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Rat-Boy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
1,184
15
Georgia
So,

If you delete the Apple Maps app and install Google Maps, and then, click on an email address in an email, web site, etc, will it go to Google Maps by default or just do nothing?
 
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AppleFan91

macrumors 68000
Sep 11, 2012
1,791
3,718
Indy, US
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??
The only thing that I've found to like more in Google Maps is adding another point on a route (stopping at a restaurant or gas station) and when coming up on an exit or turn, it will show you which lane to get in or which lane is a turn lane etc. other than that, I personally find Apple maps to be just as good.
 
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T5BRICK

macrumors G3
Aug 3, 2006
8,313
2,387
Oregon
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??

Apple Maps has routed me to the wrong location half a dozen times now, and last time I checked their POI data wasn't as robust or up to date as Googles.

I've honestly just given up on it at this point.
 

onepoint

macrumors 6502a
Aug 3, 2010
857
556
USA
So,

If you delete the Apple Maps app and install Google Maps, and then, click on an email address in an email, web site, etc, will it go to Google Maps by default or just do nothing?
My understanding is that Google Maps (and other apps you may want to use in place of stock ones) haven't been updated yet to "hook" into iOS. And that going forward your scenario will be possible.
 

Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
My understanding is that Google Maps (and other apps you may want to use in place of stock ones) haven't been updated yet to "hook" into iOS. And that going forward your scenario will be possible.

This hasn't been confirmed unfortunately. There's the ability to remove stock apps and there's an intents system but we haven't quite had that final piece of the puzzle confirmed and it's not clear that all the necessary APIs exist to completely replace stock apps (nor that every developer would be willing to completely implement them if they were - the biggest issue with the entire concept imo) While it's not a big deal to me because I use all the stock apps I'd be happy to see it happen just to stop the incessant posts on the subject.
 

iGuardian

macrumors 6502a
Aug 26, 2008
552
18
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??
There's a road in the city I live in that's not in Apple Maps, despite me reporting it multiple times. That's kind of a Google Maps pull.
 

MacDevil7334

Contributor
Oct 15, 2011
2,527
5,717
Austin TX
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??

I decided to give Apple Maps a go for a week recently for the first time since iOS 6. The deep integration with iOS is really nice to have and the updates in iOS 10 puts its feature set much closer to Google Maps. But, while Apple Maps has definitely improved over the past three years, Google Maps was still the winner hands down. Here are some of the specific ways I tested Apple Maps. For reference, I live in Austin TX.
  • Navigated to a bunch of locations I go to regularly. Generally, the two apps offered the same routes, though there were several instances where Apple Maps offered up some odd ones. I will say that I felt Apple Map's arrival estimates tended to be a bit better than Google's, which were more conservative.
  • Had to navigate to two new locations in north Austin over the week. In both cases, searching for POI name in Apple Maps turned up incorrect results. Putting in the address in one case got me to the right place (turned out Apple Maps just had the name of the POI wrong). In the other case, not only was the POI missing, but so was the road leading to it. Google got both right by just searching for the POI, and had the missing road. In Apple's defense, I did try out the reporting an issue function in the app for the mislabeled POI. Apple had it corrected within 2 days and sent me a push notification to let me know, which was pretty cool! However, searching for the corrected POI name still did not return the right result (it tried to send me to North Carolina still!!!).
  • Used Apple Maps to navigate to a neighborhood my girlfriend and I are looking at moving to later this year. Apple Maps only had about 2/3rds of the streets. Google had the whole neighborhood.
  • Compared both while on a day trip down to San Antonio. While trying to get home, Apple Maps tried to navigate me into a traffic jam caused by an accident on the way to the freeway. Google navigated me on side roads, which the app estimated would save me 20 mins. The weird part was that Apple Maps also showed the accident, but didn't try to avoid it when planning the route.
  • Compared the two maps just in the area around my apartment. I think the screenshots say it all. Apple doesn't have the complex. Google has the complex, the roads in the complex, the nearby church, and even the hiking trails that run behind the property.
IMG_1287.PNG IMG_1290.PNG

Honestly, just a week using Apple Maps was enough to reaffirm my lack of trust in it. The navigation features are fine, and there were plenty of times when it got directions right. But, even if it gets it wrong 10% of the time, why would I trust it? At the end of the day, Google's maps are just more accurate and more detailed. Combine that with the extra features Google's app offers (ability to add stops on your route, lane guidance, etc.), and I'll for sure be staying with Google Maps even when iOS 10 comes out. It's a shame since I would actually rather use Apple Maps since it is baked into iOS and I'm not wild about all the tracking Google does. But, at the end of the day, Google Maps is just plain more accurate.
 

btkadams

macrumors regular
Sep 6, 2012
112
45
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??
It's just better. I mostly use Apple Maps because of CarPlay, but some of the roads in my area were redone a couple years ago and still aren't updated in Apple Maps (despite me even sending them in to Apple!), whereas Google Maps has had the proper roads for a while (new traffic circles, some roads were removed entirely, etc.). Also, turn-by-turn navigation in Google Maps actually advises you which lane you should be in.
 
