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iOS 14.5: Apple Maps Could Feature Real-Time Crowd Data for Points of Interest
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This would be a useful feature that Apple could partner with Google on and both companies could share data.
Similar to how both companies developed the COVID tracing API. Probably even using the same technology but in a slightly different (but still private) way.
Similar to how both companies developed the COVID tracing API. Probably even using the same technology but in a slightly different (but still private) way.
Have you used Apple Maps recently? It's extremely mature and capable now. It's navigation experience surpasses that of Google in terms of voice feedback and sheer elegance. In terms of route planning, Google Maps may still have the edge in some cases, but 99% of the time (in my experience), Apple Maps has been a better experience.
Is this a biased opinion? Maybe, but I've used both Google Maps and Apple Maps while navigating big cities and Apple Maps has been just as or more reliable. Combined with Apple Watch integration these days and I wouldn't choose anything else. I've haven't see a tech article on Android watches in a couple of years now. Apple Watch is knocking it out of the park, and Apple Maps integration is one of its major homeruns.
Are you sure it was in "Walking" mode? Because the directions can be very different depending on the mode. I once argued with the wife because she was giving me walking directions while we were in a moving vehicle. Talk about confusing! I eventually figured it out! 🤣
Apple Maps since iOS 10.0 has actually been very good, and excellent now in iOS 14.4. Wish they would do better traffic information, though.
If you want/need to, you can (or could) use Google Maps via a browser, so at least you retain some privacy. It will continuously nag you to use the app, which has it’s own privacy agreement.
Lol, the nag is something like: ‘We’re not getting the best out of your experience, download the app.’ The ‘continue in browser’ button is labeled with about 2 point font!
I’ve been given the wrong direction in highway situations more than once in the past few months and it’s not only infuriating it’s outright dangerous.
Maps is also bad at knowing what all the businesses are in a given area, sometimes can’t find a restaurant that’s been around for more than a decade even you pinch to zoom right over it.
My experiences with it are both from toronto, one of the biggest cities in North America, and Hamilton, a city of over 500k population.
I prefer the Maps experience when it works, but when it doesn’t it really doesn’t and it’s painful.
I pretty much only use Apple Maps and for the most part it gets me where I am going. If where I was going isn’t on it, instead of nagging, I spend the minute or two adding the location to Apple Maps. This not only helps me later, but also helps other Apple Maps users too. The POI are not just going to add themselves. 😬
I’m a delivery driver for a living and you wouldn’t believe the amount of delivery notes I see saying “use google maps to find my house”. I use Apple Maps and find them just fine. Google maps has actually been unreliable in my area and my work depends on it.
I was biased towards google maps starting out, but using it and having problems with it and getting pissed off customers at me taking longer routes on google, I use Apple primarily now. No issues
What can I say? I'm now living in some small country in SE Asia and Apple Map has never sent me to the wrong destination ONCE, unlike Google Map that lead people to lost in the wood, and wrong destinations a few times according to my friend and local news here.
And I'm using it for turn by turn like 4 or 5 times a month for the past 7 years(?)
Yeah POI data is inferior to Google Map but I use Foursquare that actually has more data than Google here and it's linked to Apple Map so I'm fine.
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See also above 👆
As for walking direction I remember the 1st time I tested it I used it to walk back to my condo. In an attempt to fool it I intentionally turn before the actual turn it gave me but Apple Map still knows there actually is a shortcut to my condo ahead. That is not now. That's like long time ago.
Now I actually love using Apple Map for walking because of Apple Watch taps. (It's great for driving but it's even better for walking)
Like I say above, what can I say? It never fails me like Google Map to some people I know so I'm happily using it and never install Google Map on my phone once in God know how long.
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What we’ve got here is some people (probably places) where it works well, and some where it works poorly. “Sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t“ is not a description of a dependable system.
Same as Google Map really. Like I said it took quite a few people here to wrong destinations. It's even got on the news here.
Umm yes - in every country and city I've tried it, the navigation has been unreliable, the traffic information non-existent or woefully inaccurate and the venue/POI information either non-existent or threadbare.
Apparently it's more compatible with Apple Watch (which I've no interest in), and maybe it works perfectly in the built-up areas of the USA. However based on my experience, I've no clue why anybody would choose it over Google Maps.
I think in regards to apple maps vs google it really depends on your country. Im sure in the US it is on par but that wasn't the case in the UK until iOS 14 really. The amount of info it had, or rather didn't have, compared to google was quite significant.
Since iOS 14 though I've used it exclusively and it has been pretty good, however with significant less travel due to the pandemic I haven't really had a chance to put it through its paces yet. So we will see.
Since iOS 14 though I've used it exclusively and it has been pretty good, however with significant less travel due to the pandemic I haven't really had a chance to put it through its paces yet. So we will see.
Just last week Apple wanted me walking along a motorway. Google sent me the right way. The locations of businesses are often out too. There is still a decent gap between the two products.
But I’ll always reach for Apple Maps first, with Google as a fallback when something smells fishy.
Maybe, I certainly don’t pretend to have any objective, statistically significant data pertaining to the reliability of either system. It’s purely anecdotal - for myself and everyone I’ve ever spoken to in person about it (so just people in a similar geographic location to me) Apple Maps is way less accurate than Google. I still use Apple Maps because I want to avoid Google, but I‘m consciously putting up with an inferior service (just like when I use DuckDuckGo).
I wouldn’t read anything into what you’re heard about Google being in the news either, after all - Google is used a lot more than Apple Maps, and was the first big one and therefore most newsworthy.
My main point though is not that Google’s Maps is better than Apple’s; I was responding to the suggestion that Apple’s has improved drastically since launch and isn’t unreliable anymore. In my experience (and again, the experience of everyone I know in the UK), it is still highly unreliable.
I should point out I don’t drive, and I don’t lookup locations up using addresses, my use of maps is based on points of interest and walking (and public transport but I tend to use dedicated apps for that). I suspect if you aks for driving directions between two known addresses it’s pretty reliable.