How To Report a Problem With iOS 6 Maps Data

[chimpboy74]

I've submitted a report for an incorrectly named road near me (the road name appears as the county name -random!) will be interesting to see how quickly this gets changed (I live kind of off the beaten track in darkest Scotland - the bit under the cloud on the maps!!!!!)

 

[Lepton]

Look under the map

That's a good way to report a specific venue problem, but a better way to report map problems is found under the map page curl. Tap "Report a problem" and you'll get a menu with problem categories like "Search results are incorrect", "Street or other label is incorrect", "Problem with directions" and the ever popular "Problem with satellite image". Then you'll be able to specify a spot on the map, or the search you did, and so on. Very nice!

 

[gnasher729]

Trying to send a correction and I can't drag the pin to the correct location (can't drag the pin at all).

Anyone else having this problem?

Tap on the pin, leave your finger on it for a second, then move it.

 

[dv8r]

I'm OK with that as long as Google doesn't get my position location any more.

Yeah - let Apple get them instead.

 

[Erwin-Br]

It was never going to be ready without releasing it. Data sets that are so dependent on crowd sourcing require a crowd.

They made the reporting option incredibly small and hard to find for something that depends so much on crowd sourcing, though.

 

[rmwebs]

Did Apple pay MacRumors to post this in the hope that people will help fix their monumental cockup?

Approve the damn Google Maps app (if it has in fact been submitted) or add the old Google Maps based app back into the AppStore as a free download.

This isn't going to be a quick patch to fix things here, we're talking YEARS of advanced (and mostly manual) data collection, something Google are obviously massively ahead with.

They charge a license fee for a reason - they provide one of the best mapping options out there...Apples embarrassment of an attempt to replicate it only strengthens the argument even more.

 

[Stella]

there's only one nice thing about apple making its own maps - COMPETITION!

because now google and apple will be competing with maps on mobile devices, this will drive the companies to consistently make better map apps for the consumers.


....but right now, google maps is still better

There is already plenty of competition - Navigon, tomtom, Nokia Maps…. All of these support offline mapping too - something apple need to fix especially for people travelling abroad - roaming data is expensive.

 

[jrswizzle]

So that's a good justification for them to release a product that doesn't work well? Apple has more money than most countries, there's a lot of options outside of developing their own maps.





There's been lots of rumors on various tech sites, I suppose we'll soon see if they're true or not.

And there have been various rumors that Google didn't allow Apple to add turn-by-turn or other innovations so Apple decided to take matters into its own hands when the contact expired.

 

[b11051973]

Just used this to send a correction on my sister's address. When I put in her address, they give a location like 2 miles north.

To be fair, every mapping software I've ever used has done this for my sister's house. She lives on a farm in the middle of no where.

 

[dv8r]

That's a good way to report a specific venue problem, but a better way to report map problems is found under the map page curl. Tap "Report a problem" and you'll get a menu with problem categories like "Search results are incorrect", "Street or other label is incorrect", "Problem with directions" and the ever popular "Problem with satellite image". Then you'll be able to specify a spot on the map, or the search you did, and so on. Very nice!

Oh yes - what a wonderful option to get those 10.000 bus stops in my city back

 

[chimpboy74]

The more I look the more I'm finding (I originally thought it wasn't too bad in my area) seems that it's things like POIs being listed in the wrong town -especially when the street name is the same)

That said I really like flyover. Shame no cities near me have it.

 

[gnasher729]

People shouldn't have to do apples work for them.

Roll on the return of google maps app

You can do it yourself, or you can pay for it. Your choice. But entering one correct bit of information means that 100s of millions of people will have that correct information. I guess wikipedia isn't for you either.

And if you have a business, it's in your best interest to make sure that your business address can be found in Apple's maps.

 

[fig]

Ya then we can continue doing Google's work for them.

You people realize that actively or not everyone using Google Maps is feeding Google information they use to continually update the maps??

So now Apple asks us to do the same thing and its suddenly offensive?

So release it as a beta app and tell Apple fans their feedback is needed to make it Apple Maps good as possible before release in iOS 6.5. They'd have hundreds of thousands of people submitting their feedback in order to "help the cause".

Release it as something that's supposed to be working but isn't and people will understandably be less than receptive.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Oh, I'm doing Apple's work for them because they bought trash data, am I?