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NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,022
1,272
Apple got a late start in the maps game, and may never catch up to Google since Google hasn't stopped its mapping efforts. The latest update to Google just makes it incredibly good.

Apple does many things greater than Google. Hardware. User Interface. Design. etc.

Data is not one of those things.

I don't even understand the executive decision to pour millions into a proprietary maps platform. What do they have to gain? Did they learn nothing from Bing? Or Google Wave/Google Plus? At least Bing generates some ad revenue money.
 

Rat-Boy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
1,184
15
Georgia
Pretty much what everyone has said.

I have searched before for businesses that have changed names and Apple seems to always be WAY behind Google in these updates.

Makes me wonder what else Apple Maps has wrong.

But I still use Apple because I hate having to click and hold to copy an address and then paste in to Google Maps. It's friggin annoying.

Apple should allow me to use what I want by default, not force their crap down my throat.

Its the same thing with Music. I use Spotify exclusively for music. So stop trying to force Music down my throat.
 

blasto2236

macrumors 6502a
Nov 4, 2012
798
392
There's a road in the city I live in that's not in Apple Maps, despite me reporting it multiple times. That's kind of a Google Maps pull.

My house is incorrectly listed on Google Maps, causing me to have to walk down the hill to call an Uber, have food delivered, etc. I have yet to even find a way to REPORT the problem, much less see it resolved.
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
19,561
22,022
Singapore
Apple got a late start in the maps game, and may never catch up to Google since Google hasn't stopped its mapping efforts. The latest update to Google just makes it incredibly good.

Apple does many things greater than Google. Hardware. User Interface. Design. etc.

Data is not one of those things.

I don't even understand the executive decision to pour millions into a proprietary maps platform. What do they have to gain? Did they learn nothing from Bing? Or Google Wave/Google Plus? At least Bing generates some ad revenue money.
It's the same reason as why every country has its own army, plus its own water and electrical supply, even if a case could be argued that it might be more economical to outsource those functions to an independent third party.

There are some aspects of your own platform that you just have to do yourself, or at least, have a foot in the race to serve as a hedge in case someone tries to play you out.

Which was what happened to Apple. Google deliberately screwed up Maps on iOS when Apple refused to give them more user data than they were comfortable with. If you were using an iPhone during iOS 4 and 5, you would know how badly the maps app sucked. It wasn't until iOS 6 with the botched Maps app that Google finally released their own updated Google Maps app.

Apple Maps may never be as good as Google and I am perfectly fine with that. I do use Apple Maps exclusively because it has been good enough for me, but the bottom line is this - Apple having its own maps app at least keeps Google on their toes and incentivises them to keep updating their own services on iOS to ensure that they remain better than what Apple has to offer, and everybody wins.
 

blasto2236

macrumors 6502a
Nov 4, 2012
798
392
Not using the app will probably be a significant barrier to finding a way to REPORT a problem with it.

Reporting a problem with their mapping services should be easy regardless of the platform you are using the service on. I fall back on Apple Maps on my phone, I use Google Maps in my desktop browsers usually because I'm directed there via search.

My problem doesn't stem from using their app, its from the countless other services that do rely on their maps.

Sorry that my use of caps rather than italics caused you to completely miss my point.
 

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
grew up using Google Maps so i know the UI by heart. Apple Maps was just too confusing and i didnt see the point to adjust to something that lacks behind from a navigation point of view anyway
 
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mr.bee

macrumors 6502a
May 24, 2007
750
468
Antwerp, belgium
I don't understand the pull of Google Maps... I've never had issues with Apple Maps that I haven't had with any other personal navigation solution from Garmin Nuvis to any of several Map apps... Stockholm Syndrome with Google Maps??
Me neither. And streetview is lame, outdated views, and it's horrible near tunnels and bridges. I prefer apple maps, but first impression is too important and with its debut it didn't do well, so few are willing to change
 

T5BRICK

macrumors G3
Aug 3, 2006
8,313
2,387
Oregon
Me neither. And streetview is lame, outdated views, and it's horrible near tunnels and bridges. I prefer apple maps, but first impression is too important and with its debut it didn't do well, so few are willing to change

It's not just first impressions. I've given Apple Maps dozens of chances since it was released and nearly every time I am disappointed. As I said in my previous post, I've had it repeatedly route me to the wrong location even though the address was entered correctly. The POI data isn't as up to date or robust as the competitions.
 
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