Apple Maps Vehicles Begin Surveying Canada

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that its Apple Maps vehicles are now surveying Canada for the first time over the summer months.

Apple Maps vehicle on Renforth Drive in Toronto via Reddit user whatifyoutry​

The vehicles will drive across all 10 provinces between May and November, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. The vehicles have already been spotted in the Toronto area.

Absent from Apple's list are the northern territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, which are sparsely populated.

The data collected, including the likes of road details, signage, and landmarks, will be used to improve Apple Maps as part of Apple's efforts to rebuild the service, which began in the United States.

Apple Maps with more detailed data in Northern California​

Apple's full statement:

Beginning in May, Apple Maps will be driving across Canada throughout the summer. We'll be capturing road details, signage and landmarks -- all to make the most accurate and useful Maps experience possible. The information collected will be worked on by our teams in Cupertino, California. We plan to publish this data in a future product update.

We always have your privacy in mind, so we're working closely with local regulators to ensure we follow all laws and regulations. All of our vehicles are marked Apple Maps, so you'll always know it's us.

Privacy is a fundamental Apple principle, so we're proud to build it into everything we do.

Apple Maps vehicles have also surveyed parts of the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Portugal, Croatia, Japan, Andorra, and Puerto Rico since data collection began in 2015.

Beyond improvements to Apple Maps, it has long been speculated that the data collected could benefit Apple's development of self-driving technologies or pave the way for Apple to launch its own Street View, but there is no concrete evidence at this point to suggest that either of those possibilities are true.

Article Link: Apple Maps Vehicles Begin Surveying Canada

 

[A MacBook lover]

C3 technologies scanned Street, Ariel (and pedestrian level??) 3D MAPS, Apple has been building for years.

They may have set up the best foundation for autonomous driving yet.

Maps app itself is getting pretty great. In my situation, just adding speed traps and such would make me switch fully from Waze. I don’t even use google maps anymore.

 

[macsplusmacs]

I am hoping for Apple Street View this WWDC.

 

[femike]

Good, now just a few more countries to go. Should be done by 2095.

 

[DailySlow]

Well, it better include live Moose Alerts. First Nations will decline to be mapped, thank you.

 

[w5jck]

I wish Apple would hurry up with their American street scanning. I'm sick of having to use Google Maps because Apple Maps is still inadequate. For navigation though I use a dedicated Garmin GPS mounted on my dash. I never cared to use a smartphone with Google or Apple Maps for in-car navigation.

 

[Jmausmuc]

I rather use gmaps... it’s just better.

 

[Glockworkorange]

C3 technologies scanned Street, Ariel (and pedestrian level??) 3D MAPS, Apple has been building for years.

They may have set up the best foundation for autonomous driving yet.

Maps app itself is getting pretty great. In my situation, just adding speed traps and such would make me switch fully from Waze. I don’t even use google maps anymore.

I already use Apple Maps exclusively. The CarPlay, Siri and Watch integration without good enough directions are all I need.

Nice to see people up north getting the same treatment. They've come along way since 2012; they really should've announced the product in beta.

 

[nwcs]

What Apple hasn’t explained is how long it takes from the mapping to when it is reflected in the Maps app. I have been through some areas that they claimed to have gone through earlier this year and I don’t see any difference in Maps yet.

 

[JimmyBanks6]

I still don't understand why there isn't a web based Apple Maps.

They would be able to acquire so much more data if Apple Maps results were available on a browser, instead, you have to use an iOS device, which to me is a draconian requirement.

 

[Trhodezy]

C3 technologies scanned Street, Ariel (and pedestrian level??) 3D MAPS, Apple has been building for years.

They may have set up the best foundation for autonomous driving yet.

Maps app itself is getting pretty great. In my situation, just adding speed traps and such would make me switch fully from Waze. I don’t even use google maps anymore.

I think Tesla have the best foundation to date, and probably for a long while yet.

Apple will come second.

 

[FunkyTang]

Quick! Map the TopHat before it starts to snow again!

 

[notrack]

...
They would be able to acquire so much more data if Apple Maps results were returned from a Google Search...

Why that?

 

[Textime]

Apple Maps is a mess in Germany. Lots of restaurants or institutions are not included. Have to switch so often to Google Maps.

