iPhone Maps turn by turn review on iPhone 4

[tiptopp]

There are a few comments and threads about the new Maps app, and turn by turn, and how well, or not, it works. Well I used it last week to drive from Norwich (UK) to France, and it got me the 1,100 miles there and back without a hitch.

When I say without a hitch, the route was a better one than my Jeep satnav offered, and the timing was pretty accurate too. However, there are a few glitches with the app, some of which are probably iPhone 4 limitations...

1 - It takes a good few yards after a turn for the app to put the next instruction up, which caused a couple of last minute 'quick' turns. Think this is down to the phone, not the app.
2 - It doesn't count down to the next turn, so when it says '87 miles - turn left onto ...', it still says 87 miles when you're about to make the turn. This obviously means that you have to keep an eye on the map to see when the little blue circle appears to indicate that you've almost done the 87 miles, or watch roadsigns which match the instruction.
3 - If you go to the overview and the resume, it resumes to the last instruction carried out, and even when you hit the location arrow it takes a little while to catch up with the right instruction.
4 - There's no count down of either distance or time to the end of the journey.
5 - The 3D view which is apparently available on iP4s would be very useful...

On the other hand, I've seen people saying that you can't use turn by turn in anything other than map view. You can - and it was novel driving along with instructions on a hybrid view. It would be great to be able to do that with the 3D view as well, being able to see the buildings! To get to the different views, you have to go to 'Overview', then change the view, then 'Resume'.

I'll be using it again (same route) next week, and am positively looking forward to it - especially as I now get to use my Vodafone contract minutes, texts and data in France for only £3 a day (and they've just given me a new sim-only tariff with 1gb of data for £20 less than my contract!).

Any questions, let me know.

Tiptopp

 

[muledogus]

When I used mine it seemed like I had to manually swipe to the next instruction every time. Maybe I just didn't give it enough time to automatically go to the next step? That makes it tough when you are only on certain roads for a few tenths of a mile.

 

[tiptopp]

When I used mine it seemed like I had to manually swipe to the next instruction every time. Maybe I just didn't give it enough time to automatically go to the next step? That makes it tough when you are only on certain roads for a few tenths of a mile.

I think that if you've not hit the location arrow you might have to do that, but you're right - it might just be that you needed to wait longer!

Personally, I can't wait for the new iPhone. I have a friend with a 4S who refuses to use Siri, and also refuses to let me put him on iOS6. He did the same journey as I did last week, but using Google Maps - it would have been so much easier with iOS6, Maps and Siri!

Tiptopp

 

[definitive]

I thought turn by turn wouldn't work on 4, and only on 4S?

 

[BuckeyeMac]

I thought turn by turn wouldn't work on 4, and only on 4S?

Thats what I thought as well. Probably reasons why some of the OP's bullets I haven't seen/heard issues with 4s phones...

 

[ben824]

I have a 32 GB 4S and have been using TBT Nav for weeks now and it is AMAZING!!! My experience has been slightly different from the OP. On my 4S it does count down the miles visually on the screen and Siri will count down the miles in intervals. So if you have 27 miles to go she will announce 27 miles in the beginning and then 10 miles, then 5, then 2, 1, and so on. My 4S has also been fairly accurate too with when to turn. I did notice a small bug yesterday where I had to go to a hotel that was right next to the on-ramp at an exit on a state highway. I used the highway so when I came down the off ramp it told me to go straight back onto the on-ramp and then my destination was on my right. Well there was no turning right into the hotel from the on-ramp but luckily I knew where to go at that point but is was a noteworthy small bug. But remember this is a BETA release and not a finished PUBLIC release so there is liable to be some bugs that will be worked out before the GM public release comes out. But for being a Beta it is surprisingly stable and accurate!

So far nothing makes me miss Google maps at all. I hated Google maps and for navigation purposes I used the Waze app for TBT Nav until now.

 

[Gjwilly]

Up until beta-4, the next instruction would lag by almost exactly 1/2 of a route leg.
In other words if the route says to make a left, go 2 miles, and then make a right -- the instruction to make that right would not show up until you'd traveled 1 mile down that 2 mile stretch.
If it was a 20 mile stretch it wouldn't show up until 10 miles down -- whatever the distance was it would always be halfed.
With beta-4, I'm hardly seeing any lag at all.
The directions advance pretty much exactly when they should.
You can always tap to get the next direction but for a hands-free navigational aid, Maps on the iPhone 4 is getting better.

