FYI m.maps.nokia.com actually has live traffic and voice guidance for all html5-capable browsers. It's touch-optimized and works also for pedestrian navigation. You can also add it as a icon for quick access. The downside is ofc it requires online access...
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Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6
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z3r0
macrumors member
Who cares! Why is everyone crying about maps? How many times do the majority of users realistically use maps to get directions on a monthly basis? I bet it's pretty minimal.
Maybe when planning trips but even then I'm pretty sure that you most would look it up on the net beforehand. If your job depends on having GPS navigation because you need to travel alot isn't it likely that your employer provided a dedicated GPS device?
I bet google had tons of mishaps when it released it's mapping service and for the most part all their services are perpetually in beta.
It's amazing how every little move that Apple makes is scrutinized and seriously overblown.
How about being practical and using an alternative to Maps instead of crying about? GPS has had a relatively short existence. It must be a miracle that those before it's existence "survived" without it.
Maybe when planning trips but even then I'm pretty sure that you most would look it up on the net beforehand. If your job depends on having GPS navigation because you need to travel alot isn't it likely that your employer provided a dedicated GPS device?
I bet google had tons of mishaps when it released it's mapping service and for the most part all their services are perpetually in beta.
It's amazing how every little move that Apple makes is scrutinized and seriously overblown.
How about being practical and using an alternative to Maps instead of crying about? GPS has had a relatively short existence. It must be a miracle that those before it's existence "survived" without it.
Actually, being able to recommend some other services until you fix yours, and "naming" them is nothing but extreme coolness and confidence.
This is something you can do only if you are confident that you are the best and if you are confident that you are going to top every other product in the market. Steve also did this during keynotes. "x company did a product like this, and its really great but what we are doing now is better."
Good job, Tim.
This is something you can do only if you are confident that you are the best and if you are confident that you are going to top every other product in the market. Steve also did this during keynotes. "x company did a product like this, and its really great but what we are doing now is better."
Good job, Tim.
george-brooks
macrumors 6502a
ya, they actually make money because you have to purchase them on the app store. Brilliant.
🙂
Mark
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I use the Maps App nearly every single day. Is that often enough for you?
Mark
msandersen
macrumors regular
KnightWRX
macrumors Pentium
Obviously, some guy named z3r0 does. Or else, he wouldn't be here talking about this issue.
Google changed their map data twice in 2008 and that was a huge fiasco. They switched from NavTeq to TeleAtlas and then to their own data and lots of people, including myself, had huge problems with their "new" data. It downright sucked. Just like Apple Maps does now. You cannot push completely new, very lightly used, mapping data to an enormous market without having problems. TomTom was big, but not this big.
But, with crowdsourcing the Apple Maps data will get better in a lot less time than it took Google.
I do agree with a previous poster that they should have released it as "Beta" like they did with Siri. But, I think all the flak that they are getting is misguided. Apple's hand was forced to make this change because Google refused to give them turn by turn directions and there is no way to have good quality maps without crowdsourcing.
I do not agree with posters who say that it's good that Tim Cook apologized. F that, Apple should not apologize for anything. If something doesn't work right, fix it. If they could have done anything, they could have just slapped a "beta" label on it and be done with it. Steve would have handled it better, he would have said something like if your street isn't there, then tell us where it should be. Boom. Done.
But, with crowdsourcing the Apple Maps data will get better in a lot less time than it took Google.
I do agree with a previous poster that they should have released it as "Beta" like they did with Siri. But, I think all the flak that they are getting is misguided. Apple's hand was forced to make this change because Google refused to give them turn by turn directions and there is no way to have good quality maps without crowdsourcing.
I do not agree with posters who say that it's good that Tim Cook apologized. F that, Apple should not apologize for anything. If something doesn't work right, fix it. If they could have done anything, they could have just slapped a "beta" label on it and be done with it. Steve would have handled it better, he would have said something like if your street isn't there, then tell us where it should be. Boom. Done.
Real problems. Whether they are blown out of proportion is completely subjective and based on a persons use case. I would imagine having several dropped calls or no data on a regular basis is a severe enough problem to warrant complaints for some. And I imagine that the same goes for people reliant on maps. As for the media - they will and do respond to both what will sell a headline AND what people are interested in/need to know/etc.
