Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App

[ElliotD12]

Yeah but the only reason to use Apple Maps was privacy as Google maps is a clearly superior product with better directions and POIs. If Apple loses the only advantage of being without ads and more privacy conscious I might as well use the better Google maps.

Better directions maybe 5-6 years ago. They’re distinguishable now. Just because Apple Maps starts bad doesn’t mean it stayed bad.

 

[digimc]

What innovations? The only innovation that wasn’t on Steves product roadmap was the M chip series and Tims supply chain optimization. The last years have been a disaster in terms of products for Apple and software got worse over the years. Even right after he died most new product were a disaster. New MacBooks in the 2010s had massive issues, trashcan Mac Pro, current Mac Pro, weird first gen Apple Pencil, magic mouse (yes the port on the bottom was after Steve), iPhone 6 bending, HomePod, Siri, Maps, VP, AirPower, AI etc. Airpods were successful but thats it. Everything new flopped and because they put so much effort in the stupid VR headset they fell behind in the AI race.

Nothing has been a disaster. You are completely over exaggerating normal issues that all companies of this size deal with. There have been problems and set backs and Apple has done its best to deal with them and move forward. You make it sound like the tenure of Jobs was smooth sailing and there were no issues.

You are free to have your opinions on Apple's current products and software, that is perfectly fine. But just because you don't like Vision Pro, Apple Watch, IOS software changes, and other changes Apple has made doesn't mean other people don't like them.

Apple has grown to be one of the most valuable companies on earth, and would not have achieved that if they were constantly releasing one disaster after another.

 

[it wasnt me]

I have my reasons to use Organic Maps. It is lovely to see that the list of reasons won’t be shorter anytime soon.

 

[ElliotD12]

Or more tracking or less tracking.

They’re equal. Go read Apple Maps terms and conditions. They both contribute to OSM.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

Quality.

I think Apple has reached a point where customers pay more to get less. Got keep those shareholders happy.

I must say, in. my case, if it wasn't for Windows being so bad I would already moved out of the ecosystem. I guess, I am waiting for macOS to become as bad.

Really, what keeps me still around is macOS and its integration with iOS. But I guess Apple will in time shoot their feet on that one. They have been trying so hard to do that. Hey Apple, take the plunge and make the App Store the only way to install Apps on macOS and pay for subscriptions, or charges us extra to be able to access the terminal, go go go.

 

[ElliotD12]

Why people buy iPhones just to download google software I don’t understand. Googled sells their own phones you known?

 

[polyphenol]

While I now use Apple Maps, many years ago I had a combination of phones running Microsoft, Apple and Google OSes. So I looked for, and found, one of the few no-charge apps available on all three was what is now called HereWeGo. I was actually quite happy with it - much happier than with Waze (which was undergoing ridiculous gamification).

Only when I ended up not using anything but IOS did I switch to Apple Maps. HereWeGo was markedly slow in issuing map updates at the time which was another reason.

I see mixed opinions but HereWeGo is still going and there was a new release on 8th October. Still installed on my phone as a fallback - but that was more important before we had the option of downloading maps. Must try it again some day soon...

 

[ThailandToo]

I will just switch to Google Maps if Apple does this. I mean at least include no ads for One Subscribers.

 

[wisps]

That’s a turn in the wrong direction, ironically, Apple Maps.

 

[jz0309]

well, I just checked and Rand McNally still sells a road atlas, 2026 edition ... so if any of you know how to navigate with a paper map - there you have it

 

[dblissmn]

In a world where stock buybacks are legal, rather than the pre-1982 world in which they were treated as the insider trading they are, you have to have some sort of "continuous improvement" to drive continuous profit growth. ******tification is baked into the model.

 

[ashdelacroix]

It’s so sad. The whole idea of paying a premium for Apple products was that the services wouldn’t adopt Google’s advertising model. After all, when you used Apple Maps, it wasn’t Google – that’s the main selling point. Once the lines are blurred, you might as well use Google.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

So they can introduce ads to maps but they can’t introduce street view outside of key cities that they have been mapping for 10 years.

 

[randomgeeza]

There is no depth too low for Timmy to stoop too to keep those shareholders happy and the service revenues flowing.

You are free to have your opinions on Apple's current products and software, that is perfectly fine. But just because you don't like Vision Pro, Apple Watch, IOS software changes, and other changes Apple has made doesn't mean other people don't like them.

And just because you liked them, doesn't mean't mean we all liked them.

Jobs wanted people to want to join in, to buy in to Apple. To use the Apple ecosystem to enjoy the products. Cook has taken advantage of that and not only squeezed every penny out of us. He has locked us in.

Apple has now become the lesser of two evils.

