UK Maps - no transport (london)

TwoBytes

TwoBytes

macrumors 68040
Well iOS 6 is not officially out but i'm running the GM and it has no transport options. London lives on transport so surprised Apple maps doesn't have this. Last i remember google even had TFL information on the next bus (same info on the scrollers at a bus stop). Currently Apple maps prompt you to go and buy something. I'd rather like google it would all be integrated..it's very unlike the apply way to not be all integrated but hey, it's free.

Another point is that the maps don't zoom in enough.

For a first go at a mapping product, apple have had a really good go. Hope to see this improve!
 
Last edited:
musio said:
Well iOS 6 is not officially out but i'm running the GM and it has no transport options. London lives on transport so surprised Apple maps doesn't have this. Last i remember google even had TFL information on the next bus (same info on the scrollers at a bus stop)

Another point is that the maps don't zoom in enough.

For a first go at a mapping product, apple have had a really good go. Hope to see this improve!
Click to expand...


Have you noticed any significant improvement in Siri functionality under 6?
 
I agree I was surprised to see the maps app kick me out to the store. I was under the impression from the WWDC keynote that 3rd party apps would provide public transport information through the maps interface rather than aside from it.

Time to improve I guess but it would be nice to eventually see a tube line layer to London for example.
 
musio said:
Well iOS 6 is not officially out but i'm running the GM and it has no transport options. London lives on transport so surprised Apple maps doesn't have this. Last i remember google even had TFL information on the next bus (same info on the scrollers at a bus stop). Currently Apple maps prompt you to go and buy something. I'd rather like google it would all be integrated..it's very unlike the apply way to not be all integrated but hey, it's free.

Another point is that the maps don't zoom in enough.

For a first go at a mapping product, apple have had a really good go. Hope to see this improve!
Click to expand...

I think it's work in progress. Google has years to get where they are and apple just started it so time is of essence.
 
throys said:
I think it's work in progress. Google has years to get where they are and apple just started it so time is of essence.
Click to expand...

These are not Apple's maps, but TomTom's and some other providers. They should be accurate and include POIs that TomTom and others such as Yelp have in their databases.
 
Though they are tomtom's maps, Apple could integrate tfl search data into the maps for bus information.
 
What about the new Transit APIs? The new Transit APIs, referred to by Scott Forstall at 108:58 in Monday's keynote, allow developers to register their app as a directions provider for routing directions for a particular set of coordinates. It will then be displayed in the list of available third-party apps for transit. Clicking a transit app launches that app, passing the start and end values to the app. Contrary to other analysis, transit routes can't be displayed inline from the Maps app.

How do the Transit APIs work? Apps can enable directions support by setting the type of directions they support, a geoJSON file specifying the map regions they support, and uploading it to iTunes Connect. Developers can specify a category (Car, Bus, Train, Subway, Streetcar, Plane, Bike, Ferry, Taxi, Pedestrian, Other).

Directions requests from Maps are handled by a special URL. From the documentation: "When the user asks the Maps app for directions and chooses your app, Maps creates a URL with the start and end points and asks your app to open it." From there, the app can "compute and display the route using your custom routing technology."

Of course, any of this may change before release. But, for the moment, the APIs simply don't support inline transit routes from within the Maps app.
Click to expand...

What we're experiencing is that no transit apps right now use any of the new transit APIs that register the app as a transit app and pass your route information from Maps.app to your desired transit app. That's why it kicks you to the App Store even if you already have a transit app installed.
 
Sounds like this maps will be all flashy, fancy etc, and lacking the same functionality google maps had.

I think I will keep using tomtom on mine.
 
looks like UK is losing out yet again, time to find a new phone - not planning on waiting a year to get the services which we should get straight away (e.g. siri)
 
yep apple maps in the UK is utter crap, I tried finding a church for a christening I gave name of church, the road and post code apple said noooo so jumped on google maps website and bingo found it.... amazing how such a simple things is over looked is a joke
 
Apple maps loads some bus apps that were just updated, but as said, not all integrated, more apps to have and all that
 
Funnily enough, as a UK user I've never used any "transport" options on the default (Google) maps app in iOS?

I live in Nottingham, and the local bus company, Nottingham City Transport, has an excellent iOS app that lets you search bus routes, find buses, plan journeys, and - best of all - has a "live" service to show when the next buses will arrive at a designated bus stop.

I use it frequently when travelling round the city by bus.
 
In London, public transport is a must...even if you drive a car! No disrespect to Nottingham as it's a great place but London is like a ratrace country in itself!
 
chriscl said:
Funnily enough, as a UK user I've never used any "transport" options on the default (Google) maps app in iOS?

I live in Nottingham, and the local bus company, Nottingham City Transport, has an excellent iOS app that lets you search bus routes, find buses, plan journeys, and - best of all - has a "live" service to show when the next buses will arrive at a designated bus stop.

I use it frequently when travelling round the city by bus.
Click to expand...

why have 1 app that can do 10 things, it's better to have 10 separate apps right? Wrong!

musio said:
In London, public transport is a must...even if you drive a car! No disrespect to Nottingham as it's a great place but London is like a ratrace country in itself!
Click to expand...

exactly
 
my favourite two are

Busmapper
citymapper (cost of journey and comparison of other methods/distance/etc)
 
citymapper gives me directions if i ask for them in the maps app.

seems they're using the APIs fine but the app store isn't actively advertising them yet?

----------

Smaller apps (possibly even provided by the transport company) are far more likely to be able to keep up to date data on timings and locations etc than someone big like apple or google.

I like the idea of ask in maps and it sends you to the right app
 
musio said:
Though they are tomtom's maps, Apple could integrate tfl search data into the maps for bus information.
Click to expand...

It's kind of weird right now, at places they are the same at TomTom and at other places they are the same as open street maps (I had that impression and I also saw another user here recognize streets he personally added in open street maps), but the end result of the maps *right now* seems to have significantly less data than either of those data sets, at least in countries other than the US. Which is weird to say the least.

Hopefully, post launch they'll start adding more data in a really fast pace. Otherwise I am completely at the mercy of whatever google decides to do for decent maps.
 
musio said:
Well iOS 6 is not officially out but i'm running the GM and it has no transport options. London lives on transport so surprised Apple maps doesn't have this. Last i remember google even had TFL information on the next bus (same info on the scrollers at a bus stop). Currently Apple maps prompt you to go and buy something. I'd rather like google it would all be integrated..it's very unlike the apply way to not be all integrated but hey, it's free.

Another point is that the maps don't zoom in enough.

For a first go at a mapping product, apple have had a really good go. Hope to see this improve!
Click to expand...

Try HopStop. It has London support, and it's free.
 
musio said:
my favourite two are

Busmapper
citymapper (cost of journey and comparison of other methods/distance/etc)
Click to expand...

Every time I'm getting a bus (at least a few times each day), I use Bus London which is a great app - you could just use TFL's countdown website, but I prefer using an app (uses the same data from the website anyway).
 
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