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Maps is already improving?
- Thread starter naltst*
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Maps is showing more POIs in my surrounding area now and the visuals have improved. I'm glad that I was wrong about Maps. 
Unfortunately, some POIs still aren't found in iOS 6 that I am able to find in iOS 5, so I guess I'll see if future updates improve this or not.
Unfortunately, some POIs still aren't found in iOS 6 that I am able to find in iOS 5, so I guess I'll see if future updates improve this or not.
Here is a comparison of a map area in iOS 6 maps that will look different depending on whether you are looking at it from China or elsewhere:
Outside China, Inside China
Other things to note:
1) Its not using Apple cartography, or at least it is different from the cartography Apple uses elsewhere. I'm betting its AutoNavi's cartography, since many Chinese map services mimic the Google Map style.
2) Its not using vector data, it looks like its using tiles, like the "old" maps. But it seems to load faster than the old ones.
3) Both Google and Apple are using AutoNavi in China (both screenshots below show attribution to AutoNavi). Apple shows more data at higher zoom levels than Google, it may even have more data for some reason. This is also a random small town, in case you want to know how detailed data is:
4) It follows PRC geography. Note the 9-dashed line that represents China owning most of the South China Sea, and another dash to include Taiwan:
Going to look at North American data from China also reveals much sparser maps, with hardly any data.
The flap reveals that data comes from AutoNavi, as opposed to TomTom elsewhere.
The map sources link also goes to a different link:
http://gspsa21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution.cn.html
Outside China, Inside China
Other things to note:
1) Its not using Apple cartography, or at least it is different from the cartography Apple uses elsewhere. I'm betting its AutoNavi's cartography, since many Chinese map services mimic the Google Map style.
2) Its not using vector data, it looks like its using tiles, like the "old" maps. But it seems to load faster than the old ones.
3) Both Google and Apple are using AutoNavi in China (both screenshots below show attribution to AutoNavi). Apple shows more data at higher zoom levels than Google, it may even have more data for some reason. This is also a random small town, in case you want to know how detailed data is:
4) It follows PRC geography. Note the 9-dashed line that represents China owning most of the South China Sea, and another dash to include Taiwan:
Going to look at North American data from China also reveals much sparser maps, with hardly any data.
The flap reveals that data comes from AutoNavi, as opposed to TomTom elsewhere.
The map sources link also goes to a different link:
http://gspsa21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution.cn.html
That's interesting. Wonder if that's just during the beta period.
Unless China only allow their own improved maps.
Wondering what happens if you travel to China, will they switch over when you get there?
Unless China only allow their own improved maps.
Wondering what happens if you travel to China, will they switch over when you get there?
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
Screenshot request
Could somebody running iOS 6 please provide me with a screenshot of "bricktown, oklahoma city, ok"? Please zoom out a bit, because I want to see if their maps accurately portray the new I-40. That section of highway shifted a couple blocks south within the past year and Google maps is already correct, but my TomTom app is still completely lost when I drive on it.
Could somebody running iOS 6 please provide me with a screenshot of "bricktown, oklahoma city, ok"? Please zoom out a bit, because I want to see if their maps accurately portray the new I-40. That section of highway shifted a couple blocks south within the past year and Google maps is already correct, but my TomTom app is still completely lost when I drive on it.
Looks incorrect based on a comparison with google maps. The release isn't for months, but you can't expect perfection... Right?
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Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
Thanks!
Right... I mean it is quite a new change(5 months acutally, just checked), but it's also a major highway. Google is very quick getting out new updates on their maps, I just hope that once iOS 6 is released Apple will put out updates just as quickly...
If it takes a year or so before the new hw is updated, that'll be pretty annoying.
I've reported it for you.
(Just discovered you can drop a pin by holding down on any point. Could you always do that?)
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
I've reported it for you.
(Just discovered you can drop a pin by holding down on any point. Could you always do that?)
Awesome, thanks!
And yup, could always hold to drop a pin.
That's a nice touch as well. If you grab and drag the bottom of the map you can almost roll it up sideways. 
That's exactly what happens, at least in iOS 6 beta 2. I travelled to China and my Maps app data changed.
The improvements excite me. I'm currently on vacation in Honolulu, HI and I am using the MotionX GPS App on my iPhone to get turn-by-turn directions. It's an okay app, I'm just excited to see how Apple maps will work out for me.
You made me laugh, but because what you said is funny (it isn't by the way), but because I'll never get the people who instead of being thankful for a chance to play with beta product before just this kind of thing. It's not a final version - it's coming this FALL, and there is "plenty" of time to improve map data so it will be usable like Google's Maps are.
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It is - it's also called Fly over and it's 3D data are not available everywhere (for example here in Prague it's not in 3D at all, which is sad - I hope they at least fix it for capital towns...)
I don't think anyone questions if it will be usable or not. The real question is if it's going to be better or worse than the fairly refined offering from Google Maps, in particular outside of the US. Regression, of it happens, will be a problem. This is also why people care so much; maps are not a gimmick, they are likely one of the most user apps.