Enhanced Google Maps App with iPad Support 'Coming Soon'

[MacRumors]

At its Google I/O conference back in May, Google showed off enhancements to its mapping services, announcing an all-new desktop experience as well as significant improvements to the company's mobile apps, including an iPad app.

Early today, Google announced that the revamped mobile map experience is now rolling out to Android smartphones, with the iOS updates "coming soon". Among the improvements included in the release:

Explore: Explore is a fast and easy way to visually browse and discover new places without even typing. Simply tap the search box and you'll see cards showing great places to eat, drink, sleep and shop.

Enhanced navigation: In addition to current traffic conditions, we've added two new features to help you navigate around traffic. You can now see reports of problems on the road that you can tap to see incident details. While on the road, Google Maps will also alert you if a better route becomes available and reroute you to your destination faster. This feature is available only on Android and is coming soon to iOS.

Designed for tablets: A dedicated tablet design brings all the features of this new app to Android tablets and iPads, which makes exploring the world from the comfort of your living room much more fluid, smooth and fun.

The new mobile apps also incorporate Google reviews and Zagat ratings, as well as Google Offers from nearby businesses.

Apple of course replaced Google Maps as the default mapping service on its mobile devices as of iOS 6, rolling out an in-house app that has been the subject of significant criticism. Following Apple's move to an in-house mapping solution, Google launched a standalone Google Maps app for iPhone in the App Store last December.

Article Link: Enhanced Google Maps App with iPad Support 'Coming Soon'

 

[Jalopybox]

Does it fix the dimming/brightness bug while navigating?

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

All the more reason to ditch Apple maps.....


Although, I have to admit, lately I've been wanting to give Apple maps another chance. Siri integration, lockscreen display, etc just seem like a pretty good deal.... But after a few attempts, I remembered why I switched to Google maps... Apple I want to love you! Stop hurting my heart!

 

[macslayer118]

Best thing to come out Apple's terrible Maps fiasco was Google releasing this app!

 

[newyorksole]

Hopefully it's fluid like Apple's app.

 

[ValSalva]

All the more reason to ditch Apple maps.....


Although, I have to admit, lately I've been wanting to give Apple maps another chance. Siri integration, lockscreen display, etc just seem like a pretty good deal.... But after a few attempts, I remembered why I switched to Google maps... Apple I want to love you! Stop hurting my heart!

Same here. I'm no fan of Google but their Maps app is miles ahead of Apple's. I just make sure that I'm never logged into Google whenever I used their services which at this point is maps and search.

 

[gmanist1000]

Does it fix the dimming/brightness bug while navigating?

I hope so... it's soooo annoying.

 

[barkomatic]

Good News. It's going to be a long time before Apple Maps even comes close to Google Maps. Now if Apple would only allow us to make Google Maps the default.

Apple Maps is prettier, but half the time I enter an address Apple Maps doesn't even come close to pinning the location properly--still a big mess.

 

[Fresh1]

How about that Google Music app?

 

[pancakedrawer]

Give me the option to download areas for offline navigation like on Android.
Google Maps is a lifesaver when travelling but offline is a must.

 

[chumawumba]

I have been waiting so long for iPad support!

 

[gluckett]

Give me the option to download areas for offline navigation like on Android.
Google Maps is a lifesaver when travelling but offline is a must.

It's now not quite the same on Android anymore either. A buddy of mine was irate this morning after they rolled out a new version of maps for Android and the offline support is no longer an official feature at the moment. Now, you have to know the secret Easter egg the developers left in to access that feature - you have to type some special key phrase in the search field to do it.

 

[BJMRamage]

Funny. I haven;t used Apple Maps much (not too much need lately) and have NOT downloaded Google Maps but wife has been using Apple Maps with her iPhone 5 (it's new to her) and she really likes it. and how accurate Apple Maps has been, going down to how many feet away we are to a turn (it was 10 feet, then 5 feet while waiting to turn at a light)

Anyway, this looks more less MAPS and more search/maps/you might like based on preferences and just more battery consumption (AND 3G usage).

 

[rwilliams]

I prefer the "road sign" navigation UI of Apple Maps, especially when you're not in the app itself, and the Siri integration is nice. But it's getting harder to deny that Google Maps is way ahead. The new Explore feature looks fantastic.

 

[gfeen]

Wonder if that was filmed using Google Glass

 

[appleisking]

Can anyone tell me why the google maps app for ios has mediocre reviews on the app store? Seriously, I'm curious.

 

[gmanist1000]

Give me the option to download areas for offline navigation like on Android.
Google Maps is a lifesaver when travelling but offline is a must.

I think they actually removed this from android today with the update.

----------

Can anyone tell me why the google maps app for ios has mediocre reviews on the app store? Seriously, I'm curious.

Most of the reviews mention the annoying auto-dimming.

 

[thedeejay]

Same here. I'm no fan of Google but their Maps app is miles ahead of Apple's. I just make sure that I'm never logged into Google whenever I used their services which at this point is maps and search.

Who're you kidding bro. It's google. They know your info.

 

[mudman2]

They can make it out of gold, I am not having google tracking me

 

[JarJarThomas]

i really so no problems with apple maps in everyday usage.
It replaced my mobile gps, i had never a wrong route or missing road.
google maps on the other side does not know my street.

The only glitches with apple maps are visual glitches like some bad satelite images (gray but highres instead of colorful and lowres) or some errors in the automatic 3d generation wich need to be fixed by hand (and if you think about how large the damn world is, it is hard to fix these).
by the way google maps has similar errors.

the only thing where both really differ are pois. although at least for germany apple maps is better here (but that depends on the data they can buy)

 

[jonnysods]

Man it's better on iOS than it is on JB 4.2!!

 

[Sirious]

Finally! I love Apple Maps, but you can't not have Google Maps too. I've been waiting for an iPad version for ages.
Thanks Google!

 

[DrMotownMac]

Sorry this is a little off topic, but someone has to say it...

As one of the few MacRumors members from the Detroit area (and a big Detroit Tigers fan), I have to say... I love that video!

P.S., They play "Detroit Rock City" at Comerica Park before every Tigers game!

 

[yuanshec]

I prefer the "road sign" navigation UI of Apple Maps, especially when you're not in the app itself, and the Siri integration is nice. But it's getting harder to deny that Google Maps is way ahead. The new Explore feature looks fantastic.

Same feeling here.
I found people who used Map in car navigation tends to like Apple Map more. It is so elegant that I keep tolerating the wrong POIs for Apple Maps...
What I really desired is Apple Map app+Google Map data.

 

[Winni]

They can make it out of gold, I am not having google tracking me

You don't want to be tracked by Google but being tracked by Apple is okay for you...?

It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things which corporation is tracking you, because the NSA is going to track you anyway.