Does Maps work in the backcountry?

[moonman239]

We took a drive to Napa County a couple weeks ago. I was expecting to be able to use my phone, but the Maps app froze somewhere in Suisun Valley. Now, I've updated to beta 3, so maybe the Maps app has improved. I don't know. That's the first time I used the turn-by-turn directions out in the backcountry.

I'd like to know if this has been fixed in beta 3. If Maps becomes unusable in the backcountry, I might file a bug report.

 

[nw9]

I don't have iOS 6 but if you didn't have access to the internet then that's probably your problem. I don't think Apple's map works without the internet. If you want to use a map service in the backcountry without internet you need to get an offline map. I like using the TomTom app.

 

[moonman239]

I don't have iOS 6 but if you didn't have access to the internet then that's probably your problem. I don't think Apple's map works without the internet. If you want to use a map service in the backcountry without internet you need to get an offline map. I like using the TomTom app.

That's what I'm thinking. If this is so, that's just lame.

 

[DaffyDuck]

That's what I'm thinking. If this is so, that's just lame.

It was the same with Google maps, however, since the new maps are vector based and not very complex in terms of number of vertices (sadly), they should be able to cache a lot of map data in not much space. So, I'm a little surprised they didn't add this ability from the get-go as a demonstration of the benefit of vector based mapping.

 

[sakau2007]

It would be completely inexcusable if at the very least it did not store the route.

If I take a 6 or 8 hour trip, odds are I will go in and out of service. If I lose service, the device should be smart enough to keep me on my route until I hit service again.

 

[BuckeyeMac]

It was the same with Google maps, however, since the new maps are vector based and not very complex in terms of number of vertices (sadly), they should be able to cache a lot of map data in not much space. So, I'm a little surprised they didn't add this ability from the get-go as a demonstration of the benefit of vector based mapping.

We should be able to cache maps along a route. It's stupid if this feature isn't in, as it kind of defeats the purpose of having maps

 

[moonman239]

I assume this issue hasn't been fixed? If not, I'll create a ticket using the Bug Reporter. Does it freeze or simply not give you directions?

 

[sakau2007]

We should be able to cache maps along a route. It's stupid if this feature isn't in, as it kind of defeats the purpose of having maps

I think you said what I was trying to say. You just did it a lot more eloquently.

 

[nw9]

If I take a 6 or 8 hour trip, odds are I will go in and out of service. If I lose service, the device should be smart enough to keep me on my route until I hit service again.

We should be able to cache maps along a route.

I'm also surprised Apple is not offering the feature to cache maps conveniently. I agree that it should at least cache maps for the route that we are planning to take. There are many places that I don't get internet, which is why I have never fully relied on the default iPhone map app.

Some apps are way too reliant on frequent access to the internet. I like it when apps have offline support. I think we are still a few years away from everyone having fast constant reliable internet on their phones.