple Maps. Honestly I’ve actually always preferred Apple Maps navigation and UI. It looks gorgeous. They just need better data integration to make it great imo. Been trying to convince others of this. Great to see your side-by-side comparison.

Maybe you should read the article posted earlier in the thread by ignatius345?

https://www.justinobeirne.com/new-apple-maps

 

[tennisproha]

Yes...Apple Maps vans WILL do that, but that will be for whatever their version of “StreetView” ends up being.

Since they are using Lidar instead of pictures like Google, one will be able to zoom in from space and have a continuous, seamless view of what they are looking at...even to the point of “walking” indoors at some locations.

And yeah, the vans are mapping the streets, reading signs, blah blah blah. The tech is so much more advanced than what anyone else is doing, it will make the maps better than anything else.

I think what is wrong is that people assume they can just turn all this on. What we are seeing in CA is just some improved layers of the map, mostly visual, with some of the newer data helping. Even CA will get much better as they work through all the raw data.

Maybe you should read the article posted earlier in the thread by ignatius345?

https://www.justinobeirne.com/new-apple-maps

Wow interesting find. I didn’t see it. Thanks.

What’s interesting is I’m not sure their conclusion is right. Although I agree Google would naturally cater its maps towards aligning it with places, I think Apples approach is different. Data is king. Apple is supposedly collecting enormous amounts of data right now. Apple Maps data integration has always been the biggest issue with it.

Apple seems to be taking more of a cartography approach to maps, which is better imo. Once they have all this data they can structure it best based on how they want to present Maps, showing or hiding features based on the use case. The Yelp integration just seems to be a stopgap until they’re acquired their own data. Not collecting start and end point data from devices doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t have a popular times feature as that data could be pulled from satellites or even anonymized location info from devices.

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

To be fair Google aren’t much better at fixing incorrect road names, even in a major market like the UK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-47000953

Edit: just checked and Apple Maps also has this wrong. I’ve submitted an error report (without adding a photo) - I’ll report back on if it gets updated!

Just a quick update-no sign of a fix for the The Ladder. However a number other issues I reported at the same time (POIs in the wrong place) were fixed within 3 days. So I assume the road name IS an issue with (updating) TomTom data?

 

[MozMan68]

Just a quick update-no sign of a fix for the The Ladder. However a number other issues I reported at the same time (POIs in the wrong place) were fixed within 3 days. So I assume the road name IS an issue with (updating) TomTom data?

Probably....street names are no joke and require serious synchronization with government agency’s and other data suppliers (at least for a “real” mapping supplier)

POI’s is an easy layer that they’ve always controlled.