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Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

pruppert said:
Still waiting on Look Around (introduced 2019) to be everywhere instead of just SF etc.
And still waiting on the high detail maps (introduced 2021) to be everywhere instead of just SF etc.

Anymore, I find it hard to get pumped about new feature announcements for Apple Maps because their recent track record is to announce at WWDC and then never deliver. Why not announce a feature when it is ready to use in 90% of the US (or whatever region they think is priority) at day one?
Click to expand...
Agreed. What's the difference to *you* between a feature that doesn't exist and a feature that isn't available in your area? I guess Apple gets more hype for launching a feature than for expanding it to another city or country, so they give way less priority to that?

Speaking of which, I'd use Apple Maps more if it supported public transport. "It does, since iOS 9!" yes, but Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are the only two cities in all of South America to have public transit data, so to me it might as well not exist.
 
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That would be good I guess but I'd so much more really like to be able to show bike paths on the map
 
Would be a great feature.

I love Maps iOS integration and UI but it still lags behind Google in data. Google Maps has become a sort of modern yellow book with a lot more user uploaded photos/reviews and business hours than Yelp
 
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coachgq said:
How does it lag behind? I put an address in and it tells me how to get there. Is there stuff I’m missing out on?
Click to expand...

Just to name a few:

  • Photos and reviews are not in app, it takes me to Yelp. It's been like this for years. I don't want to use another app, I want to use Apple Maps
  • Photos on Google Maps are segmented into different categories such as pictures of the menu, food, interior, specific must-try food
  • Reviews on Google Maps let you filter by different subcategories like in person eating vs. take out, reviews for specific food, etc.
  • Google Maps has a 'menu' tab that lets you see pictures of top menu items along with prices for each item
  • Google Maps has a 'popular times' trends graph with real time data on how busy the location is, this is really useful
  • Google Maps tells you how long people typically spend at a destination depending on how busy it is
  • Google Maps has an actual price range graph unlike Apple which just displays a "$$" symbol, tells you nothing
  • Google Maps has in app reservations, powered by a third party but still can be done in app
  • Google Maps has a community Q&A section ("Can I take my dog on the patio?")
  • Google Maps has profiles for everyone that leaves a review so you can check out other places that person enjoys, generally speaking Google Maps has social elements that are missing from Apple Maps. Apple Maps feels like it's limited to displaying basic web scraped data, Google Maps feels like the value comes from a community that supplements the base data.
  • Google Maps shows you similar places nearby to whatever you're viewing
  • Google Maps street view is higher resolution, generally better quality, and better availability
  • Google Maps has better availability and accuracy across the board actually, from businesses to road and walkway mapping
  • Google Maps tells you if there's parking available nearby before starting navigation
  • Google Maps can remind you when to leave if you decide to arrive by a particular time.
  • Google Maps has better accident and closure data. Funnily enough Bing Maps has the best data on road closures ("Alternate lane closures for bridge repair" is brilliant, shocked that Google can't pull this off)
  • Google Maps shows me where to expect road work in the trip overview before starting navigation
  • Bing Maps taps into open traffic cameras so you can see the traffic for yourself
Apple Maps is a lot prettier and I trust the privacy a bit more when marking places as favorites or adding them to lists. The on road navigation experience is also better integrated with Apple Watch and I prefer some of the navigation instructions. Other than that, it's still lagging behind Google exponentially when it comes to in app exploration. If I'm taking a long trip and want the best possible navigation data I still use Google Maps. If I'm looking for new places to eat or explore, I still use Google Maps because it's leagues above Apple Maps' in app experience. I use the real time 'busy factor' graph before going to a frequent spot to figure out if I should go later or on another day.

Apple Maps has some way to go before it catches up to the wide feature set of Google Maps. If you're in a golden zone where Apple Maps has accurate map/navigation data and you're exclusively interested in "putting in an address and being told how to get there" then I guess Apple Maps is fine.
 
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I prefer Apple Maps for my job, as found at least one function where Apple Maps shines over Google and that’s with finding named houses in a road.
Trouble finding a named house(especially in rural areas) and it takes you direct to it every time when I’ve used it.

Here’s an example of a named property near where I live, Apple pretty much before I’ve even stopped typing shows the result whereas Google fails even after typing the whole name.

IMG_3982.jpeg
 
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I use Maps everyday, but it definitely has its shortcomings:
- speed limits are a joke. At least in Europe they are wrong I guess 80% of the time. It makes me wonder how they got them so wrong. Maybe they just threw them on the map randomly.
- Business/POI locations and info are still wrong or outdated.
- Routing is not quick to update, in some cases it suggest a route that I know is 10 minutes longer, but it keeps suggesting it, until I drive down the quicker option. And then it silently updates without any apology ;-)
- local road works and closures are severely lacking. When I drive in a big city, I switch to Waze.
 
