Roundup of Features in Google Maps for iOS: Better Design than Android Version, iPad Version Coming

[maconservative]

Whenever I try putting in a start point and destination, Google maps gives me only a "preview" button in the lower right corner, which leads to the old-fashioned written set of turns. How do I make it give voice directions?

After you have selected the desired routing, press the Blue Up Arrow that says "Start."

 

[rhgold53]

After you have selected the desired routing, press the Blue Up Arrow that says "Start."

I got that blue up arrow only once. All the other times I've tried testing routes, I just get the "preview" button and an arrow pointing toward the right which leads to the old style written directions. I don't understand why I'm not getting the blue up arrow each time.

Never mind...I figured out what I was doing wrong. Thanks.

 

[DodgeV83]

Who has Google sued? Have they sued Apple for the blatant shade swipe-down feature in iOS?

Just a few years ago, in 2006 when IE no longer was the dominant browser, Google sued Microsoft over MSN being the default search engine in IE, instead of just competing:

http://blog.samat.org/2006/05/04/google-sues-microsoft-over-default-search-engine-in-internet-explorer-7

In 2010, instead of competing, Google sued the US government for preferring Microsoft:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/2010-11-01/industries/30785419_1_email-contract-google-and-microsoft-google-apps

In 2005, instead of competing, Google sued to shut down Froogles, despite them having used the name Froogle years before Google applied for the name:

http://news.cnet.com/Google-sues-Froogles.com/2100-1030_3-5676955.html

In 2004, instead of competing with a site that was launched before Google was even founded, they again sued to shut down a competitor in a market they were moving into:

http://news.cnet.com/In-name-dispute%2C-its-Googles-vs.-Google/2100-1038_3-5259688.html

Again, this is business as usual, you just never heard about it, because it was never very profitable to write about until now (with the rise of link-bait and tech blogs).

 

[HishamAkhtar]

well, rest assured - Google didn't program this gem in the last 8 weeks. This certainly was meant to be an update at first.

I doubt it. Google knew for more than a year that they'd be dropped from the stock OS. Apple forced Google into making their app better.

 

[k995]

Ah! They saved something for Android!

spoiler: it's amazing

Nope just swipe up

 

[Macist]

I could say something negative about how this reveals still further what an insulting pile of garbage Apple Maps really is but I'm just happy to have reliable Mapping back on my phone without having to use slow, clunky WebApps.

 

[RDStrong]

I doubt it. Google knew for more than a year that they'd be dropped from the stock OS. Apple forced Google into making their app better.

How gracious of Apple to gimp their own maps application. I guess they must love relying on the sadomasochistic tendencies of their customer base.

Spinning Apple's disastrous maps fiasco into a positive by painting it as an elaborate (some would say convoluted) attempt to force Google's hand is ludicrous.

 

[haruhiko]

Just a few years ago, in 2006 when IE no longer was the dominant browser, Google sued Microsoft over MSN being the default search engine in IE, instead of just competing:

http://blog.samat.org/2006/05/04/go...-default-search-engine-in-internet-explorer-7

In 2010, instead of competing, Google sued the US government for preferring Microsoft:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/201...ail-contract-google-and-microsoft-google-apps

In 2005, instead of competing, Google sued to shut down Froogles, despite them having used the name Froogle years before Google applied for the name:

http://news.cnet.com/Google-sues-Froogles.com/2100-1030_3-5676955.html

In 2004, instead of competing with a site that was launched before Google was even founded, they again sued to shut down a competitor in a market they were moving into:

http://news.cnet.com/In-name-dispute,-its-Googles-vs.-Google/2100-1038_3-5259688.html

Again, this is business as usual, you just never heard about it, because it was never very profitable to write about until now (with the rise of link-bait and tech blogs).

Thanks. I didn't know that.

 

[cadml]

Another feature - you can zoom with one finger. Double tap and hold then move your finger up or down to zoom.

