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Users Noticing Significant Improvements in Apple Maps Data with Quick Corrections
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It forced Google to immediately make a Google Maps app that actually gave turn-by-turn directions and give it for free on the App Store, so I think we won from that. And my iPhone 4, which can't and could never do turn-by-turn in Maps, can do it in Google Maps now.
Is that relevant? I can see the point to "mature" a service in public use when you are the first to market (like google was), but this is nothing new. There are many many many companies providing (reliable) POI data nowadays and processes to clean these up if they are wrong.
I see that argumentation used a lot: China complaining that they cannot be held to environmental laws because they are in their own industrial revolution, and the US and Europe also polluted during theirs (about 100 years ago
). It's wilfully disregarding that new technology is now on the market to fix things. Another example is Windows Mobile. Apparently we need to accept its faults and issues with user friendliness, because it is a new OS. Nonsense.
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I've actually had better luck w/Apple than Google. Just my experience, though.
The satellite photos over my town are largely useless because they're almost completely obscured by cloud cover. Reported it a few times over the last few months, but they're still the same.
Still, Apple Maps has never lead me astray. The actual mapping data under those clouds is still accurate. I've used it to navigate to places I've never been before and it's never taken me off course or tried to get me to go the wrong way down a one-way street. There's a newly opened shopping centre expansion not far from me that does not yet appear on Apple Maps, but then it also doesn't appear on Google Maps yet.
While it may have had a few hiccups as it got up to speed (given it was started from scratch), Apple Maps has been doing very well from my own experience. And mapping appears to be as much artistry as science anyway. The world changes constantly, and expecting 100% accuracy all the time is not realistic.
Which is where the user needs to be responsible, keep their brain switched on, and fill in the logic gaps. e.g.: don't turn the wrong way down that one-way street just because it tells you to.
Still, Apple Maps has never lead me astray. The actual mapping data under those clouds is still accurate. I've used it to navigate to places I've never been before and it's never taken me off course or tried to get me to go the wrong way down a one-way street. There's a newly opened shopping centre expansion not far from me that does not yet appear on Apple Maps, but then it also doesn't appear on Google Maps yet.
While it may have had a few hiccups as it got up to speed (given it was started from scratch), Apple Maps has been doing very well from my own experience. And mapping appears to be as much artistry as science anyway. The world changes constantly, and expecting 100% accuracy all the time is not realistic.
Which is where the user needs to be responsible, keep their brain switched on, and fill in the logic gaps. e.g.: don't turn the wrong way down that one-way street just because it tells you to.
The search is the worst, pois or not Apple still doesn't have search or corrective search algorithms yet. It's just a dumb search that misses spelling mistakes and abbreviations etc.
Once they sort that out I reckon it'll finally be ready to recommend as a maps replacement. Google still finds more results just based on it's searching techniques.
You won because you had to download an extra maps app, and use the one that's not integrated any more???? cool.
That's the biggest problem. They sell iPhones and macs and iPads officially, but have the guts not to translate damn user interface to that language. Or when they introduce some new feature they say sorry guys you pay even more money in Europe for our product but listen this feature works only in us and two more countries. Complete bs.
Like many on here I've reported loads of problems. It wasn't until I sent an email to Tim Cook (or whoever reads his emails) that I got anything sorted. The email was passed on to the Maps team and we sent a few emails back and forth about places missing in Rugby and the locations were added/moved.
Since then however, any other problems I've reported have not been fixed.
I really don't understand what they're doing. How hard can it be to employ a couple of people to check problems out and get them sorted?
Since then however, any other problems I've reported have not been fixed.
I really don't understand what they're doing. How hard can it be to employ a couple of people to check problems out and get them sorted?
How is that relevant? They didn't have to start from scratch like Google did. I like Apple and have many of its products, but there is no reason to release a product that has such deficiencies as this one with the argumentation "that they are learning". It's established and proven technology and there are lots of service providers with excellent POI information to purchase.
Now can we please have atleast basic directions here in India... Please... Not even asking for turn by turn and guided navigation...
Need more staff
Maps require loads of people to develop, improve and maintain it. Maps, like voice recognition, require alot of resources thrown at it continuously, ongoing improvements everyday. Simply, Apple needs much more staff working on Maps, not only in the US, but every corner of the globe. Apple is obviously not doing this. Apple is known for hiring the bare minimum of staff, but for Maps you can't do this. Apple made a mistake developing their own Maps. They are not willing or unable to put enough resources towards it.
Maps require loads of people to develop, improve and maintain it. Maps, like voice recognition, require alot of resources thrown at it continuously, ongoing improvements everyday. Simply, Apple needs much more staff working on Maps, not only in the US, but every corner of the globe. Apple is obviously not doing this. Apple is known for hiring the bare minimum of staff, but for Maps you can't do this. Apple made a mistake developing their own Maps. They are not willing or unable to put enough resources towards it.
I feel more or less the same. Apple Maps is not perfect, but Google maps is not perfect as well. At least Apple Maps is better integrated with the system and has a better interface.