 

[ashdelacroix]

I remember from one of the past legal disclosures that an Apple executive said to not charge more would be "leaving money on the table". That phrase haunts me because I cannot help thinking that is the modus operandi of Apple today, despite its absolutely enormous wealth and revenues: don't leave money on the table. If you can charge more, charge more, if you can monetise it, monetise it. Oh dear, Apple. Jobs would be horrified that Apple wants to be Google. Today's Apple would remind him of IBM: too big to fail, but it did.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

It’s so sad. The whole idea of paying a premium for Apple products was that the services wouldn’t adopt Google’s advertising model. After all, when you used Apple Maps, it wasn’t Google – that’s the main selling point. Once the lines are blurred, you might as well use Google.

The all idea of Apple was for you to pay premium, get used to it, and than give ads. I mean at least leave Apple services subscribers alone.

 

[JohnC1959]

I use Google maps (prefer their interface). They have these paid search results too, but all in all I haven't found them to be too big a problem. Much better than having ads constantly going while just navigating with maps.

 

[UliBaer]

Already using Organic Maps - no frizz, no tracking, no advertising, no cost! 👍

 

[JonneyGee]

Google Maps or Waze then

Surely people realize Google’s apps already do this, right?

 

[mjs916]

Stop subscribing and buying "smart" stuff.

It’s not just “smart” stuff. Lots of items are now made cheaper, crappier, or simply smaller (shrinkflation). Apple seemed to avoid it for awhile but even they aren’t immune to it.

 

[AlexESP]

And go to what?

All other maps apps suck in comparison to Google/Waze and Apple Maps and Google has had ads for a long time now. Either they’re not up to date, their UIs are terrible, they don’t support CarPlay, or a combination of the three.

This is a user hostile move for sure but let’s not pretend we have a decent alternative.

Don’t take me too seriously there Probably I wouldn’t do it, but I bet some people would. I hope Apple feels the heat. I expect much more from Apple than Google.

 

[mjs916]

Already using Organic Maps - no frizz, no tracking, no advertising, no cost! 👍

Thanks for this I’ll check it out. I will
still use Apple Maps but if this is good enough might switch over or use both. I don’t ALWAYS deal in absolutes.

 

[deaglecat]

"Your nearest Apple store is 1 mile away, now might be a good time to upgrade to the new iPhone Air or try the immersive Apple Vision Pro. Would you like me to add a stop off on your route. <yes/maybe later>"

 

[digimc]

There is no depth too low for Timmy to stoop too to keep those shareholders happy and the service revenues flowing.



And just because you liked them, doesn't mean't mean we all liked them.

Jobs wanted people to want to join in, to buy in to Apple. To use the Apple ecosystem to enjoy the products. Cook has taken advantage of that and not only squeezed every penny out of us. He has locked us in.

Apple has now become the lesser of two evils.

So Jobs didn't want Apple to make money? You hate Cook because he has expanded on Jobs vision and made Apple more profitable? I really don't even understand this train of thought. What do you want Cook to do, make Apple less profitable? How does that help anyone? So you hate Cook because he has an obligation to shareholders, something that Jobs also had an obligation towards.

How do you know Jobs wouldn't be pursuing the same strategies as Cook if he were still alive today?

As it has already been pointed out, Jobs saw the benefit of ads in Apple services also. The fact that he passed away before being able to implement the same things Cook has, I guess, is very convenient for your way of thinking.

 

[JohnWick1954]

Yes the man who initially tried to kill the iPhone, saw no use for such a device, or how a product like the iPhone could change Apple's entire future as a tech company, and had to be convinced over and over by engineers that the product would succeed, is indeed rolling around in his grave.

The original iPhone prototype had to be built behind Jobs back deep in the bowels at Apple. It was a secretive project that Jobs knew nothing about until the prototype was done and ready to be demoed.

No — the original iPhone was not kept hidden from Steve Jobs. In fact, Steve Jobs was deeply involved in its development from the very beginning.





Here’s what actually happened:

• Jobs personally initiated the iPhone project. Around 2004–2005, he pushed Apple’s teams to explore touch-based devices after being unimpressed with then-popular smartphones and inspired by early multitouch technology Apple had been developing.
• Two internal teams competed. There were two main efforts — one to turn the iPod into a phone (“iPod phone”) and another to adapt Apple’s secret multitouch tablet prototype into a smaller device (which became the iPhone). Jobs was overseeing both and eventually chose the multitouch approach.
• He micromanaged key parts. Jobs reviewed everything from the industrial design (led by Jony Ive) to the user interface (Scott Forstall’s software team). He even made decisions about screen glass, button placement, and how scrolling should “feel.”
• The secrecy was internal, not from Jobs. The iPhone project, code-named “Project Purple,” was kept secret from most Apple employees and even many executives — but never from Jobs. He was the driving force, the final decision-maker, and the one who unveiled it to the world in January 2007.

So, while Apple’s engineers often hid unfinished prototypes from him until they were ready to show progress (to avoid his famously harsh feedback), the overall iPhone project itself was absolutely not hidden from Steve Jobs — it was his vision from the start.