Find my friends -> Apple maps

[suggs]

Anyone else think that the find my friends app will get built into the maps app?

Since it predated Apple's own maps app, it needed to be standalone, but it would make sense to build it into maps now, instead of updating to an iOS 7 app. Will be nice to get rid of the stitched leather at least if it does get updated anyway...

 

[hafr]

I would love to see photos, find my friends and frequent locations as optional map views, but I don't think it'll ever happen... The past years, it feels like they've been splitting apps instead of merging them.

 

[Manatlt]

lol and because of this, no one will use Find My Friends. A wasted feature from Apple.

It's not integrated enough.

 

[Mike in Kansas]

lol and because of this, no one will use Find My Friends. A wasted feature from Apple.

If you have kids with iPhones, you'd use it daily.

 

[BvizioN]

If you have kids with iPhones, you'd use it daily.

Or suspicious gierlfriend's

 

[Manatlt]

If you have kids with iPhones, you'd use it daily.

So this app is only useful to keep track of your kids...even though the app is called Find My Friends.

My point still stands, it's a complete waste and only a handful of people will use it until it's integrated in all iPhones. I once tried to find a friend in the app, only to find out that she doesn't have it and have to download it making this whole thing useless.

Even Whatsapp does a better job then Apple.

 

[Max(IT)]

So this app is only useful to keep track of your kids...even though the app is called Find My Friends.

My point still stands, it's a complete waste and only a handful of people will use it until it's integrated in all iPhones. I once tried to find a friend in the app, only to find out that she doesn't have it and have to download it making this whole thing useless.

Even Whatsapp does a better job then Apple.

Do you prefer to call it Find My Kids ???

 

[Manatlt]

Do you prefer to call it Find My Kids ???

Why not? That's the purpose of this app right?

 

[hafr]

If you have kids with iPhones, you'd use it daily.

Why?

I mean, you might have very good reasons to, but whenever I hear about parents feeling the need to check up on their kids this way I always get the feeling that they should seek help for their controlling and/or nervous behaviour.

 

[Small White Car]

My point still stands, it's a complete waste and only a handful of people will use it until it's integrated in all iPhones. I once tried to find a friend in the app, only to find out that she doesn't have it and have to download it making this whole thing useless.

Wait, so you want to track your friends without contacting them first to ask them?

Uh, yeah. That's never going to happen.

I use Find My Friends all the time, but I talked with each and every person on my list about it, obviously.

Why?

I mean, you might have very good reasons to, but whenever I hear about parents feeling the need to check up on their kids this way I always get the feeling that they should seek help for their controlling and/or nervous behaviour.

When I was a kid cell phones didn't exist. I still had to tell my mom where I was going.

Did my mom need "help" for that? In my opinion, no. I think that's a fairly outrageous claim to make.

 

[C DM]

Why?

I mean, you might have very good reasons to, but whenever I hear about parents feeling the need to check up on their kids this way I always get the feeling that they should seek help for their controlling and/or nervous behaviour.

No rational parent with kid would ever even think something like that.

 

[hafr]

When I was a kid cell phones didn't exist. I still had to tell my mom where I was going.

Did my mom need "help" for that? In my opinion, no. I think that's a fairly outrageous claim to make.

There is an immense difference between asking your kid where (s)he's going, and checking their exact location without their knowledge on a daily basis.

 

[Small White Car]

There is an immense difference between asking your kid where (s)he's going, and checking their exact location without their knowledge on a daily basis.

Why would it be without their knowledge?

Yes, that would be wrong.

 

[hafr]

No rational parent with kid would ever even think something like that.

Something like what, like what I said or like what the person I replied to said?

Do you know many parents without kids?

 

[hafr]

Why would it be without their knowledge?

Yes, that would be wrong.

Why else would someone check up on their kids' location using a GPS tracker on a daily basis? I mean, most of the time you'll know more or less exactly where your kids are either way.

I also grew up before cell phones, and it's not like my parents called for instance to my friend's house if I said that's where I was going. I talked to them in the morning, then I called their workplace in the afternoon to let them know where I was if I wasn't coming home for dinner. I guess you had a similar relationship with your parents.

Imagine if they'd told you they wanted you to wear an electronic bracelet so that they'd be able to check your exact location at any time...

 

[Small White Car]

I also grew up before cell phones, and it's not like my parents called for instance to my friend's house if I said that's where I was going. I talked to them in the morning, then I called their workplace in the afternoon to let them know where I was if I wasn't coming home for dinner.

I see zero difference between that and Find My Friends.

Both sound a whole lot like "using a phone to know when your kid will be home."

 

[hafr]

I see zero difference between that and Find My Friends.

Both sound a whole lot like "using a phone to know when your kid will be home."

Nope. One is based on two way communication and trust, the other isn't.

