How To Report a Problem With iOS 6 Maps Data

[valkraider]

Fix it or put it back. Plain and simple.

IT IS STILL THERE.

You can still use Google Maps:

http://maps.google.com

Add it to your home screen. Done. Just like before. (Actually maybe slightly better than it was with the old app).

I REPEAT - APPLE IS NOT BLOCKING GOOGLE MAPS NOR ARE THEY FORCING YOU TO USE THEIR MAPS APP.

 

[kdarling]

From what I've read (and it seems entirely plausible), Google wouldn't allow Apple to use the data for certain things - though Apple built the app itself - such as turn-by-turn as to give the Android offering a competitive advantage.

As has been pointed out before, Google was not allowed, by its data suppliers, to let anyone else make turn by turn apps. Apple had to negotiate their own contract to be able to do that.

This is because data providers make most of their money selling map data for personal and built-in auto GPS units. It is not in their interest to let every yahoo on the planet make a TBT app using their data, for free.

Also I don't get why Apple maps data is so messed up when they in fact are using TomTom maps. The data on TomTom appears correct while it is wrong in Apple maps.

Sidenote: TomTom bought TeleAtlas, which is generally ranked below Navteq in accuracy and completeness.

However, TomTom has already said that Apple's woes are not the fault of TomTom's map data.

Apparently it's all in how they interpret the data and map it to other information.

3) I don’t believe Microsoft or Mapquest offer turn-by-turn directions, 3D views, vector or OpenGL maps, etc… that’s one of the reasons why the Lumia series uses Nokia’s mapping service.

Microsoft Bing Maps have a 3D "birds eye" view at least in the USA: they used low flying airplanes to collect the images instead of satellites.

As for Nokia, they bought Navteq, one of the best mapping sources in the world. (Google used to use them for their US maps, before that. Garmin still uses Navteq.)

Actually it is snappier - maybe not as accurate, but the vector-rendering is much smoother than Google Maps!

Smoother than the ancient iOS version, yes. Google Maps on Android has had vector rendering for quite some time now.

Android users assure me that Google Maps on their phones does really do automatic turn-by-turn. Am I overseeing something or is Apple Maps lagging in this respect?

Android has had a far superior set of Google apps for a while, including transit maps, building interiors, and true turn-by-turn voice aided Navigation. The iPhone never got all those features.

 

[Slix]

Image

LOL

Eh, close enough.

 

[valkraider]

(they charge a premium for their products - they're not doing users any favors here)

Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and Nokia smartphones all cost the same prices generally as iPhones. How is Apple charging a premium? The fancy Samsungs in the anti-apple ads cost just as much as an iPhone...

 

[a0me]

Is there a "The entire app is incorrect" option?

I'd be OK with a button that allows me to flag an entire country's map as incorrect.
Maybe we'll also get IAP to get post-1950 satellite imagery?

 

[Marlor]

I just used this to report that Apple left my entire suburb off the map.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

I just wonder how many of the chronic complainers here made similar complaints of Google Maps through all the years of its development.

Clearly, the best and most efficient way for Apple to fix the errors with Maps is to have millions of customers report the problems. Mapping software doesn't just appear in near-perfect form because a company threw more developers into the project.

Peace,
Gene

 

[Marlor]

Add it to your home screen. Done. Just like before. (Actually maybe slightly better than it was with the old app).

How do I get Siri to integrate with it?

 

[dv8r]

I REPEAT - APPLE IS NOT BLOCKING GOOGLE MAPS NOR ARE THEY FORCING YOU TO USE THEIR MAPS APP.

I repeat: it's a workaround and the default app is still Apple Maps - now press [caps lock] and move along.

 

[valkraider]

You don't? How about the fact that their app could likely be rejected on the grounds of "duplicate functionality"?

Apple will not reject Google Maps app. If they do they will instantly be investigated by the government for abusing their monopoly.

Just like how they have allowed a Google Voice app, a YouTube app, a GMail app, a Google Latitude app, and any other Google app - they will allow the Google Maps app.

Regardless of the outcome, the bad press and/or lawsuits would simply not be worth it. They will approve a Google Maps app.

They have also allowed HUNDREDS of other mapping applications in the app store - there is absolutely no reason to think they have any reason to not allow Google maps.

All they have done is made Google maps not the *default*.

 

[dv8r]

Great point on #1. Will only be a matter of time before the Apple app is comparable. Google Maps weren't perfect out the gate either.

And the question... again - do You think Google Maps won't get better while this happens? And if people get Google Maps on their iPhone what app do You think they will use for updating POI's?

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Microsoft Bing Maps have a 3D "birds eye" view at least in the USA: they used low flying airplanes to collect the images instead of satellites.

Same company that did (does) the 3D maps for Apple... C3.

Android has had a far superior set of Google apps for a while, including transit maps, building interiors, and true turn-by-turn voice aided Navigation. The iPhone never got all those features.

My Windows 7 never get any IOS/OSX features also - this is the tradeoff... why should Google be any different? Will I get iCloud integration on Android or Windows Phone?

 

[nikomakhos]

To everyone suggesting MapQuest or using the maps.google.com.

1) MapQuest app is not available outside the US.
2) Every other app that uses maps is still going to use the Apple Maps. For example the app I use to log my morning jogs. Google Maps had all the small tracks in my local parks. Apple Maps just has angular green areas that are not even correct.

 

[jtrenda33]

This is better?

I don't own an iPhone 5...yet, but I have had the opportunity to play around with Flyover on a friend's device and in-store. I think Flyover is REALLY cool. Apple said it's only in major metropolitan areas right now. Map San Francisco, CA and give yourself a tour of the city. It really feels like you're flying over the city. AT&T Park and Downtown are especially awesome. The Golden Gate Bridge could look a lot better, but I still think Apple Maps' Flyover blows Google Earth away. Below are some screen shots I just took of San Francisco, CA using Google Earth. Unfortunately, I can't post any from Flyover because I don't have that feature on my iPhone 4.