----------

I have a 32 GB 4S and have been using TBT Nav for weeks now and it is AMAZING!!! My experience has been slightly different from the OP......

That's because this thread is about the iPhone 4 and not the 4S.

 

[tiptopp]

I thought turn by turn wouldn't work on 4, and only on 4S?

The Apple website about Maps does say this. So either it means the Siri and 3D bit, or they're going to take it off the 4 altogether (which would be a shame - it works fine).

Also according to the Apple website, it will do quite a bit more than my iP4 can handle at the moment - although it may be that it's not yet fully developed either. They say that it will do ETAs, re-routing (which mine doesn't do) and will continue to show you the way on the lock screen or if you're on the phone.

Anyway, at the moment it's far superior to Google Maps, and works well enough for me.

Tiptopp

 

[ben824]

That's because this thread is about the iPhone 4 and not the 4S.

You are correct but as of right now the main difference in maps between the two is Siri and 3D flyover. I did not mention much about siri or flyover so the information I added is relatable and relevant.

 

[muledogus]

I think they're defining Turn by Turn navigation as the steps being announced by siri.

 

[southfrisco]

I have a 32 GB 4S and have been using TBT Nav for weeks now and it is AMAZING!!! My experience has been slightly different from the OP. On my 4S it does count down the miles visually on the screen and Siri will count down the miles in intervals. So if you have 27 miles to go she will announce 27 miles in the beginning and then 10 miles, then 5, then 2, 1, and so on. My 4S has also been fairly accurate too with when to turn. I did notice a small bug yesterday where I had to go to a hotel that was right next to the on-ramp at an exit on a state highway. I used the highway so when I came down the off ramp it told me to go straight back onto the on-ramp and then my destination was on my right. Well there was no turning right into the hotel from the on-ramp but luckily I knew where to go at that point but is was a noteworthy small bug. But remember this is a BETA release and not a finished PUBLIC release so there is liable to be some bugs that will be worked out before the GM public release comes out. But for being a Beta it is surprisingly stable and accurate!

So far nothing makes me miss Google maps at all. I hated Google maps and for navigation purposes I used the Waze app for TBT Nav until now.

I am not sure that is a bug as much as it might just be bad data on their backend. This happens to me all the time when navigating to a gas station right next to an on-ramp. Just today I was on I-5, Maps had me take the off ramp, turn left onto an overpass, and then turn left onto the on-ramp back on the interstate going the opposite direction. My destination was right next to that on-ramp, I needed to pass it and then take a left. Maps wanted me to take a left on the on-ramp...

Secondly I enjoy using iOS 6 Maps but there are things in Google Maps I do miss. The transit data is major among them besides street view. I haven't heard if Apple is planning on implementing 3D world-wide to every part of the world or just the major cities. If it is just to major cities then yeah, street view is going to be missed by me. You can at least get an idea of surroundings looking at a ground view image of an area instead of an overhead flat map. Just take a look at some suburban areas with no 3D and you get my meaning. I would much rather see the face of buildings instead of flat rooftops which doesn't exactly give you the best perspective on a location.

 

[ErikGrim]

I think they're defining Turn by Turn navigation as the steps being announced by siri.

And automated. Without turn by turn, you have to manually swipe through the steps yourself, it's not updated as you go.

I am really worried this won't make it to Australia

 

[Drunken Master]

How much data does this turn-by-turn eat up on a 4S?

 

[rappr]

I thought turn by turn wouldn't work on 4, and only on 4S?

No spoken directions, but if you hit the location arrow after you start your route, the phone will display the next step in your route as you go. Worked pretty well for me this past weekend.

 

[tiptopp]

And automated. Without turn by turn, you have to manually swipe through the steps yourself, it's not updated as you go.

I am really worried this won't make it to Australia

As Rappr says below..

No spoken directions, but if you hit the location arrow after you start your route, the phone will display the next step in your route as you go. Worked pretty well for me this past weekend.

How much data does this turn-by-turn eat up on a 4S?

On the iP4, I've done a round journey of about 1200 miles and another of 200, plus a few days on normal use, and I've eaten about 244mb down and 53mb up. I'm doing the 1200 again at the end of next week, so I'm pleased that I got a new Gb deal last week!

Tiptopp