Apple's 3D Maps and Imagery See Incremental Improvements

[vini-vidi-vici]

fix the data, not the fluff

#1 priority should be given to fixing the data - especially the updates users submit. Those people are committed users, and they're taking the time to try to help. If you don't listen to them, that's like a giant F-U to them.

Over a week ago, I submitted a town that's listed 20 miles west of its proper location, and... no update yet. It should take someone 10 seconds to fix it.

Not sure why they can't divide the world into geographic segments, assign a few people to each segment, and bang this out... brute force - that's what it takes.

 

[phpmaven]

That's great BUT...

I am extremely annoyed that I noticed on day one of iOS 6 that my business' info is outdated on the Maps app. I reported on day one (and every single day since), and nothing has been done. I have posted links to my company's web site (with the correct info) and my contact info many times to Apple but no response.

About a week after iOS6 came out I did a little experiment where I also informed Google of the info change as well.

Google updated their maps THE NEXT DAY.

What the hell Apple?

You're posting the same error report to them every day? That's probably why it hasn't been changed. It's not a good idea to annoy the crap out of people. It makes them more likely to ignore you than to help you.

Report it once, maybe one more time somewhat later, but every day?

 

[SatManager]

Another believer that flyovers are useless eye candy and a waste of computing power and data download. Why not add a subterranean view, for Pete's sake?

They will once they are buried with requests!

 

[doelcm82]

lol, you're an airplane pilot requiring flyover view?

Whoa, didn't know that flyover was a long-requested and much anticipated feature.

Airplane pilots use completely different kinds of maps.

What you didn't know doesn't concern me, but I find flyover to be useful and educational.

 

[carlos916]

Still not a fan of these moldy mash potatoes looking trees

 

[a0me]

get public transportation down first and worry about the 3d flyover later. that **** doesn't matter. public trans is crucial.

Exactly. Apple have their priorities out of whack.

They could work on fixing maps so that they can tell the difference between water and land.
They could work on having roads and buildings where they're supposed to be.
They could work on fixing the tens of thousands of misspellings, or getting the correct language for each country.
They could work on fixing street addresses and point of interests.

You know, basic stuff where Apple Maps is really 10 years behind and that need to be fixed to make the maps usable.

But no, they're fixing cosmetic details on 3D images that are only available in limited locations and have almost no purpose...

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You're posting the same error report to them every day? That's probably why it hasn't been changed. It's not a good idea to annoy the crap out of people. It makes them more likely to ignore you than to help you.

Report it once, maybe one more time somewhat later, but every day?

Maybe his business relies on people being able to find its location?

 

[mitty]

Good to see Apple working on the high priority stuff first. Because so many people have no idea what the Statue of Liberty looks like.

 

[matttye]

Clik on route after entering anything in the destination and show the screenshot. It will take you to a list with apps installed that you can click on route or you can download other apps. It works like crap.

In a way I can understand Apple wanting to leave transit directions to third parties, seeing as companies like Stagecoach already have really good transit routing systems.

 

[OllyW]

I've just been reporting another batch of errors and I'm surprised to find there's no category for Railway Station in the report form.

 

[pink thing]

Flyover bollocks. It would be nice if Apple could could work on decent 2D imagery first. We don't all live in the US. The image coverage in Wales for example is equivalent to Google Maps c2005. The resolution for Wales' second largest city isn't even high enough to see roads and buildings. Useless. But there you go, let's get the flyover of the Statue Of Liberty sorted first, eh? Roll on the launch of a new GoogleMaps for iOS

 

[Talarspeed]

I like cake!

 

[416049]

Still not a fan of these moldy mash potatoes looking trees

Isn't that a new feature?

 

[steve-p]

Wow, I can see the Statue of Liberty in 3D. Almost makes up for major UK population centres being covered by cloud in satellite view.

You mean you're not thrilled that a high profile landmark which half of the population of the planet know the location of and what it looks like, now appears in 3D, when there are so many other flaws with the basics? Yeah, me neither.

 

[Beltane63]

To be fair, you could've returned the device if it didn't perform to your liking.

Not after a year of usage! The iPhone 4s I bought last year isn't the same anymore...

 

[sinsin07]

Wow, I can see the Statue of Liberty in 3D. Almost makes up for major UK population centres being covered by cloud in satellite view.

Maybe you should let Apple know the one day of the year the UK isn't covered by clouds.

 

[tylernol]

But I am not able to see Statue of Liberty in 3D. Why is it so?

I tried yesterday when I first saw this article and still saw the statue of liberty "shadow" and the brooklyn bridge "noodle". Last night I tried again and there they were in all their 3D glory. My guess is that the 3D map data is heavily cached and replicated on Apple's servers, and some servers got the updates sooner than others.