Is that the Transamerica Pyramid falling down?

I've been over the Golden Gate Bridge. Pretty sure it doesn't do that.

OK. I'm positive it doesn't do that!

Google's not perfect either. Besides, correct me if I'm wrong, you can't even access Google Earth from within Google Maps, so you need two apps to do what Apple is doing with one?

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To everyone suggesting MapQuest or using the maps.google.com.

1) MapQuest app is not available outside the US.
2) Every other app that uses maps is still going to use the Apple Maps. For example the app I use to log my morning jogs. Google Maps had all the small tracks in my local parks. Apple Maps just has angular green areas that are not even correct.

Were you in Satellite view?

 

[theluggage]

What is with the huge love with the old built-in google map app? Without turn-by-turn with voice, what is the point while you drive.

Without comprehensive, reliable map data, what is the point of turn-by-turn?

For starters, iOS is used by millions of people with iPod Touches and WiFi-only iPads, in which case turn-by-turn is as much use as an inflatable dartboard.

I actually bought a turn-by-turn app for my phone, but I rarely use it. It's no substitute for looking at a good map beforehand, maybe using street view to get an impression of where you're going, getting an idea of time and distance, finding out whether it was feasible to get the bus/train... Maps was great for that and, for a lot of locations, it's been sacrificed for the sake of turn-by-turn.

 

[BimmerJP]

Also, we can help Apple by helping Yelp. This is really important. I noticed that if you can't find a business in the new Maps, chances are you won't find it on yelp either. I just updated a few locations at Yelp, and hopefully yelp can make the changes and, ultimately, a better Maps for every iOS 6 user.

 

[Sandman1969]

what a brilliant idea. get people to work for free so that a basic feature supplied by apple works in a device sold by apple.

im not sure if i find that more or less offensive than the idea to release this crap

Was there as much complaining when google maps started? You think they had all their POI done the day it came out?

 

[WB2Colorado]

The Home Depot in Durango, Colorado...

Holy crap! Someone else knows my hometown exists!

 

[akatsuki]

Tim Cook has basically shown he is no Steve Jobs in pretty much one fell swoop. The automated testing of a profoundly human-centric device is just the first step down the path of doom.

Regardless, if they are really counting on manually fixing things and need to staff up to do it, they are screwed if they think they will get there in anything approaching a reasonable time.

Will they survive this? Sure - they survived people mocking the Newton's handwriting, Siri's absolutely terrible performance, and other similar snafus.

But instead of waiting for user submitted fixes, they should just use anonymized tracking, their Yelp alliance, and a couple of other things to map out the world as quickly as possible.

 

[nikomakhos]

Was there as much complaining when google maps started? You think they had all their POI done the day it came out?

Google Maps launched 2005, this is 2012. Why should anyone care what Google Maps was like 7 years ago? I care about what it was like 1 week ago on my phone.

Sure Google has a head start at maps, but that's life. If you launch a new service and call it the "most powerful mapping service ever", it's kind of expected that you compete with the current market, not the market of 7 years ago.

 

[chr1s60]

I can understand people being upset for Apple replacing Google Maps so quickly, but being angry of the actual Apple Maps app is ridiculous. The better solution would have been to either wait til iOS 7 or include both maps applications on iOS 6 and allow the user to pick which they wanted as the default app.
When Google Maps was released it wasn't anywhere near as complete and accurate as it is today. It takes time for an application like this to improve, just as it did with Google Maps. Expecting it to be exactly the same at release isn't realistic.

 

[Dudical]

Was there as much complaining when google maps started? You think they had all their POI done the day it came out?

Google Maps was, and always has been, free. The iPhone5 cost me $899 to take home an unlocked one, and the Maps app is the number one non-hardware feature they're advertising about the phone (http://www.apple.com/iphone/built-in-apps/).

I don't want to be a part of a crowdsourcing community. I have zero interest in taking time out of my day to communicate with Apple about their map inaccuracies. I want a map that works, as advertised, out of the box. If Apple wants help with their map data they can pay me my freelance rate.

 

[jtrenda33]

... they should just use anonymized tracking, their Yelp alliance, and a couple of other things to map out the world as quickly as possible.

Like those ball things from Prometheus.

 

[iSamurai]

So I need to fix something I paid $800 for?

 

[Gene Steinberg]

Google Maps launched 2005, this is 2012. Why should anyone care what Google Maps was like 7 years ago? I care about what it was like 1 week ago on my phone.

Sure Google has a head start at maps, but that's life. If you launch a new service and call it the "most powerful mapping service ever", it's kind of expected that you compete with the current market, not the market of 7 years ago.

Can you get me the link to that statement about the "most powerful mapping service ever"? It's not a part of Apple's iOS 6 info.

Peace,
Gene

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So I need to fix something I paid $800 for?

You paid for the phone. You also pay for the computer that would run the free Google Maps service. What's the difference?

Peace,
Gene

 

[snorkelman]

All they have done is made Google maps not the *default*.

which is precisely the problem

Google Maps wasn't just a standalone map application installed by default on the phone it formed the basis for the underlying mapping that the phone itself, and by extension a host of third party applications, all relied upon.

All of that has now been compromised by the change over to Apples own mapping. Google could release 300 Google Map apps for the iphone if they wanted to, it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to that.

By throwing out the google mapping and replacing it with their own, Apple have stabbed their smartphone in both eyes with a pointy stick.

Do you really think folks would be getting this bothered if Apple Maps was just a cheesy baked in app that could be shoved into a never to be visited folder along with the weather applet and the calculator?