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Wow. Apple Maps is a disaster.
- Thread starter b24pgg
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Annoyingly its not the same everywhere. Here in the UK Bings maps are horribly out of date missing most of an industrial estate, a supermarket and a retail park, a hotel and a fast food restaurant many of which have been here for 6+ years and that's all within 500m of my house.
You're getting really dramatic for no good reason.
Here are the facts:
1. We have seen a more mature version of maps from Google (which got its first release in 2006 as Google Maps for Mobile - see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps).
2. Google Maps was not feature complete upon its first release, and certainly features like street view didn't come along until much later.
3. In June 2005, Google released the Maps API.
4. We have not seen an Apple Maps API yet.
5. We have not seen the shipping version of Apple Maps. We don't know how quickly changes are being made daily, both at Apple and in conjunction with TomTom.
6. We are viewing an EARLY beta of Apple Maps, one that will likely evolve as has Google's Maps over the past 6 YEARS!
If you do software development, you know that you need to remove as much room for error as possible. It doesn't make sense to use old data or preset data, when you have data that is going to be used live.
Also, although it's easier to switch out, it's also very costly, and not something that would want to be done on such a scale - why do you think Google still have old imagery? It's not simple enough or economical to replace data as such.
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The data is not beta, it is live. Most of you post falls at this point.
Why do you keep spreading this BS, what it says is
It DOES NOT say they have more that they are turning on, merely that they know they don't have very much.Apple said:
And if it were 2006 anything you said there would matter, unfortunately where I live it's 2012.
It reads:
That said, that's a pretty ambiguous statement given that Maps evolve anyway.
Translation: "I'm struggling to adapt to changing technology therefore it must be bad"
Apple obviously is only letting the Beta version of its Maps App access a very small subset of the data and imagery they have available. There is no need to incur the bandwidth costs, or rush the people doing the actual cartography just to satisfy the whims of (alleged) developers. The deliberate mislabeling of oceans and continents ought to be a heads-up on that score.
Google Maps are pretty good, and street view is a real gem. But its not "mandatory" for navigation purposes, and it comes a a huge cost in terms of both resources AND people's privacy. I know people in a lot of towns who were furious to find out their house and yard was visible on the internet. So there's a balance there: Apple has to weigh spending the billions of dollars it would take to recreate Streetview, plus the inevitable backlash - against the mild "inconvenience" of not having street level photos available.
Personally, I think overhead imagery is the way to go, especially in the 3D format Apple showcased. It helps visualize your location in a big city, with tall buildings and blocked sight lines, far better than a street-level photo.
Google Maps will still be available for iOS - at least for the time being. More than enough time for Apple to catch up.
I'll withhold my judgement till I've had a chance to play with the new Maps App when iOS 6 goes live this fall.
Google Maps are pretty good, and street view is a real gem. But its not "mandatory" for navigation purposes, and it comes a a huge cost in terms of both resources AND people's privacy. I know people in a lot of towns who were furious to find out their house and yard was visible on the internet. So there's a balance there: Apple has to weigh spending the billions of dollars it would take to recreate Streetview, plus the inevitable backlash - against the mild "inconvenience" of not having street level photos available.
Personally, I think overhead imagery is the way to go, especially in the 3D format Apple showcased. It helps visualize your location in a big city, with tall buildings and blocked sight lines, far better than a street-level photo.
Google Maps will still be available for iOS - at least for the time being. More than enough time for Apple to catch up.
I'll withhold my judgement till I've had a chance to play with the new Maps App when iOS 6 goes live this fall.
Please document exactly how anything I've said above is false due to live map data.
I'll wait.
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Please explain how that's relevant to what I posted above?
Duh, it'll be the same as Siri, which will magically stop sucking next month. Just like it would last month. And the month before.
And if you note that pattern you're an idiot Android fanboy who doesn't understand the word "beta". Obviously...
Hey has anyone figured out how to fix the bug where maps suddenly closes when trying to search for something?
I understand that Apple wants to reign in its reliance on anything Google, but if it ain't broke, why fix it?