 

[tido2012]

Lol, that just relax attitude would never be coming from a business owner.

Exactly. Apple have their priorities out of whack.

They could work on fixing maps so that they can tell the difference between water and land.
They could work on having roads and buildings where they're supposed to be.
They could work on fixing the tens of thousands of misspellings, or getting the correct language for each country.
They could work on fixing street addresses and point of interests.

You know, basic stuff where Apple Maps is really 10 years behind and that need to be fixed to make the maps usable.

But no, they're fixing cosmetic details on 3D images that are only available in limited locations and have almost no purpose...

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Maybe his business relies on people being able to find its location?

 

[notabadname]

Good to see Apple working on the high priority stuff first. Because so many people have no idea what the Statue of Liberty looks like.

And that is exactly why it received priority. It's a globally known landmark that everyone "tests" the App with. Simple PR on the part of Apple. I don't think anyone will care if the water tower in Flint, Mi is rendered properly.

 

[rickvanr]

Will Apple Maps regain street view? I just saw a tomtom branded street view like car in my town. I live in a small town. Since apple gets some data from tomtom I'm just making an educated guess

 

[charlituna]

we still will be missing street view. that is extremely integral

Complain about that to Google. They are the ones that own Street View and they won't license it outside of a package that includes their map data.

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2 things Apple need to accomplish
1; when I click a direction link ,

In what? Because it's in a non Apple app then it was coded for google maps and that's why you are sent to the website. And as Apple doesn't code those apps it's not their fault what it does.

But inside Apple created apps, such as their Apple Store app, it goes to the Maps app.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Does anyone really think this is an 'either/or' situation, as in Apple has chosen to implement 3D instead of fixing map errors?

More likely it was all planned that the 3D stuff will be gradually coming on in more and more areas over time, and has been an ongoing process.

In addition to that, they are obviously aware of the map errors and are increasing resources to fix them.

My house (in San Fernando Valley) is in 3D now. (but only on my iPad 2, not my iPhone 4S)

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#1 priority should be given to fixing the data - especially the updates users submit. Those people are committed users, and they're taking the time to try to help. If you don't listen to them, that's like a giant F-U to them.

Over a week ago, I submitted a town that's listed 20 miles west of its proper location, and... no update yet. It should take someone 10 seconds to fix it.

Not sure why they can't divide the world into geographic segments, assign a few people to each segment, and bang this out... brute force - that's what it takes.

Because there's probably a huge list of errors that increases in size every hour, and they will have a backlog for awhile.

Some of the fixes are likely not going to be individually fixing spot locations, but going back to how all their map data was integrated in the first place and fixing how that was done. It appears most of their original map data was good, and it was the process of integrating all that data where errors were made. So its not going to be just fixing individual location errors but fixing larger software errors that were made.

 

[gnasher729]

Some of the fixes are likely not going to be individually fixing spot locations, but going back to how all their map data was integrated in the first place and fixing how that was done. It appears most of their original map data was good, and it was the process of integrating all that data where errors were made. So its not going to be just fixing individual location errors but fixing larger software errors that were made.

There are some things that Apple should be doing.

1. Find out where there are areas with systematic errors. No point accepting corrections in some area where you know that all your data is rubbish. So the "report errors" feature in those areas should display something like "we know there are problems here and we'll try to fix them". Once you have data that is supposed to be good accept user input.

2. When errors are reported, send out an email (a) when the report is received, (b) when someone acts on that report, and (c) when the report is either rejected or incorporated in an updated map.

3. Allow people to get automatic updates for some area (for example the area where they live, or where they work), so they can verify changes.

 

[charlituna]

but I hope your pilot picks the right one if you're flying in on a relief mission.

If your pilot is relying on Apple Maps and only Apple Maps then you have a bigger problem than if the data is correct.

 

[Luis Ortega]

Maybe you should let Apple know the one day of the year the UK isn't covered by clouds.

They could ask Google, since they obviously know how to get it right.

 

[charlituna]

So what are you trying to say...
Apple should be given 8 years to fix their maps?
Apple is going to take 8 years to fix maps

To lead in an industry you can't be 8 years behind the competition.

What he's trying to say is that Google Maps wasn't perfect from day one which was 8 years ago. So why the heck are folks using it as a touchstone for something that has been out for 3 weeks.

Apple will likely take much less than 8 years to get to the same level it but will be more than a couple of months. If it's that huge of an issue then use something else. IF you are claiming you bought an iphone 5 just for Maps then return it, there's still time.