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Apple to Take iPhone's Maps App to 'the Next Level'

The GUI isn't likely going to change in fundamental ways. You're looking at Apple getting ready to switch to a different source of its data, one that offers a rich API and capabilities for integrating all sorts of additional data into maps. You'll still be able to pinch zoom, drag, and all the other good stuff that the Maps app can do, since Apple wrote the Maps.app in the first place.
 
shady825 said:
Same here. I'm glad I didn't get the 3GS.
It honestly didn't seem like enuff of a "upgrade" to me.
CAN'T wait for the 2010 iPhone tho! (I'm not gonna call it any name as of right now, 4G, 4GS....)
the only thing I dislike about my 3G is I SWEAR TO GOD that ever since the 3GS came out, they slowed down the 3G iPhone. What better way to make people want the "S" for Speed and make them upgrade.
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They added features so that slows down the 3G and 2G. Apple would never do that to it's early costumers. :rolleyes: Honestly though, I am GLAD I got the 3GS, It's a big improvement when opening apps and handling graphics. I couldn't deal with (chug chug a chug) speeds any longer so I upgraded. Glad I did. LOVE YA 3GS! :D
 
Their mapping technology will get thrown into the next SDK revision and hopefully their augmented reality APIs will finally be open to developers officially. Cool stuff!
 
with the increasing competition from Android, differentiation seems to be the only strategy. you can't trust a partner forever, especially huge companies like Google. Apple has learned that from its early years with Microsoft in the 1980's. Don't trust anyone for too long!:D
 
cmaier said:
The GUI isn't likely going to change in fundamental ways. You're looking at Apple getting ready to switch to a different source of its data, one that offers a rich API and capabilities for integrating all sorts of additional data into maps. You'll still be able to pinch zoom, drag, and all the other good stuff that the Maps app can do, since Apple wrote the Maps.app in the first place.
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Yes, but until you see Apple-logoed trucks rolling around the countryside it will not be as useful as Street View. Unless they have an alternative to this and Google Navigation.
 
Major inconvenience for the users

This is not going to be easy. Google business including the maps is not about mapping technology, not about various street views and sat images. The main business around mapping is still the same: Google is acting as a worldwide advertising agency. Free of charge if you don't need to jump above the others or you can pay to get real attention of the users. So, if Apple now wants to repeat all of that, make it real and useable, they need to start indexing web pages on the Internet, parse the information they find, enrich the data and incorporate that info into their maps. Besides, they need to establish it as a process, not just one-time thing - the data must be actual. That's what Google evidently does and that's what I don't believe Apple can do in the near future. Otherwise, just to have another Geo app where you can't find anything? Not interested at all...
 
rjtyork said:
This article tells me they are trying to move as far away from Google as possible. This makes me sad. Google is a great company
I don't like seeing Apple and Google fight. I like both of their products too much and I want to be able to use them both without jumping through any hoops.
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Google isn't that great. They have issues, when it comes to violation of privacy. I use their products, however, because their usefulness outweighs my concerns about their intrusions.
Apple and Google are competitors. Actually, all companies are competing with each other in some fashion. So their rivalry isn't scary. This isn't your parents getting a divorce. When it comes time to choose, just choose the best offering for you.

Sonicjay said:
Then you must not have seen Bing's Maps "Bird's Eye View" yet. Instead of staring straight down at indistinguishable rooftops, you have a diagonal ariel view that you can actually recognize things from
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I'll have to remember to give it a try. Thanks for the head's up.
 
Much needed, iPhone's

... a bit crap at navigation.


I spent the weekend in London. In my car, I've had my Garmin GPS and my iPhone with TomTom and Co-Pilot. I was pleased with the price of Co-Pilot and I got TomTom through some 'Pineapple promotion' for testing.


In the car, there was no question that Garmin beat the hell out of both iPhone apps. In pedestrian mode, the iPhone had the advantage of GoogleMap, so at least the map would be usable. However, in Kensington, our location was regularly placed as if we were in South London. This is completely unacceptable. For me, the iPhone will not replace a dedicated unit for a while.

I have recently been to the US. In Boston, the iPhone had occasional problems staying on the 'Freedom Trail'. In NYC, it was pretty bad and I only had a completely reliable service in DC. As a tourist, I will just get a paper map the next time. And a proper phone, that doesn't attempt to do millions of things.
 
Typo!

ANOTHER TYPO? C'mon Macrumors! You are getting sloppy. I believe instead of "been know for differentiating itself" you meant "been KNOWN for differentiating itself." STAY INTELLIGENT MACRUMORS. WE LOVE U!
 
y3k said:
This is not going to be easy. Google business including the maps is not about mapping technology, not about various street views and sat images. The main business around mapping is still the same: Google is acting as a worldwide advertising agency. Free of charge if you don't need to jump above the others or you can pay to get real attention of the users. So, if Apple now wants to repeat all of that, make it real and useable, they need to start indexing web pages on the Internet, parse the information they find, enrich the data and incorporate that info into their maps. Besides, they need to establish it as a process, not just one-time thing - the data must be actual. That's what Google evidently does and that's what I don't believe Apple can do in the near future. Otherwise, just to have another Geo app where you can't find anything? Not interested at all...
Click to expand...

I don't expect Apple to drop all ties to google. I wouldn't be surprised to see them continue to use google as a search engine, including in maps.