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ericinboston said:
I've been asking since the Garmin days of 2006: Give me a feature where the Map takes me to my destination (say from my house to a restaurant) and then when I want to go home, take me THE SAME WAY (other than obvious issues like a One Way) home. It drives me nuts that all these map apps will take completely different ways each direction from A to B and B to A. I want this feature often because:
  1. It will teach me a way to go from A to B (and vice versa) the same nifty route that I enjoy and in the future I may not need the GPS
  2. It may totally avoid highways or terrible roads
  3. It may be very scenic
  4. It may take me near a particular store/place that might want to pop into.

If such a feature already exists on Apple Maps or Google Maps, I'd love to hear about it.
Click to expand...
But it maybe faster to go a different way at different times of the day.
 
jarman92 said:
Honestly they should just work out a deal with Google to integrate their business info (the thing I mostly care about) and reviews.

But I vaguely remember reading something a few months ago about Apple prompting users for reviews in Maps 🤔
Click to expand...
Yeah I remember that too. But they cannot crowd source their way out of being late to the game.
Of course they will try because all the money they have is there to make stockholders happy, not to actually create superior products…
Apple is not a company to that attracts many idealists anymore. And those that are still sticking around and actually identify with Apple are decreasing every year.
But what do I know, I’ve only been an Apple user for 23 years, so maybe those who’ve been around for 40+ years feel differently…
 
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I usually don't have problems with Apple Maps anymore but in the last month it sent me to completely other places than what I was asking for. I lost 45 minutes, nearly lost an appointment, and lost a bit of gas.

I still can't believe they fired Forstall over this, when they still can't get it right 12 years later. He actually accomplished a feat, doing that in so little time.
 
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zakarhino said:
Just to name a few:

  • Photos and reviews are not in app, it takes me to Yelp. It's been like this for years. I don't want to use another app, I want to use Apple Maps
  • Photos on Google Maps are segmented into different categories such as pictures of the menu, food, interior, specific must-try food
  • Reviews on Google Maps let you filter by different subcategories like in person eating vs. take out, reviews for specific food, etc.
  • Google Maps has a 'menu' tab that lets you see pictures of top menu items along with prices for each item
  • Google Maps has a 'popular times' trends graph with real time data on how busy the location is, this is really useful
  • Google Maps tells you how long people typically spend at a destination depending on how busy it is
  • Google Maps has an actual price range graph unlike Apple which just displays a "$$" symbol, tells you nothing
  • Google Maps has in app reservations, powered by a third party but still can be done in app
  • Google Maps has a community Q&A section ("Can I take my dog on the patio?")
  • Google Maps has profiles for everyone that leaves a review so you can check out other places that person enjoys, generally speaking Google Maps has social elements that are missing from Apple Maps. Apple Maps feels like it's limited to displaying basic web scraped data, Google Maps feels like the value comes from a community that supplements the base data.
  • Google Maps shows you similar places nearby to whatever you're viewing
  • Google Maps street view is higher resolution, generally better quality, and better availability
  • Google Maps has better availability and accuracy across the board actually, from businesses to road and walkway mapping
  • Google Maps tells you if there's parking available nearby before starting navigation
  • Google Maps can remind you when to leave if you decide to arrive by a particular time.
  • Google Maps has better accident and closure data. Funnily enough Bing Maps has the best data on road closures ("Alternate lane closures for bridge repair" is brilliant, shocked that Google can't pull this off)
  • Google Maps shows me where to expect road work in the trip overview before starting navigation
  • Bing Maps taps into open traffic cameras so you can see the traffic for yourself
Apple Maps is a lot prettier and I trust the privacy a bit more when marking places as favorites or adding them to lists. The on road navigation experience is also better integrated with Apple Watch and I prefer some of the navigation instructions. Other than that, it's still lagging behind Google exponentially when it comes to in app exploration. If I'm taking a long trip and want the best possible navigation data I still use Google Maps. If I'm looking for new places to eat or explore, I still use Google Maps because it's leagues above Apple Maps' in app experience. I use the real time 'busy factor' graph before going to a frequent spot to figure out if I should go later or on another day.

Apple Maps has some way to go before it catches up to the wide feature set of Google Maps. If you're in a golden zone where Apple Maps has accurate map/navigation data and you're exclusively interested in "putting in an address and being told how to get there" then I guess Apple Maps is fine.
Click to expand...
In my opinion, a lot of this has nothing to do with maps. At least for me, maps are for how I get to where I'm going. If you put the place that you're going on your calendar, it will remind you when you need to leave. Some of this is based on user report which I wish people did more with Apple Maps.
 