Apple isn't forced to respond. Apple could have not responded. They chose to respond. Being a PR/Marketing professional for over 20 years - I'm pretty sure I know what the options are/were and what makes for smart business. And I never argued whether Apple's response was smart or not. Straw man comment there.
You failed to answer my questions. That's ok - I don't expect you to.
And you might take your own advice. You're here on this thread whining about the people whining. What was the phrase you used - yeah - grow a pair. You have options too. Like ignoring the thread. But no - you'd like to feel superior by insisting that those that want/expect better from Apple and are pushing them to fix maps are just cry babies.
So when Apple maps is improved (let's assume there's a download for that just for fun) - I trust you won't be downloading it since a) your maps work perfectly and b) you wouldn't want to be a hypocrite by enjoying the benefits of improved functionality that was directly a result of the people you are calling whiners.
Have a great weekend.
haravikk
macrumors 65832
If they were so committed then why was Maps released before it was ready? They could have easily just showcased it as "coming soon" and stuck with Google till Maps was ready for a point update.
I don't think anyone was buying new iPhones for the Maps app anyway, it's just something that's great to have as part of a high quality package, which it let down.
I don't think anyone was buying new iPhones for the Maps app anyway, it's just something that's great to have as part of a high quality package, which it let down.
KnightWRX
macrumors Pentium
How do you figure ? Google also uses crowd sourcing, why would it benefit Apple more than it does Google exactly ?
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I'm still convinced it's because they thought it was ready, that is, prior to WWDC '12. They just didn't know the sheer magnitude of the problems they had. Automated testing probably returned that everything was A-OK and ready to go, with a few fixes being required until the final ship date in September.
It's only after they pimped it at WWDC '12 and that users got their hands on DP1 that they finally realised what was really going on.
Again, this blog post by someone with knowledge in the field is probably the most accurate in its portrayal of the situation. Apple just didn't know what it had because it lacks some expertise in the field.
It's sad that it ended up this way. Growing pains. As users, we pay for Apple's mistake, and it was a mistake, but I really really doubt it was made on purpose or as a calculated move.
Your whole assumption is Apple is doing a favor by selling the phone, and ignoring the fact Apple already collected $649-$849 either directly from customers or thru carriers. So whether a customer wants to use the feature he/she paid for is up to customer. There is no hypocrisy.
All companies involved in digital media sharing have agreements among themselves, they always fight it out for their own benefit, but no one intentionally trouble customers like Apple. When people used Google Maps for five years without voice navigation, there is no reason for Apple to cutoff the product and substitute with a lab version.
This could be a pivotal point in Apple's history.
Who cares? 😕 - Apple certainly does.
Many people all over the world use maps on a daily basis. Its not "pretty minimal," as you assume. Dont be so egocentric. Apple has data on how often ppl use and rely on a maps app and they've concluded they made a mistake and have apologized for it.
I use Google Maps ALL the time and for me this is a deal breaker until Apple restores a Google Maps app or gets their act together with their own. A day doesnt go by that I dont rely heavily on it for walking, driving and taking public transportation in NYC.
How is that my assumption at all? Where do you get that from?
The hypocrisy I referred to is the poster who I was responding to. A person who believes nothing is wrong - it's all blown out of proportion and doesn't think anyone should be complaining. You know - that people shouldn't hold Apple accountable. Fact is - if people didn't - Apple wouldn't improve what needs improving whether it's the iPhone, iOS or any other product or service they have. It's hypocritical to chastise people and then ride their coattails.
