Apple Maps Transit Directions Now Available in Taiwan

[MacRumors]

Apple recently updated its Maps app to add transit directions and data for Taiwan, one of the locations where hints of transit support surfaced months ago.

Maps users in Taiwan can now select public transportation routes when navigating across the country, with transit options available in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and other cities.

Support is available for the Taiwan Railway and Taiwan High Speed Rail, as well as for city-specific transit options like the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit and Taipei Metro.

Transit directions were first added to Apple Maps in 2015 as part of iOS 9. At launch, transit information was only available in a handful of cities, but Apple has been working hard to expand the feature to additional locations. Transit information is now live in dozens of cities and countries around the world, with a full list available on Apple's iOS 11 Feature Availability website.

(Thanks, Benjamén!)

Article Link: Apple Maps Transit Directions Now Available in Taiwan

 

[ra.skill]

About time!

 

[goshya]

Any chance of using Apple maps offline?

Downloading a map before going to another country?

No?

—> Back to Google maps

 

[NewPilgrim]

That's great! I've been waiting for it. Now I no longer have to open the Google Maps App...

 

[sguser]

That's great! I've been waiting for it. Now I no longer have to open the Google Maps App...

You might still want to use Google Maps once in a while. Apple Maps transit directions sometimes kinda dumb.

For example, when I ask for transit directions to the nearest metro station from my home, Apple Maps suggests I walk all the way (1.5km). Although there is a bus stop, which is 10 meters past the entrance to the metro station. Google Maps correctly suggests to take a bus and walk back 10 meters.

 

[truthertech]

You might still want to use Google Maps once in a while. Apple Maps transit directions sometimes kinda dumb.

For example, when I ask for transit directions to the nearest metro station from my home, Apple Maps suggests I walk all the way (1.5km). Although there is a bus stop, which is 10 meters past the entrance to the metro station. Google Maps correctly suggests to take a bus and walk back 10 meters.

Actually, Apple Maps transit directions are considered far superior to the ones on GM. The reason is that Google chose to simply import all the data at once for every location from third party suppliers. Google has received a lot of criticism for the accuracy of the data, etc. Apple could have done the same thing and simply "turned on" every location at once. Instead, Apple is spending a great deal more time and money to customize each location. Here is a great article that explains why Apple chose to do it different and why folks are much happier with Apple's approach.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/07/07/why-apples-transit-maps-are-rolling-out-so-slowly

 

[justperry]

Actually, Apple Maps transit directions are considered far superior to the ones on GM. The reason is that Google chose to simply import all the data at once for every location from third party suppliers. Google has received a lot of criticism for the accuracy of the data, etc. Apple could have done the same thing and simply "turned on" every location at once. Instead, Apple is spending a great deal more time and money to customize each location. Here is a great article that explains why Apple chose to do it different and why folks are much happier with Apple's approach.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/07/07/why-apples-transit-maps-are-rolling-out-so-slowly

Not only that, people complain about Apple maps each and every time on here.
Just lately I was on holiday in Germany/Austria/Liechtenstein and Google maps was wrong several times while Apple showed the right way.

 

[Yaemon]

Great news, finally!

 

[truthertech]

Not only that, people complain about Apple maps each and every time on here.
Just lately I was on holiday in Germany/Austria/Liechtenstein and Google maps was wrong several times while Apple showed the right way.

The sad part is that they are missing out based on some Internet fake news. Regardless of whether it is a default app, no one is going to keep using an mapping app that frequently gets them to the wrong place or by wrong method since there are multiple free and good alternatives that take less than 60 seconds to download, e.g., Google Maps. That's why the best proof of AM's excellence is that it has steadily grown from zero users to now being used over a third of TRILLION times a year!

Apple Maps was an admitted disaster when first launched, but they have steadily improved it, to the point where the interface, IMO, is now better than GM, and it is as accurate or better than GM. I say this as someone who travels a lot, and has monitored and used both side by side for comparison purposes. For example, I was just in Boston and NH and while traveling out of Boston had both on. GM gave wrong turns at one point while AM steered me correctly. With iOS 11's "lane assist' and speed limit displays, GM's only remaining advantages are slightly better search and street view., which was great when it first came out but is now a very clunky feature. Apple has a better overall interface and protects privacy, while Google is tracking everywhere you go and linking it to your "universal identifier," so it is an easy choice for me. When Apple finishes its all new base map in 2018 and introduces the new "sky to ground" smooth interface, it will be no choice.

 

[hot ham water]

The sad part is that they are missing out based on some Internet fake news. Regardless of whether it is a default app, no one is going to keep using an mapping app that frequently gets them to the wrong place or by wrong method since there are multiple free and good alternatives that take less than 60 seconds to download, e.g., Google Maps. That's why the best proof of AM's excellence is that it has steadily grown from zero users to now being used over a third of TRILLION times a year!

Apple Maps was an admitted disaster when first launched, but they have steadily improved it, to the point where the interface, IMO, is now better than GM, and it is as accurate or better than GM. I say this as someone who travels a lot, and has monitored and used both side by side for comparison purposes. For example, I was just in Boston and NH and while traveling out of Boston had both on. GM gave wrong turns at one point while AM steered me correctly. With iOS 11's "lane assist' and speed limit displays, GM's only remaining advantages are slightly better search and street view., which was great when it first came out but is now a very clunky feature. Apple has a better overall interface and protects privacy, while Google is tracking everywhere you go and linking it to your "universal identifier," so it is an easy choice for me. When Apple finishes its all new base map in 2018 and introduces the new "sky to ground" smooth interface, it will be no choice.

