Apple Surveying Canada's Largest Cities With Specialized Backpacks to Improve Maps

[Fordski]

Canada, United States, UK, Ireland, and Japan.

That's amazing! The richest company on the planet already has 5 countries PARTIALLY covered!!!
It's like bicycle maps in Apple Maps, it simply is too sad for words.
How difficult can it be, and how expensive can it be to send some thousands on a bike world wide?
You will solve a lot of unemployment and increase the quality of your product.
Instead, most of the time I have to look for another app, if there is.

Apple Maps introduction: September 19, 2012

That's whopping 9 years ago!!!
Already 5 countries PARTIALLY covered???

Literally a long way to go..............

I live in a small town in Mexico and am expecting street view Apple Maps long after I'm gone!

 

[orbital~debris]

Interesting. I'd be way more interested in what all components are in that backpack than what's in the next iPhone.

The backpack component's actually a picnic cooler filled with ice cubes around a prototype PowerBook G5…

 

[RoboCop001]

How can I sign up to get paid to walk around Toronto? 😂

 

[lordofthereef]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

Street view, I assume. Possibly better information for those using navigation to walk places versus just drive (where they use similar equipment but tacked onto a car rather than a person). These are guesses, but I can tell you, Google comes by with some regularity. The street view of my houses seems to be updated at least yearly.

 

[johnnyenv]

Apple branded Ghostbusters Ecto Proton pack

 

[JosephAW]

Do the the backpacks have the stabilization option?

 

[emilonrails]

I feel like this would be a perfect use case for the Boston Dynamics robots.

 

[murdoc2k]

More accurate mapping is always welcomed

 

[nouvejetzt]

Looks more like a ghost hunter to me.

 

[bobenhaus]

Google should sue $pple for coping their equipment for Apple Maps.

 

[cmaier]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

They’re trying to figure out why people there drink Molson’s.

 

[cmaier]

Google should sue $pple for coping their equipment for Apple Maps.

Was it patented?

 

[zorinlynx]

My friend saw one of these guys wandering around while he was in a park, back in May.

Oddly none of the imagery he was supposedly capturing has showed up yet in Apple Maps, four months later. I'm wondering why it takes so long!

 

[VulchR]

...

Apple Maps introduction: September 19, 2012

That's whopping 9 years ago!!!
Already 5 countries PARTIALLY covered???

Literally a long way to go..............

Well at least Apple Maps don't place the village near me in the North Sea any more. Also, it no longer directs people to my house indicating it is a hotel that is actually some 10 miles away. 😂

 

[Macalway]

"I am a camera. Camera, camera"

They need one of those Boston Robotics thingies.

 

[VulchR]

Notice how people only take pictures of the backpack from the rear? I think they don't want to make the people wearing them feel self-conscious about wearing such a contraption.

Given Apple's recent proposals about surveillance, I am surprised Apple just doesn't stitch together everybody's pictures and videos.

 

[grobik]

How about they release the street view data that they’ve collected over the past 5+ years? I’ve been seeing the trucks driving around forever and still no street view in my area, and I’m in a moderately sized city of over 2 million.

 

[ElectricPotato]

don't want to make the people wearing them feel self-conscious

That is contrary to the human behavior I've observed. Maybe I just had a bad experience wearing Crocs with socks.

 

[B4U]

Reminds me of this. 🤣

 

[nt5672]

I wonder what fried brain feels like?

 

[nt5672]

My friend saw one of these guys wandering around while he was in a park, back in May.

Oddly none of the imagery he was supposedly capturing has showed up yet in Apple Maps, four months later. I'm wondering why it takes so long!

Probably has to walk back to 1 Apple Way.

 

[PJWilkin]

Seen these around London (UK) a few times over the last year or so. Makes sense as there are lots of places where cars can't go, such as paths across parks, alleyways, pedestrianised areas etc.

Apple Maps of London has lots of roads where they have not mapped
either because cars are not allowed at specific times, or all days

Covent Garden , and its side roads being one

i just hope they roll out the UK outside if certain cities

 

[jonnysods]

May want to throw on a sweater in Toronto that time of year, she gets a little chilly.

 

[Hyperchaotic]

Just for useless comparison, here is the Google version:

 

[citysnaps]

Street view, I assume. Possibly better information for those using navigation to walk places versus just drive (where they use similar equipment but tacked onto a car rather than a person). These are guesses, but I can tell you, Google comes by with some regularity. The street view of my houses seems to be updated at least yearly.

And likely AR.