 

[Sasparilla]

Nice to see them getting up to our neighbors to the North. Boy is this a slow process.

Have to 2nd Amacfa suggestion and have Apple follow Waze and let the users report objects on the road, police, red light camera locations and blockages. This information is just too valuable as a user to give up. I'd never fire up Waze at that point.

I still don't understand why there isn't a web based Apple Maps.....you have to use an iOS device, which to me is a draconian requirement.

Will if you were thinking a PC based version of it, Maps is on the Mac as an App - for the last couple of releases of Mac OS. I love calling it a "draconian requirement" though - gave me a good laugh.

It'd be nice if they took some of their products (iMessage, Maps, Safari) to Android with their privacy angle (maybe charge a small subscription to cover costs after the 1st month or something - since their not harvesting the user data for money). Because of the subscription the numbers wouldn't be huge, but costs would be covered and Apple could be the good guy providing some privacy for things on that platform.

 

[w5jck]

WTH! I just pulled up Apple Craps (err, I mean Maps) on my MBP that is hardwired with an ethernet connection. I clicked on the Show You Current Locate button and got the following message box stating I needed to turn on WiFi. Seriously! Does Apple not know that ethernet can also give me an internet connection? Are their developers really that stupid these days? Apparently so! and yes the ethernet connection was providing 200 Mbits solid connection at the time...

 

[Fixey]

I use both, Google and Apple as sometimes Google is just useless at certain things as well as Apple’s Maps, like Street View google is no.1 for navigation Apple is no.1 found google for navigation just full of errors, Apple maps was a little more accurate but too base errors but found it to be more reliable and easier to use

 

[JimmyBanks6]

Why that?

I mean as a result, or a DuckDuckGo query, or just going to their site.

They would acquire significantly more data being avaiable on a broweser

 

[Textime]

The difference between Google Maps and Apple Maps in most of the areas in Germany.

 

[44267547]

I rather use gmaps... it’s just better.

Why is it ‘better’? I used to think this too....like three-ish years ago. Apple Maps has matured nicely over the years more hot to date roadways/Closures/Siri is more pronounced, actually to the point, where I deleted Google Maps, And Apple Maps is the only source I need.

 

[JimmyBanks6]

Why is it ‘better’? I used to think this too....like three-ish years ago. Apple Maps has matured nicely over the years more hot to date roadways/Closures/Siri is more pronounced, actually to the point, where I deleted Google Maps, And Apple Maps is the only source I need.

- Does Apple Maps have street view? Isn't appearing on my phone right now.
- Google Maps 3D is significantly better than Apple Maps. Apple Maps only focuses on major cities, while Google seems to have used satellites to hit everywhere in the world. I live in a small town and all buildings are 3D.
- No offline maps - [edit] apparently this is wrong, which is good to know.

 

[Konigi]

I really love Apple Maps, better UI in my opinion. Although most of the time I use of a combination of both Apple Maps and Google Maps, depending on what I want to do.
Can't wait to see how these maps will be improved in Montréal!

I still don't understand why there isn't a web based Apple Maps.

They would be able to acquire so much more data if Apple Maps results were available on a browser, instead, you have to use an iOS device, which to me is a draconian requirement.

True, but it's also available easily on macOS. There's room for improvement, for sure.

 

[MengkeMary]

I wish Apple would hurry up with their American street scanning. I'm sick of having to use Google Maps because Apple Maps is still inadequate. For navigation though I use a dedicated Garmin GPS mounted on my dash. I never cared to use a smartphone with Google or Apple Maps for in-car navigation.

Does the Garmin GPS provide real-time traffic information? Any real-time traffic based re-routing for congestion avoidance?

 

[citysnaps]

Maps app itself is getting pretty great. In my situation, just adding speed traps and such would make me switch fully from Waze. I don’t even use google maps anymore.

I've been using Apple Maps exclusively for the last 5 years. I've yet to be disappointed. And it keeps getting better and better.

 

[MengkeMary]

The difference between Google Maps and Apple Maps in most of the areas in Germany.

I think the difference is acceptable because for the moment Apple map should focus on getting navigation right instead of the "add-on" features like restaurant recommendation. I personally find the user interface of Apple map is just easier on eyes.