 

[AppleInTheMud]

Wuuuhuuuu my City actually exsist again And here I thought we all we dead in Vojens :-D

 

[Swift]

So...huh? Didn't "apple maps" come into existence because google wouldn't include turn by turn? Now they're including turn by turn for free anyway? I'm super confused. This, aside from siri support, makes apple maps feel pretty useless. Even though i do like the look of apple's a little more

Well, it's true about the turn by turn. Apple basically told them to make an app themselves if they wanted to, or give them enough or the APIs for free, like they did at the beginning when they were all lovey-dovey and Google did search and mapping and Apple made iThings.

I like it, but I do like the look of Apple Maps, and it's been very useful for me, no terrifying drives off bridges. There's one thing I tried that was a little mystifying: when you go into Street View -- cool -- how do you get out? Took me a while to back out of that.

It reviews a route step-by-step with the road map in perspective, which I find clears up the main questions I have. After that, I remember how to get somewhere. A list is useless for me. Apple Maps does the same thing, but it's not as easy a feature to find.

One thing: I don't like the cheap cardboard webby look of the pages.

 

[dandobi]

Am I missing something? How to you search for addresses from contacts?

 

[F1 Fan]

Looks nice...

The errors in Apple Maps (which I pointed out to Apple months ago but haven't been changed yet) in my local area are correct in Google Maps.

I LOVE having the UK motorways blue again. It seems like such a small thing but it makes such a difference.


But it's not perfect...

There are house names all over the roads (a bit pointless and very distracting).

My local school is shown in three locations.

The satalite images of the bridge by the Hoover Dam are only marginally better than Apple's flyover.


Still, with both apps installed, I feel much better about my chances of getting where I need to be Just need offline maps now...

 

[ssajous]

Who cares about better design?

Better than the Android version? I like the sound of that.

The iOS version does not provide the save map capability that Android has and that would have been better than a nicer design.

 

[shansoft]

I honestly don't think this is any better than Android version.

The android version is far superior in term of features. The UI is also better on Android.

 

[haruhiko]

I honestly don't think this is any better than Android version.

The android version is far superior in term of features. The UI is also better on Android.

Okay just exchange the word "Android" with "Apple":

I honestly don't think this is any better than Apple version.

The Apple version is far superior in term of features. The UI is also better on Apple.

You may be honest but not objective at all

 

[Ashin]

By saying it's better than the Android version is just clever marketing.

Makes iDrones feel better about using it, so a far higher adoption rate

 

[0098386]

Last night the girlfriend and I laid down on a disused moorland road watching the Geminid meteor shower in -5°c.
Today we're watching The Hobbit in HFR IMAX.
It's almost Christmas.

But Google Maps put the icing on the cake.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Am I missing something? How to you search for addresses from contacts?

Sadly... you can't.

The workaround is: long-press on the address in your contacts... copy... then paste it into the Google Maps search field.

It sucks... but I'd still rather have to do that than not have Google Maps at all.

I think I'll be using Apple Maps for turn-by-turn from contacts... and Google Maps for general searching/exploring.

Plus I love having my desktop Google Maps searches synced with iOS Google Maps.

 

[justperry]

I got that blue up arrow only once. All the other times I've tried testing routes, I just get the "preview" button and an arrow pointing toward the right which leads to the old style written directions. I don't understand why I'm not getting the blue up arrow each time.

Never mind...I figured out what I was doing wrong. Thanks.

So, how what was it what you did wrong, I can not seem to get it to work.

 

[Tsuchiya]

Google are doing a great job in terms of UI design. Simple, clean and functional.

Having proper turn-by-turn navigation is nice as well, especially for iPhone 3GS/4 users who've had to put up with Apple's ******** excuses.

At one point, this is the kind of App I would've expected from Apple.

 

[0098386]

If Apple drop their maps app in favour of native integration of the new Google Maps… well that would just make my year.

 

[epmatsw]

I hope that we get some analytics or stats from Google in the next few months showing usage numbers. It'd be interesting to see what percentage of people switch over to Google Maps full time versus those who stick with Apple Maps as "good enough". Might be the only way we get any real measure of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with Apple Maps.

 

[iSamurai]

Been using it now and it's really awesome. Good job.

Also delighted to hear they're offering SDK for developers. I hope many app makers will follow suit

Great day.

 

[Abazigal]

And in ios7, google maps becomes the default app again.