People say that releasing a poor-quality maps app gave Google an incentive, but that's rubbish. Google always had the incentive to bring their maps to iOS once Apple stopped bundling it. Let's say Apple's maps were fantastic and at least as good as Google's when they shipped - would Google suddenly have no incentive to bring their maps to iOS? No. They'd have just as much incentive wether Apple's maps were great or awful.
Once Apple started making their own maps, Google was always going to release their own mapping App to compete. They make their money from data, and they can't afford to ignore the huge number of iOS devices. Especially when it comes to maps, and the valuable location data that it provides. Since it was their own App, Google could collect the information on their own that Apple wouldn't give them from the default Maps app. Google Maps was always going to come to iOS.
Apple made sure their own Maps app included vector-based maps and turn-by-turn directions. Google had to bring those features to iOS, too. Apple's data was not total junk everywhere on the planet, and Google didn't want to risk people using Apple's app because of features they could also bring to iOS.
What lots of people don't seem to realise is that Apple doesn't care if you use their maps or not. What Apple cares about is making sure that iOS device owners get the best possible experience.
Google make money from their services. Better maps means more usage, which means more information about you and more opportunities to advertise to you. Apple do not make money from their services; they make money by selling iOS devices. Apple wants their devices to be the best devices on the market.
Before Google built their own App, Google Maps on Android was much more fully-featured than it was on iOS. That means that iOS devices weren't the best on the market when it came to maps. Apple would ideally like to beat Android and have the world's best mapping experience exclusive to iOS, but barring that they'd at least like parity. Apple doesn't care if that experience comes from them, Google, Microsoft, Nokia, TomTom, Garmin, or anybody else. So long as whichever one of them is the best is also on iOS.
This is something people don't get about Apple and services. Apple's services exist for the sole reason of benefiting their devices. iTunes does not exist because Apple wants to run a music or movie store; it exists so that Macs and iOS devices can have the best media acquisition experience. That's why Apple also feature Netflix heavily on AppleTV; they'd like you to get your content from iTunes, but the overriding point is not where you get your content from, but where your content goes to. They want you to easily access all of your content from their devices. That's what building a platform is all about.
Bruce Tognazzini (if you don't know who he is, google for the name) reported that on Google Maps a major road is running straight through his living room, and he couldn't make them move it for many years. Apple Maps put the road where it belongs.
Expectation is the key thing for me. Anytime a new service involving computers I expect hicups initially. I was not concern with a couple of miscues.
Lets not forget Google Maps had its issues initially. Perfection is the goal but it is hard to achieve.
Google some of the major mapping service providers for inaccuracies and you will see Apple is not alone. The problem with Apple clients is they expect perfection.
Users Noticing Significant Improvements in Apple Maps Data with Quick Correct...
I do think apple cares a bit that google takes their users from maps. I get that apple only care about user experiences only, so which app people use doesn't matter. But if google maps wins too much market people will feel dependent on google and that's not a good thing for apple. There's a reason why apple stopped co operating with google on maps in the first place.
I agree it's not a great factor for them but if it reaches a certain point it's bad for apple. Same way Microsoft lost the competition on web browsers.
Right now google maps is so much better than maps, apple looses cred points... This isn't a good thing either.
A lot of people doesn't even care there's other alternatives, they just use what's installed. This as well gives apple a bad reputation, with it's initially bad release.
Ps! I havent been using maps for a while now. Just checking some of the local places which were wrong before and they still are. Maps is an embarrassment.
I do think apple cares a bit that google takes their users from maps. I get that apple only care about user experiences only, so which app people use doesn't matter. But if google maps wins too much market people will feel dependent on google and that's not a good thing for apple. There's a reason why apple stopped co operating with google on maps in the first place.
I agree it's not a great factor for them but if it reaches a certain point it's bad for apple. Same way Microsoft lost the competition on web browsers.
Right now google maps is so much better than maps, apple looses cred points... This isn't a good thing either.
A lot of people doesn't even care there's other alternatives, they just use what's installed. This as well gives apple a bad reputation, with it's initially bad release.
Ps! I havent been using maps for a while now. Just checking some of the local places which were wrong before and they still are. Maps is an embarrassment.
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People are comparing Apple Maps to Google Maps. Google Maps is much older. Wait until Apple Maps has been out for as long as Google Maps, then compare.
I don't expect perfection. I just know that I reported a bunch of POI problems in my part of London where Apple Maps was launched, and as of now, most of them have not been fixed. I didn't expect it to be right on day one, and was willing to be part of the community to make it better because I recognise the integration benefits.
If they have now improved their POI correction process, I will try submitting again. And hopefully Apple Maps will now improve faster.
Anecdote: I'm in Edinburgh this weekend. Last night we ate at one of Edinburgh's top restaurants, which was opened in Summer 2011. Apple Maps has never heard of it. I know that the plural of anecdote is not data, but until Apple start listening and acting on the corrections I submit to improve their POI data, I'm going to stick with Google.
One other comment: different people have different uses. I don't drive, so turn by turn is irrelevant to me. It's great that Apple Maps works well for people that have those needs, but don't assume that everyone uses the app the same way you do.