Vector based maps

[cclloyd]

Does the vector based part mean that unlike the iOS 5 maps app, once it loads that small chunk of maps, I can zoom in and it will instantly be clear and not pixely, unlike iOS 5 where I zoom in and it has to reload that chunk?

To put it simply, I can zoom, in and out instantly?

 

[itickings]

It doesn't have to reload the chunk when zooming in, but it most likely has to load additional data to render a more detailed view. When zooming out, it obviously have to download data for unseen areas.

But yes, overall very smooth compared to the iOS5 maps. Just too bad the new one can't find any of the streets I need.

 

[cclloyd]

But don't you think that if you zoomed in/out that it would keep the data it has when RAM is available, so it would show instantly?

and so any streets that I can see when I zoom in will already be loaded and clear when I zoom in?

 

[KnightWRX]

But don't you think that if you zoomed in/out that it would keep the data it has when RAM is available, so it would show instantly?

and so any streets that I can see when I zoom in will already be loaded and clear when I zoom in?

It's exactly as itickings described it. As you zoom out, it'll load more of the surrounding vectors, as you zoom in, it doesn't need to load map data, but it needs to load in the extra details.

There is probably some caching going on (every well designed app of this genre would do some caching to save on data charges) to prevent unnecessary duplication of information.

 

[JesalTV]

Yep.

It's a shame that Apple released it half-baked. It actually has a lot of brilliant features, and brilliant smoothness that actually makes Google Maps look a bit village.

But it is a case of style over substance! Let's hope they improve it asap.

 

[faroZ06]

I noticed that Apple Maps is a lot smoother than Google Maps, but the navigation isn't very good.

 

[KnightWRX]

I noticed that Apple Maps is a lot smoother than Google Maps, but the navigation isn't very good.

It's not. It's smoother than Apple's previous app was, but Google Maps has had vector support since 2010, so it's as smooth as this... except it's been like that for a while now. Apple's previous app just didn't have access to the vector tiles and thus used the bitmap tiles.

 

[itickings]

But don't you think that if you zoomed in/out that it would keep the data it has when RAM is available, so it would show instantly?

and so any streets that I can see when I zoom in will already be loaded and clear when I zoom in?

Yes, data it has. If you start looking at the map on a particular zoom level, there is no reason to load data that is much more detailed than what is going to be rendered at that zoom level, just like it won't load data for stuff that is far off the screen.

It renders what data it already has instantly when zooming in/out, and renders additional data when it has been downloaded.

 

[KnightWRX]

Yes, data it has. If you start looking at the map on a particular zoom level, there is no reason to load data that is much more detailed than what is going to be rendered at that zoom level, just like it won't load data for stuff that is far off the screen.

It renders what data it already has instantly when zooming in/out, and renders additional data when it has been downloaded.

To be fair, there's probably quite a bit of pre-fetching and guessing going on so that the zoom ins/outs are instantaneous.

 

[itickings]

To be fair, there's probably quite a bit of pre-fetching and guessing going on so that the zoom ins/outs are instantaneous.

Hence my use of "much more detailed" and "far off the screen". I completely agree that any sane implementation would perform quite a bit of pre-fetching and reasonably try to predict the user's moves.

 

[cclloyd]

So like say I'm on a highway, so it's zoomed out quite a bit but still renders the main roads. If I wanted to zoom in to see the exit/extremities up close, it would be rendered instantly?

 

[itickings]

So like say I'm on a highway, so it's zoomed out quite a bit but still renders the main roads. If I wanted to zoom in to see the exit/extremities up close, it would be rendered instantly?

It would not be unreasonable to assume that. I'd file it under "work's for me".