The last time I used AM was on ios 10 and it was an absolute mess. It directed me to the back of a store, in a dirt parking lot where the dumpsters are. Google maps has now started to add parking lots to their directions, showing where within a mall’s parking lot I should drive in order to access the mall’s entrance nearest the store I need. I’m not a google evangelist, but I’ve never understood the need Apple feels for making a product parallel to one from a competing company. I can’t imagine AM’s transit directions in Taiwan are any better than existing apps for the same system; I feel that Apple is wasting money and resources on things that plenty of other companies have already done, and done well.

 

[hagar]

The sad part is that they are missing out based on some Internet fake news. Regardless of whether it is a default app, no one is going to keep using an mapping app that frequently gets them to the wrong place or by wrong method since there are multiple free and good alternatives that take less than 60 seconds to download, e.g., Google Maps. That's why the best proof of AM's excellence is that it has steadily grown from zero users to now being used over a third of TRILLION times a year!

Apple Maps was an admitted disaster when first launched, but they have steadily improved it, to the point where the interface, IMO, is now better than GM, and it is as accurate or better than GM. I say this as someone who travels a lot, and has monitored and used both side by side for comparison purposes. For example, I was just in Boston and NH and while traveling out of Boston had both on. GM gave wrong turns at one point while AM steered me correctly. With iOS 11's "lane assist' and speed limit displays, GM's only remaining advantages are slightly better search and street view., which was great when it first came out but is now a very clunky feature. Apple has a better overall interface and protects privacy, while Google is tracking everywhere you go and linking it to your "universal identifier," so it is an easy choice for me. When Apple finishes its all new base map in 2018 and introduces the new "sky to ground" smooth interface, it will be no choice.

Slightly better search?? You must be kidding right? Google search in Maps is vastly superior than Apple Maps. Unless you type in the exact name of a place (included prepositions, dashes, etc) you’ll end up in the wrong place. And don’t get me started with Siri who frequently sends me 1000km away instead of a nearby shop.

I do hate Google Maps interface and avoid it as much as possible. And sometimes Apple Maps is more correct in giving directions than Google. But they need to step up their game in both search and traffic info. The other day, Apple maps set me on a highway that’s was closed off and suggested to be stuck in traffic for 2hours (so it knew about the traffic jam) while google sent me around it.

 

[truthertech]

Slightly better search?? You must be kidding right? Google search in Maps is vastly superior than Apple Maps. Unless you type in the exact name of a place (included prepositions, dashes, etc) you’ll end up in the wrong place. And don’t get me started with Siri who frequently sends me 1000km away instead of a nearby shop.

I do hate Google Maps interface and avoid it as much as possible. And sometimes Apple Maps is more correct in giving directions than Google. But they need to step up their game in both search and traffic info. The other day, Apple maps set me on a highway that’s was closed off and suggested to be stuck in traffic for 2hours (so it knew about the traffic jam) while google sent me around it.

You must not have used Apple Maps search since iOS9 because the search on it isn't anything like what you describe. I travel all over the country, a lot. I have both on my phone and frequently use both at the same time to "watch the competition," as I drive through cities. I need to be able to rely on the the accuracy of mapping service and the search. If I couldn't rely on Apple Maps, as none of us could when it was originally launched, I would simply use GM. I have watched AM grow up and overtake GM in several areas. For search, the vast majority of times, search on Apple Maps finds what I am looking for without any problem; Google does slightly better still in search.
[doublepost=1508000444][/doublepost]

The last time I used AM was on ios 10 and it was an absolute mess. It directed me to the back of a store, in a dirt parking lot where the dumpsters are. Google maps has now started to add parking lots to their directions, showing where within a mall’s parking lot I should drive in order to access the mall’s entrance nearest the store I need. I’m not a google evangelist, but I’ve never understood the need Apple feels for making a product parallel to one from a competing company. I can’t imagine AM’s transit directions in Taiwan are any better than existing apps for the same system; I feel that Apple is wasting money and resources on things that plenty of other companies have already done, and done well.

The problem isn't your imagination, it's reality. AM's transit directions are very different than GM and others. Apple could have chose to turn on transit directions everywhere all at once simply by importing the data from third parties, as Google did, but Google has been heavily criticized for the accuracy of transit. Apple had a disaster of a roll out of Maps, so they are methodically implementing new features to be the best in the industry. Here's an article that well explains how Apple is approaching and implementing a very different type of transit directions than Google.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/07/07/why-apples-transit-maps-are-rolling-out-so-slowly

Apple didn't become the most valuable company in the world and doesn't dominate almost every market it chooses to compete in by looking around and saying, "Oh, someone is already doing that, we better think of something else to do." No, Apple looks at something and says "How can we do it better for our customers?" Apple has well over a thousand engineers, etc., working on Maps. The reason is that mapping is a foundational aspect of so much of what they do know and what the future of the company is. They are building an entire new base map that is supposed to be finished next year. That will enable a whole new slew of features, such as Sky to Ground mapping that will blow the clunky Street View by GM out of the water. Apple Maps started from scratch to where it is now used many billions of times a week and vastly more often by its customers than any of the other like GM, even though they are free and have had a big head start.

 

[flylcarusfly]

Exciting news! Wish it had been available when I was visited. Transit is one area where I think Apple Maps outshines Google Maps. Unlike Google's transit maps, theirs are really aesthetically pleasing and easy to read. Also, I love the option of seeing a bus route instead of just being able to see all the stops like on Google. I wish Apple would add a streets view option and the ability to overlay their transit and satellite maps.