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Google Maps for iOS Receives First Update Since Launch with Google Contacts Integration, Local Business Search

charlituna said:
I was thinking the same thing. It is totally possible to link to our contacts so why haven't they
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Why should they? It's like asking Apple to allow Android to use iTunes. Google wants you to manage your contacts on gmail. Much like Apple wants you to manage things in its own ecosystem.

It's a matter of who's ecosystem is more worthwhile to the consumer. Apple's long standing strategy is to create and grow ecosystems but at the same time lock you into it, for better or worse.
 
silvetti said:
Google is not doing anyone a favor... it's business...
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Shh, don't talk about Dear Leader that way! The Droids will not abide it!

Funny how people mock Apple fanboys, who somehow manage to recognize that Apple is a ultimately a business that wants their money.

Google fanboys literally believe that Google exists to better humankind. Brin and Sergey aren't so much businessmen, but saints. Saints sent directly from heaven to give everyone free stuff. I've never seen a for-profit corporation get such a pass from the public or the press or their customer base. They simply can do no wrong. I mean hey, Google did all us iPhone users a favor by giving themselves a way to collect our data for their advertising business, right? :rolleyes:

Why can't we all just admit that Apple wants our money, Google wants our money, and either will do anything it takes to get it? It's called capitalism, and there's nothing wrong with it. Not until you fail to see it for what it is.
 
LagunaSol said:
Shh, don't talk about Dear Leader that way! The Droids will not abide it!

Funny how people mock Apple fanboys, who somehow manage to recognize that Apple is a ultimately a business that wants their money.

Google fanboys literally believe that Google exists to better humankind. Brin and Sergey aren't so much businessmen, but saints. Saints sent directly from heaven to give everyone free stuff. I've never seen a for-profit corporation get such a pass from the public or the press or their customer base. They simply can do no wrong. I mean hey, Google did all us iPhone users a favor by giving themselves a way to collect our data for their advertising business, right? :rolleyes:

Why can't we all just admit that Apple wants our money, Google wants our money, and either will do anything it takes to get it? It's called capitalism, and there's nothing wrong with it. Not until you fail to see it for what it is.
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This board is riddled with people you describe.

Your last paragraph though is spot on. And EVRYONE should remember that always.
 
iGrip said:
The entire Apple community should come together to thank Google for this.

A different sort of company would do everything they could to kill the iPhone. But instead, Google helps out the entire Apple community by releasing great new software for Apple's platform.

Hey - do you see Nokia writing great software that makes iOS and iPhones more valuable? How about RIM?

But Google has always been there for Apple. They were the ones that made the iPhone a great mapping tool in the first place. And now they continue on.

Thanks, Google!
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Like Here maps? Apple made the iPhone a great mapping tool out of the gate, not Google.
 
NoNothing said:
Like Here maps? Apple made the iPhone a great mapping tool out of the gate, not Google.
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If it wasn't for Google, the iPhone would not have gained traction i the manner it did. Think Maps. Think web. Think video.

Without Google's contributions in these areas, the iPhone would have been meh.

Thank you Google!
 
canyonblue737 said:
Google Maps do the same and always have.

This update is to structure and capabilities of the app itself NOT the map data which updates DAILY. Google still updates their maps far more frequently and better than Apple does. If you find an error in a street display on Google and report it the change to correct the error often appears in the app within 48 hours.
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Understood. My reply was to another guy who said basically why does Apple update Maps only with OS updates, which isn't true. It grabs whatever is in the database. :)
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
Continued lack of vector data makes Apple Maps superior to Google maps, IMO. It's about the only thing Apple Maps has on Google Maps, but it makes a huge difference.

Looking forward to seeing what kind of enhancements Apple Maps will get in iOS 7.
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Hmmm. Tell me, what exactly bothers you about Google's "lack of vector data"? Google Maps does use vector-based data.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/13/new-google-maps-for-ios-brings-vectors-transit-and-navigation-features

Nevertheless, some still complain. Here's a good discussion:

http://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/14u9ta/if_the_new_google_maps_app_is_vectorbased_why_is/
 
kas23 said:
Hmmm. Tell me, what exactly bothers you about Google's "lack of vector data"? Google Maps does use vector-based data.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/13/new-google-maps-for-ios-brings-vectors-transit-and-navigation-features

Nevertheless, some still complain. Here's a good discussion:

http://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/14u9ta/if_the_new_google_maps_app_is_vectorbased_why_is/
Click to expand...

There are some interesting theories in that thread. The one that seems most plausible to me is this one:
1 - As the user moves about in Google Maps, Google's servers are hit with requests for vector data which it supplies.
2 - This vector data is then rasterized onto screen and discarded.
3 - Further movement without a fast enough connection will cause this rasterized data to be moved about, until new vector data shows up and is rasterized.

That would perfectly explain the the app's issues.

Apple maps on the other hand simply continuously displays vector data and never caches rasterizations of it, but does cache the vector data, thus Apple maps being continuously smooth, even when loading new data, as opposed to the low quality of Google maps. All Google did by shifting to vector data was reduce the necessary bandwidth - they hardly improved graphics at all (except for the fact that road names aren't statically printed on map tiles.)
 
iGrip said:
The entire Apple community should come together to thank Google for this.

A different sort of company would do everything they could to kill the iPhone. But instead, Google helps out the entire Apple community by releasing great new software for Apple's platform.

Hey - do you see Nokia writing great software that makes iOS and iPhones more valuable? How about RIM?

But Google has always been there for Apple. They were the ones that made the iPhone a great mapping tool in the first place. And now they continue on.

Thanks, Google!
Click to expand...

Google doesn't do it out of kindness of their heart. They do it because it makes them money!! And tons of it!! Google makes more money off iOS then it does from Android. So of course their gonna make software for their "competition" since its making them money.
 
WatchTheThrone said:
Google doesn't do it out of kindness of their heart. They do it because it makes them money!! And tons of it!! Google makes more money off iOS then it does from Android. So of course their gonna make software for their "competition" since its making them money.
Click to expand...

It also makes Apple a crapload of money.
 
ilp said:
Still no search in local contacts.

Still no remembering of my recent searches. This one completely baffles me. I stopped using Google Maps because of this. Why do I have to re-enter an address I just entered 5 minutes ago? Ridiculous.
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Tell me about it. This has been the most frustrating thing for me. Why can't we get one app that just does it all?
 
XtraSmiley said:
Really? Is iBooks not a built in app? If it is, mine got an update with the Google maps. If it's not, then that is weird.
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iBooks is not built in. Likely as a way to avoid any antitrust claims. No unfair advantage when the user choose iBooks over kindle, nook etc apps

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jashic said:
Why should they? It's like asking Apple to allow Android to use iTunes. Google wants you to manage your contacts on gmail. Much like Apple wants you to manage things in its own ecosystem.

.
Click to expand...

Not really. iOS maps can access any contact at is in your address book regardless of which or even if you sync to a clue service. With google maps you have to log into your google account and pull down those contacts, which is a cumbersome process. And then that's all contacts it uses. They might as well required you to log into a google account and looked them up off their server. Not using gmail? Oh well in contacts

I get that its a ploy to get folks on google services but it still sucks
 
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