I really want to use AM exclusively and ditch GM - but our city is growing so rapidly, AM just can't keep up with the changes. And I drive out of town a lot, and the realtime data just isn't good enough. I feel icky using GM though, I'd love to bail on it.
 
zakarhino said:
Just to name a few:

  • Photos and reviews are not in app, it takes me to Yelp. It's been like this for years. I don't want to use another app, I want to use Apple Maps
  • Photos on Google Maps are segmented into different categories such as pictures of the menu, food, interior, specific must-try food
  • Reviews on Google Maps let you filter by different subcategories like in person eating vs. take out, reviews for specific food, etc.
  • Google Maps has a 'menu' tab that lets you see pictures of top menu items along with prices for each item
  • Google Maps has a 'popular times' trends graph with real time data on how busy the location is, this is really useful
  • Google Maps tells you how long people typically spend at a destination depending on how busy it is
  • Google Maps has an actual price range graph unlike Apple which just displays a "$$" symbol, tells you nothing
  • Google Maps has in app reservations, powered by a third party but still can be done in app
  • Google Maps has a community Q&A section ("Can I take my dog on the patio?")
  • Google Maps has profiles for everyone that leaves a review so you can check out other places that person enjoys, generally speaking Google Maps has social elements that are missing from Apple Maps. Apple Maps feels like it's limited to displaying basic web scraped data, Google Maps feels like the value comes from a community that supplements the base data.
  • Google Maps shows you similar places nearby to whatever you're viewing
  • Google Maps street view is higher resolution, generally better quality, and better availability
  • Google Maps has better availability and accuracy across the board actually, from businesses to road and walkway mapping
  • Google Maps tells you if there's parking available nearby before starting navigation
  • Google Maps can remind you when to leave if you decide to arrive by a particular time.
  • Google Maps has better accident and closure data. Funnily enough Bing Maps has the best data on road closures ("Alternate lane closures for bridge repair" is brilliant, shocked that Google can't pull this off)
  • Google Maps shows me where to expect road work in the trip overview before starting navigation
  • Bing Maps taps into open traffic cameras so you can see the traffic for yourself
Apple Maps is a lot prettier and I trust the privacy a bit more when marking places as favorites or adding them to lists. The on road navigation experience is also better integrated with Apple Watch and I prefer some of the navigation instructions. Other than that, it's still lagging behind Google exponentially when it comes to in app exploration. If I'm taking a long trip and want the best possible navigation data I still use Google Maps. If I'm looking for new places to eat or explore, I still use Google Maps because it's leagues above Apple Maps' in app experience. I use the real time 'busy factor' graph before going to a frequent spot to figure out if I should go later or on another day.

Apple Maps has some way to go before it catches up to the wide feature set of Google Maps. If you're in a golden zone where Apple Maps has accurate map/navigation data and you're exclusively interested in "putting in an address and being told how to get there" then I guess Apple Maps is fine.
Click to expand...
This is an excellent summary wow! One other thing I love about GM is when you want to buy gas, it shows all the prices of gas stations all around you - unreal feature for a cheapskate like me.
 
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Nice addition, I have been waiting for this.

Another nice one I would love to have would be to track the route, so I can go back and check it later (just like how the Fitness app on the Apple Watch can show you what route you took running/walking/biking). It is nearly impossible to later know the path you drove, especially if it auto-updates mid-journey, or if you simply went exploring a bit outside of the suggested roads (or even stuck to the suggested roads).
 
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I saw an Apple Maps car in my small town in Florida at 5+ years ago, but no look around here yet.
 
google maps is less visually interesting and has given me incorrect information. The one thing I want in apple maps IS the ability to customize routes. Its integration with my EV battery and charging networks is also really good but unfortunately (at least with my car) requires carplay which has some disadvantages in my particular setup.
 
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Look Around is way better than Street View but Street View is everywhere whereas Look Around is just in select big cities. I wish Apple would bring it to more places as it’s so good.
 
steve09090 said:
Ive just done some investigating into it and it appears it’s not even on their roadmap, according to Waze.

I can’t see wher App,e have blocked them from using it.
Click to expand...
It’s the features that can work with other accessories. Apple Maps works best with the Apple Watch. That’s by deign
 
scorpio vega said:
Google maps is on Apple Watch so apple is not blocking apps.
Click to expand...
Is it letting google maps use the same features like vibration at turns?

I’m curious if Apple doesn’t open all watch functionality to google.

My garmin watch notifications suck in comparison thanks to Apple.
 
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