As for "google navigation," that will be easy to replace when the time comes. Same with the satellite data (license it directly from one of many sources). Street or birdseye view is more of a problem unless someone is willing to license it or apple replicates the data itself - it has a lot of cash on hand and a giant shiny new data center..:
 
Google Navigation and 3GS

Is there any reason to think that Google Navigation's upcoming app won't work on the 3GS? It'd suck to have to buy a new iPhone to get this feature.
 
Just to reiterate a point but Google don't own all their map tiles. I say 'all' as there's some evidence that is changing.

They used to licence NavTeq maps before Nokia bought NavTeq. Since then they've used solely TeleAtlas. TeleAtlas isn't as accurate as NavTeq in my experience. TomTom own TeleAtlas btw.

Recently, Google Maps has been showing some tile data that is copyright Google. Where they got that data from is a mystery. Some of it seems to have been supplied by local government.

Apple aren't going to create their own maps. If they're going to cut out Google they could go to NavTeq or TeleAtlas directly or maybe use Nokia's Ovi Maps service which has some features that beat the crap out of Google Maps, not least of which is being able to download entire maps of a country to your phone so the mapping works when you can't get a phone signal. See http://maps.ovi.com

Pretty much all S60, Maemo and even some S40 based Nokias have Ovi Maps built in free and turn-by-turn navigation is a cheap subscription service. Nokia also have augmented reality apps in beta too - http://betalabs.nokia.com/betas/view/nokia-point-and-find

Apple perhaps missed out on buying one of the two big mapping companies although they could probably buy TomTom out of their cash reserves. The PlaceBase acquisition got the no map data rights - just expertise in applying GIS information to maps such as ave. house price in an area or crime rates.
 
str1f3 said:
Agreed, especially when you consider that Apple's own implementation of Google Maps is better than Google's on Android.

I don't really see this as a big deal. Apple may just need an extra hand on the Maps application considering they will have their own implementation of Google Navigation and probably apply voice control to it in OS 4.0.

Like another poster said, before Apple releases their own Maps solution, they had better make sure it is far better than what Google Maps already offers.
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I can't see Apple changing the maps application's interface or base functionality that dramatically. It would be a step back, and I think Apple is smarter than that.

If the droid's map app implementation is different, then I think it most likely is because Apple had a hand in the iPhone's map app. (which is what I thought I heard elsewhere, unless I'm mistaken) if that's the case then part of it could be carried forward.

It's all conjecture but, the acquisition apple made, I believe, speaks to the database behind the pretty map.
 
macshill said:
I hope you enjoy paying for the privilege of using iPhone Maps, because Apple isn't in the habit of giving away apps for free. Meanwhile, Google Maps is free on the Droid.
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The only iPhone app that I've seen that Apple charges for is Texas hold'em, which is a game, iDisk and Remote are both free as well as the dozen or so apps that come standard.

The maps application is currently free, no way in hell would they start to make you pay extra for a tweaked version.
 
Niko03 said:
The maps application is currently free, no way in hell would they start to make you pay extra for a tweaked version.
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And Google Maps is free on all the other smartphone platforms out there so Apple would be silly to charge for it's Maps application.

Google would just release a free Google Maps app in the App Store and there's nothing Apple could do about it. Oh, hang on a minute..... :eek: ;) :D
 
Niko03 said:
The only iPhone app that I've seen that Apple charges for is Texas hold'em, which is a game, iDisk and Remote are both free as well as the dozen or so apps that come standard.

The maps application is currently free, no way in hell would they start to make you pay extra for a tweaked version.
Click to expand...

100% agreed. Maps is one of the standard feature apps on the iPhone and the last thing they would do is reduce the basic featureset on the platform by charging for it as an update.
 
Sonicjay said:
Then you must not have seen Bing's Maps "Bird's Eye View" yet. Instead of staring straight down at indistinguishable rooftops, you have a diagonal ariel view that you can actually recognize things from
Click to expand...

I just tried this and I was simply blown away, I couldn't imagine the images were so detailed even here in Finland.
 
Bad choice for article's title.

Instead of "Apple to Take iPhone's Maps App to 'the Next Level'" better choice would be "Apple wishes to Take iPhone's Maps App to 'the Next Level'". Original title implies certainty. In reality we have yet to see what they will be able to come up with. They probably will not be able to deliver a very cool feature available in Google navigation (on Droid) where one can see how the incoming intersection will look like and where one needs to go. The feature uses Google's street view.
 
lilo777 said:
Instead of "Apple to Take iPhone's Maps App to 'the Next Level'" better choice would be "Apple wishes to Take iPhone's Maps App to 'the Next Level'". Original title implies certainty. In reality we have yet to see what they will be able to come up with. They probably will not be able to deliver a very cool feature available in Google navigation (on Droid) where one can see how the incoming intersection will look like and where one needs to go. The feature uses Google's street view.
Click to expand...

I'm sure Google will happily continue to provide Google street view information in exchange for Apple continuing to use google for map search results (and accompanying ads).
 
y3k said:
if Apple now wants to repeat all of that
Click to expand...

or perhaps they will do better by not repeating 'all of that'. perhaps they will return to the days of a simple map with directions and traffic indicators and not try to do all the street view, pop up ads, etc that the web sites do to try to be bigger and badder than the others.

and for many that would be great. I can't stand Google Maps because they have screwed me over time and again with way out of the way directions or being behind on a street being made one way (opposite the way I need to go) or being shut down to traffic to make a new pedestrian mall.

Let's have a basic map function without all the fluff. if you want all that, i'm sure there's a few apps for it.
 
This will be great though.............the iphone has more applications than any other phone out there and I couldn't be happier!
 
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