lartola
macrumors 68020
If you live in the USA, that is. Outside the USA Apple Maps is always missing features.
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Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Which Is Better?
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lartola
macrumors 68020
It will probably be US exclusive for a few years. It’s the only place where they’d have a decent network of users.
As of 2025 for the US I find Apple Maps better.
It has clearer instructions when driving such as what lane to take, speed limits, etc.
Plus the 3D view while driving is quite nice.
It has clearer instructions when driving such as what lane to take, speed limits, etc.
Plus the 3D view while driving is quite nice.
sdfox7
macrumors demi-god
For older devices, Google Maps is better because it's up to date. Third party apps always have longer (better) iOS support than Apple.
For example, Google Maps still updates and supports iOS 15 (final OS for iPhone 6s, 7). Apple Maps is stuck to the OS version, which for these phones is 4 years old.
Even when Google stops support, the last compatible version will be years newer than what iOS 15 shipped with.
Google Maps on the App Store
For example, Google Maps still updates and supports iOS 15 (final OS for iPhone 6s, 7). Apple Maps is stuck to the OS version, which for these phones is 4 years old.
Even when Google stops support, the last compatible version will be years newer than what iOS 15 shipped with.
Google Maps on the App Store
I’m pretty sure even with old map version, the map data is still updated.
Regardless whether there is anything in what you say about versions, for me Google maps has appalling and extremely obvious mistakes within a hundred metres of where I live.
A road which does not exist have been shown for years and years. I have reported it (because so many delivery people ended up lost round here). Apple maps are accurate to the metre. On all my devices. Including my now rather old iPad Pro.
I also compared Google maps with the satellite view for the town - and it diverges all over the place. Sometimes a little, sometimes very significantly.
Again, Apple was almost spot on across the whole town.
Of course, this situation might be the other way round in some locations. But it is enough to make me very aware that I cannot trust Google maps.
jakebrosy
macrumors regular
I'm confused. The APP may be older but the DATA is pulled in real time when you use Apple Maps. Even on my 15 year old original iPad, the building I live in now (built in 2020) is there. I can search for, find my address, and get directions to places that didn't exist when iOS 5.1.1 was released.
My impression here in SoCal is the reverse, I find Google Maps to be more accurate, but Apple Maps is not the disaster it used to be these days. My wife uses it and most of the time she seems to get to where she wants to go.
Certainly I agree that it does depend where you are.
I know both Google and Apple have re-surveyed my patch in the past few years. But I guess they they must have some sort of schedule for major re-surveys and minor checks/updates.
A few miles away, there have been some major roadworks - more or less a new bypass. Throughout, Apple maps have been updated when various parts of the works affected routes and junctions. Exceptionally timely. But now the whole thing has been completed, there is one junction they have not removed so you see a turn and hear an instruction which are wrong.
But when I look at Google's mapping, it still has errors I've noticed for years. And the roads are very obviously not accurate - they follow polygons which are often a noticeable distance from the physical roads they represent by, say, a few metres.
I agree Gmaps is not as good as it used to be. They were clearly miles ahead ten years ago, but that is not the case now. And the faster alternative routes when there’s a lot of traffic, usually saves you 1 minute of driving time (if that) at the expense of considerable aggravation on backstreets or left turns onto main roads from side streets.
Then again, I remember when we had to keep physical maps in the car. You kids just don’t know how good you have it.
Then again, I remember when we had to keep physical maps in the car. You kids just don’t know how good you have it.
What I find frustrating about Apple Maps is that at night it reverts to dark mode and there is no option to keep in on light mode. I really struggle to see what's on the screen in dark mode. Google maps has the option to keep on light mode all the time. If Apple Maps has this option, I would most likely use Apple Maps.
Yes, this is the case I find sometimes, even with Waze. I basically use Apple Maps as much as I can as I live how it looks in my car with Apple CarPlay. But when I *really* need to get somewhere on time / navigating traffic (living in LA, our traffic can be really terrible)... I use Waze. And there are times, I wish I could tweak the "algorithm" sometimes, where a change of route (from the larger roads) requires at least a "X" amount of min savings (I'd love to be able to set that to something, like 5mins).
Because I agree, sometimes it also makes me have to make "left turns onto main roads from side streets" (your description is perfect) which can be difficult at times. Especially when there's many cars waiting (probably all using Waze lol)...
I can see that that could be a serious problem for many people. Ironically, I have exactly the reverse problem: I’d like to be able to put Maps into dark mode at all times, as the bright, white spaces around the blue road distract me.
It is probably already mentioned in this thread, but I hope they will add saving of multipoint routes in a next update. Now, often when I leave my car with my iPhone, the multipoint route disappears.
allpar
macrumors 6502
Still waiting for them to allow us to add waypoints easily and move things around like on Google Maps (wtih regard to Maps on computer).