Would you have accepted to wear an electronic bracelet in order for your parents to be able to see exactly where you were at all times when you were a kid? Would your parents even have asked?

 

[Small White Car]

Nope. One is based on two way communication and trust, the other isn't.

Would you have accepted to wear an electronic bracelet in order for your parents to be able to see exactly where you were at all times when you were a kid? Would your parents even have asked?

The difference is that FmF works both ways. They know where I am but I know where they are too. That offers a balance that a bracelet doesn't.

But at any rate, I have authorized both of my parents to follow me on FmF now, so no, I don't really see the problem.

This isn't hypothetical. I have 11 people following me on the app. So I've put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I see no problem with it.

 

[hafr]

The difference is that FmF works both ways. They know where I am but I know where they are too. That offers a balance that a bracelet doesn't.

But at any rate, I have authorized both of my parents to follow me on FmF now, so no, I don't really see the problem.

This isn't hypothetical. I have 11 people following me on the app. So I've put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I see no problem with it.

I see absolutely no similarities between an adult allowing friends and family to follow his every move through a GPS tracking app, and how I interpreted the child's situation in Mike in Kansas' comment about how someone with kids track them on a daily basis.

 

[C DM]

Something like what, like what I said or like what the person I replied to said?

Do you know many parents without kids?

What you said.

As for parents without kids, sure, like parents with infants or toddlers, or parents with adult children.

 

[Small White Car]

I see absolutely no similarities between an adult allowing friends and family to follow his every move through a GPS tracking app, and how I interpreted the child's situation in Mike in Kansas' comment about how someone with kids track them on a daily basis.

Well, sure, if they're 6 years old they can't give informed consent because they don't really understand what they're agreeing to.

But I'm not giving my 6 year old an iPhone. I wouldn't trust a child with an iPhone until they were old enough to give this kind of permission, same as any adult.

(And more to the point, before they're old enough to give consent it's the LAW that I keep track of my kid at all times. If the cops ask you where your 4 year old is and you don't know, that's bad news for you. So we're clearly not talking about kids that young.)

 

[hafr]

What you said.

As for parents without kids, sure, like parents with infants or toddlers, or parents with adult children.

So in short, checking your kids exact location on a daily basis using a GPS tracker is rational, trusting your kids isn't?

We've clearly got different opinions of what's considered rational.

 

[Mike in Kansas]

Why?

I mean, you might have very good reasons to, but whenever I hear about parents feeling the need to check up on their kids this way I always get the feeling that they should seek help for their controlling and/or nervous behaviour.

I take it you don't have kids, or if you do, not teenagers. And if you DO have teenagers (especially ones that drive) and you think that they are telling you everything about where they are going and what they are doing, then you are incredibly naive. I'm sure you never lied to your parents about what you did growing up <snicker>.

Just because you didn't grow up with the technology that is available today is no reason not to use it. That's like my 78 year old dad saying "I didn't have a cell phone when I grew up; why do you need one?". Also, keeping track of your kids has nothing to do with being controlling or nervous, and everything to do about being a responsible parent.

And regarding the "find my kids" vs. "find my friends" - it's a very useful app when going on trips with groups. I go on a mission trip once a year with a group of middle school and high school kids plus 12 - 14 adult chaperones; for the week that we are gone all of the chaperones with iPhones give each other access to their FMF so we can always find where we are. Works great.

 

[hafr]

Well, sure, if they're 6 years old they can't give informed consent because they don't really understand what they're agreeing to.

But I'm not giving my 6 year old an iPhone. I wouldn't trust a child with an iPhone until they were old enough to give this kind of permission, same as any adult.

(And more to the point, before they're old enough to give consent it's the LAW that I keep track of my kid at all times. If the cops ask you where your 4 year old is and you don't know, that's bad news for you. So we're clearly not talking about kids that young.)

See, Mike in Kansas said that as a parent, you'd use this app daily to check on your kids. Being a parent, I can't see why on earth I'd want to do that since I trust my kids. If I wonder where they are, I'll call. If they don't answer, I leave a voicemail or send a text.

What are the reasons to using FMF to check the exact location of one's kids on a daily basis?

 

[Mike in Kansas]

... Mike in Kansas' comment about how someone with kids track them on a daily basis.

"Track" versus "check up on them" are two very different things. I like to be able to see where they are if I am going to be late getting home, if they are late getting home from school, if they have left the football game and are on their way home or to a friends house, etc. Calling them to find them or having them call me or text me when they leave and when they get there is a pain; just being able to see where they are is much more simpler and efficient.

Rule in my house for my 3 kids ranging in ages from 12 - 18 (now at college) - if you want a cell phone and are currently either living in my house or under my insurance policy, you abide by the terms and conditions that come with it. One of them is that you'll friend me on FmF and keep your phone with you at all times. And they can see me as well, as can my wife and vice versa. If you don't want your family to know where you are, you must be hiding something.