Google Maps is fantastic, and the app I use the most by far. I do hope that Google will continue to offer gmaps as an iOS app. And that Apple will let them.
Google Maps is fantastic, and the app I use the most by far. I do hope that Google will continue to offer gmaps as an iOS app. And that Apple will let them.
Those posting here just want to find excuse to trash Apple. I think they bloody well know what Beta means.
Well, since TomTom is providing the map data for the new app...I would say that sounds about right.
As I've stated earlier.... I understand its in Beta, but if thats the case, wtf have they been doing for the past three years?
Being as I've been using an iPhone since they first came out and, thus, have had no reason to read Android forums, I've always wondered if those forums have Android haters hanging out and spouting crap about their phones.
I agree with most of your points, though I do find streetview (despite all the privacy concerns) to be a very very useful tool, that I wish Apple would be able to replicate. It's not a deal breaker, in the sense that I will still be able to access it (although a bit less easily) through Google maps app or online website, however I don't think the flyover really replaces that functionality. I really think it looks cool and I will love to use it but in more practical sense, streetview will beat it.
What worries me most about Apple's Maps app is I would want to make sure it is actually worldwide and have equally good resources in terms of businesses and street information. If it can tie in with local public transport, that would be even better.
I love Apple but I really hope that they will not remain US centric and offer equal quality map directions/services throughout the world (also with Siri - I know it's a beta, but I really hope Siri can finally find places nearby, even though I'm not in the US...). With Flyover, it will actually necessitate that they invest in paid flights over the areas. Again, I hope they will invest the money to make it more than just US major cities and a few in Europe for good measure...
That said, let us give Apple some time to deliver a mapping service that is on-par or at least nearly as good quality as Google maps. I personally believe it will take some time, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt!
It's relevant because if Apple were competing with google maps in 2006 then their offering would be about on par. They aren't competing with 2006 Google Maps though, they are competing with 2012 Google Maps. If they can't offer a comparable product then they need to keep it in house until they can.
It doesn't matter if it took Google 6 years, 600 years, or 6 weeks to do what they did, Apple has to compete right now with what they have available. Talking about how long it took Google to do their maps is nothing more than an excuse for a downgrade.
I've used both and yes.
The only difference is, Apple fans get reallllllly insecure about it. I don't get it. It's a mobile computer, not a family member.
I don't care about who's trying to defend who in this debate...it's a simple answer...which map is better?
And from what the beta has shown Apple's map is TERRIBLE!
I feel like Apple is trying to jump into too many markets and in the short term this whole map thing is really going to bite them in the ass. It's like going from a Maserati to a Civic. This beta is months (maybe even years) to being something similar to Google Maps.
Maybe in the long term (5+) years this will be a success since it'll be up to Google Maps but this is definitely a set back and somewhat a joke for Apple.
And from what the beta has shown Apple's map is TERRIBLE!
I feel like Apple is trying to jump into too many markets and in the short term this whole map thing is really going to bite them in the ass. It's like going from a Maserati to a Civic. This beta is months (maybe even years) to being something similar to Google Maps.
Maybe in the long term (5+) years this will be a success since it'll be up to Google Maps but this is definitely a set back and somewhat a joke for Apple.
If you guys knew how GIS (Geographical Information System) works, you would understand really just how easy it would be change a lot of the stuff you guys are complaining about. The number of streets being labeled is literally just a variable setting you could change in a matter of seconds. As for satellite data, that is all about $$$ (something we all know Apple has so little of). How do you think Google got the satellite imagery? That's right, they BOUGHT it. Once Apple buys the data (and they may already have), it's just a matter of setting the projection, uploading it to their servers and caching the tiles. All of this could be done overnight once they are ready.
The REALLY hard part is the design. It takes a great eye to design a great map and it isn't something that most people can do. There is a lot to be improved over the design of Google Maps and Apple has an opportunity here to do a reboot and get something really impressive out there.
The REALLY hard part is the design. It takes a great eye to design a great map and it isn't something that most people can do. There is a lot to be improved over the design of Google Maps and Apple has an opportunity here to do a reboot and get something really impressive out there.