Well, that's pretty cool - I guess Apple Maps is now open source and the whole world will benefit from my voluntary work?

And when they'd fixed the data how are they going to make the search function work better? It's near impossible to find stuff you KNOW is on their dreadful maps using their search.

Huh, that is exactly how Google collected data.
People spent their own time correcting their maps.

 

[hanpa]

What's the point of reporting that the satellite images are of low quality in Europe? I'm sure they already know since they've only paid for low res images. I'm going to use Google until the map in iOS6 is useful, it's crap here in Sweden at least.

 

[Seppentoni]

So Apple want's me to help them with their Software for free?

No thanks. I'll pass.

 

[numlock]

And how much does Google pay for the same service?

i dont believe i made any mention of google.

im appalled by crowd sourcing and especially when its done by the biggest and richest companies around.

it does however take some nerve to expect people to work for free to fix a product that they believe is so important to them

 

[jrswizzle]

So release it as a beta app and tell Apple fans their feedback is needed to make it Apple Maps good as possible before release in iOS 6.5. They'd have hundreds of thousands of people submitting their feedback in order to "help the cause".

Release it as something that's supposed to be working but isn't and people will understandably be less than receptive.

But it is working - for me and a lot of other people.

Generally it's the ones who are upset that are the most vocal. The fact that certain places around the world aren't accurate doesn't mean the app itself isn't functional.

I understand for the people getting inaccurate data it renders the app "useless" but you have the option to report the problem and fix it. I don't see what griping about it will do.

 

[NOV]

Also, when was the last time they build something new in Netherlands? I thought country was fully built up a century ago or so

The funny thing I noticed is that within Google Maps the neighbourhood where I live has still street view and sateliite images from before any building had been build there. Apple Maps on the other hand does have a correct up-to-date imagery of my neighbourhood. So to answer your question, yes, they do still build in the Netherlands

 

[gnasher729]

Apple should put together a Report Problem app where users could actively search for problems in their city and for each successful correction, they'd receive iTunes credits for music, movies, tv shows and apps. Apple would quickly gather a worldwide army of eager "volunteers" to report glaring errors and it would be cost effective for Apple because they're just giving away something they already sell. It would cost them little to nothing.

"Report Problems" is available in the "Maps" application. However, giving iTunes credits for valuable contributions would be an excellent idea.

 

[dv8r]

Did Apple pay MacRumors to post this in the hope that people will help fix their monumental cockup?

It's ok to point put the options - they are kinda hidden. But they don't cut it for any serious edition, the whole deal of lifting the pin is icky, it's unprecise and plain annoying. They need to get this out on platforms that have a better experience, like OSX or (god forbid) the web.

Apple needs to get into this (general) debate soon to correct mistakes and to guide people to the different methods of fixing this crapfest. There's a real possibility that once users get access to the Google Maps app on IOS again this is where their updates go and not into Apple Maps - so much for the crowd surfing aspect.

Either Apple get's serious with maps and do what is needed or GTFO, this business of dumping an alfa product and staying silent and doing nothing doesn't help them at all.

 

[NOV]

Turn-by-turn is available in automatic, 3D mode when using the iPhone 4S or the iPhone 5.

Ah thanks, that's it, I have the 4. Great: now I finally found the justification to buy the iPhone 5

 

[gregorypierce]

The problem with this approach that would have been fixed if they'd used Waze, for example, is that you can't fix a road that doesn't exist or a turn that takes you onto a one way street in the wrong direction. This system only lets you repair mapping data based upon location. It doesn't really even let you add one.

 

[numlock]

You can do it yourself, or you can pay for it. Your choice. But entering one correct bit of information means that 100s of millions of people will have that correct information. I guess wikipedia isn't for you either.

And if you have a business, it's in your best interest to make sure that your business address can be found in Apple's maps.

this is a service that apple is selling. its their job to keep it correct and up to date. are you comparing apple and a non profit organization?

and your last line sounds like protection racket

 

[Silmarien]

Everyone seems to have forgotten that Google Maps can be used by anyone free of charge on a PC.
People have paid good money on the new iPhone- why should they have to do the work of correcting mistakes? To me it sounds totally understandable that they are furious by Apples faulty product.

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

Also I want to add that the Google Maps that the previous iPhones have is totally different than the Android application which could be updated. iPhones Google Maps was launched so many years ago and never was updated...