r.harris1
macrumors 68020
Sifting through the few thousand posts on Mac rumors over the last week or so on the maps kerfluffle, I have a few observations:
- The level of dependence on a tool (iPhone) that has only been out for 5 years is pretty astonishing
- The level of dependence on a single map application is also pretty astonishing. As a practicing pessimist and pragmatist, I generally have at hand multiple ways to solve a problem, including multiple map apps. Obviously doesn't work for third party apps relying on core maps
- People who aren't having problems are pilloried as "apologists" (or "Americans" 😉)
- People who don't demand in all caps absolute-perfection-cause-I-paid-$$$-for-iPhone are called "apologists" or "isheep"
- People who aren't having problems insinuate or outright say that people who are are "whiners" who should "get a life" (or whatever)
- People with no problems think there's no problem
- People with problems think it can't possibly work for anyone else
All in all, a pretty sad level of discourse 🙂
To me, this is the gist:
- Apple maps has problems in many parts of the world with points of interest and physical locations of at least some things
- There are parts of the world where it works fine, though likely depends on how reliant you are on the app
- Apple maps doesn't do pedestrian or public transport routing without a third party app
- Doesn't do Google's street view
- Choices are: third party apps or web sites and/or wait for Apple, wait for Google, or move platforms
- The likelihood of restoring Google's maps in iOS 6 as a core function is slim to none. In some ways, this is analogous to buying a 2012 model car that has been redesigned over the 2011 version, but the buyer preferring the 2011 engine. You wouldn't be able to swap the engines out. Enough with the car analogies 🙂. It will have to be a standalone app and will likely have to be written by Google.
- The level of dependence on a tool (iPhone) that has only been out for 5 years is pretty astonishing
- The level of dependence on a single map application is also pretty astonishing. As a practicing pessimist and pragmatist, I generally have at hand multiple ways to solve a problem, including multiple map apps. Obviously doesn't work for third party apps relying on core maps
- People who aren't having problems are pilloried as "apologists" (or "Americans" 😉)
- People who don't demand in all caps absolute-perfection-cause-I-paid-$$$-for-iPhone are called "apologists" or "isheep"
- People who aren't having problems insinuate or outright say that people who are are "whiners" who should "get a life" (or whatever)
- People with no problems think there's no problem
- People with problems think it can't possibly work for anyone else
All in all, a pretty sad level of discourse 🙂
To me, this is the gist:
- Apple maps has problems in many parts of the world with points of interest and physical locations of at least some things
- There are parts of the world where it works fine, though likely depends on how reliant you are on the app
- Apple maps doesn't do pedestrian or public transport routing without a third party app
- Doesn't do Google's street view
- Choices are: third party apps or web sites and/or wait for Apple, wait for Google, or move platforms
- The likelihood of restoring Google's maps in iOS 6 as a core function is slim to none. In some ways, this is analogous to buying a 2012 model car that has been redesigned over the 2011 version, but the buyer preferring the 2011 engine. You wouldn't be able to swap the engines out. Enough with the car analogies 🙂. It will have to be a standalone app and will likely have to be written by Google.
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... is not integrated with the OS, and does not fix all the 3rd party apps that use the integrated mapping and are also now as broken as Maps itself.
Try again.
KnightWRX
macrumors Pentium
Foggy in Nottingham ? Works just fine. 😀
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Don't expect a reply. Everytime someone brings this up, the "it works just fine! " crowd steers clear of the issue because there are no alternatives or fixes. They just conveniently go on pretending there's no issue while never responding to anyone who points to Map Kit.
Thank god Apple and their PR is better at handling situations like these than the "Everything is fine with Maps!" crowd.
Until the Apple maps issue is fixed you should try the GPs Drive App by MotionX. It can be used for walking, driving, etc.
What's odd, is hybrid mode shows nothing as far as roads are concerned, yet dedicated map mode does 😕
Diode
macrumors 68020
Well... if you read the 'Apple Maps is a disaster' thread, people were reporting from the start of the beta that it was dreadful. Apple were surely aware of this, but the apologists here knocked them back and ridiculed them for saying such things about a beta. And even now, after the release, global news stories and almost universal criticism, the same apologists are still refusing to admit there's anything wrong with it.
The fact is Apple always knew it was poor but for their own reasons didn't care about end user experience in this case and pushed it out. Our mistake was to think Apple of all people wouldn't do that, or that customers, apparently not suffering from any kind of mental illness at all, would continue to claim what a great product it is, purely on their own singular experience rather than the overwhelming mountain of evidence from a majority of users around the world.
Shall we not even mention the fact that Woolworths went bankrupt, nationally, in 2008 and was never located anywhere near where it is shown on the map anyway. Or that Greyhound street is a tiny pedestrian alley not a road or...
r.harris1
macrumors 68020
Yep, which is why in that very same quote I went on to point out that if your app relies on core maps, third party apps or other solutions won't work.