Wow. Apple Maps is a disaster.

[cyks]

Um, what are you talking about? Location-based reminders are there in iOS 6.

Feel free to re-read my posts. Yes, they're there, but they are completely useless to me since they rely on Apple's Maps... which happen to place my home a few hundred feet away in the middle of nowhere. Unless I decide to go for a hike in the woods, it had no idea that I'm 'home.'

 

[John.B]

Starting with MacRumors. While visiting MacRumors, Google collects data on you through analytics and ads!

Cough, cough, easyprivacy list subscription, cough, cough!

 

[ck2875]

According to Apple's Maps, myself and over 50 of my neighbors all live on the same exact point on the map, 500+ feet away from anyone in the middle of the woods. The rest of the housing community doesn't fare much better.

I corrected my own address on day one - hoping to (at least) get Location Reminders back, but I'm not about to input a few hundred homes.

For those who have their entire city misplaced, what are they supposed to do?

What about the numerous roads, rivers, and even coastlines that are significantly off?

I never said they fixed your issues or that there was a way to fix everything. I only stated that we have more options in the "Report an Error" pane today.

 

[dv8r]

I never said they fixed your issues or that there was a way to fix everything. I only stated that we have more options in the "Report an Error" pane today.

We sorta had the same options since launch - and they aren't any good if you try to explain a misplaced road or that the buildings on the map doesn't look at all like that in the real world.

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

Ummm...what?

Pick the local transport app that works best for what you will be using it for. Once it is downloaded, it works pretty seamlessly and WAY better in my experience than Google transport ever did.

Why should I have to have additional apps for that, when the previous Map app handled it all?

And what if there is no appropriate additional app?

Well, I guess I'll just use Google Maps as a webapp then

This gets tiresome. If there is no app for local transport (very unlikely in most regions of the world) use maps.google.com as webapp.

That is what I am now doing, given the inaccuracy of the new Maps app, given that it is missing functionality, and given that there is often not an appropriate additional app for public transport information.

But the whole point is that the previous app did not require additional apps (native or web) to do public transport information, and it had more accurate POI information.

This is complaing for the sake of complaing, those who are finally beyond that found obvious solutions that are often better than google maps.

It is not complaining for the sake of complaining.

In my experience, the new Maps app is awful compared to the previous one.

It is less accurate (I have found so many incorrect POIs it's ridiculous...) and it is missing functionality of the previous one. I don't just mean gimmicks like Streetview, I mean public transport information (as above) - something that was very handy in the old Maps app.

If Apple had given us a replacement Maps app that had equivalent (or better) accuracy and equivalent (or better) features, then fair enough. But it didn't. It gave us one that is less accurate and has had features removed.

Oh sure, you can use Google Maps as a webapp, or you can use a 3rd party app from the App Store, but they do not tie into the system. Clicking addresses in emails or webpages still uses Apple Maps, using location-based reminders still uses Apple Maps, searching with Siri still uses Apple Maps. That's all fine if it's correct for what you want, but if the POIs or anything else are wrong then it's useless (as KnightWRX and cyks have both mentioned regarding location-based reminders).

And if you find using the webapp too tiresome, go cry somewhere we can't hear you, get some android phone or whatever.

Thank you for your constructive comment

 

[PhoneI]

The launch of what is surely a brilliant iPhone5 is totally obscured by the worst decision Apple has made in a long, long time. Instead of writing about how good the iPhone5 is, all you see is numerous articles about how atrocious Maps is.

Worse than releasing a phone in which you couldn't make calls if you held it a certain way? I think not.

Apple survived that. Over the next few months I suspect maps will be greatly improved and it will be forgotten just like antenna-gate, ping, MobileMe, etc.

 

[ck2875]

We sorta had the same options since launch - and they aren't any good if you try to explain a misplaced road or that the buildings on the map doesn't look at all like that in the real world.

I realize that there were already some options there previously. I had been using it the report an error option daily and was excited to see some new ones pop up.

There are some slightly off roads that I would love to adjust. However, it let me fix the name of road that needed to be updated, which is a welcome change to only being able to submit issues with POIs. And people complaining about the satellite images can now point out that cloud in the sky or whatever. There's obviously a long way to go, but I'm just happy to see some progress in the Error Reporting options.

----------

Worse than releasing a phone in which you couldn't make calls if you held it a certain way? I think not.

Apple survived that. Over the next few months I suspect maps will be greatly improved and it will be forgotten just like antenna-gate, ping, MobileMe, etc.

Ping won't "officially" be forgotten until 9/30.

 

[entatlrg]

For anyone who needs and uses maps globally on a regular basis as I do, Apple maps is bad, really bad, to the point of unusable.

Up until few weeks ago I had google maps working and functioning near flawlessly on my iOS devices. Apple took that away, yet they say all they work towards is a "positive end user experience". Had that been true google maps would of stayed on iOS devices until Apple's maps were ready for prime time.
Think of all the road travelers, realtors etc who bought iPads and used google maps heavily, they must be furious.

I doubt Apple maps is going to improve much in the short term. People who often rely on google maps will be more motivated to switch to Android now and good on Apple for that, they deserve it.

Need good map software on your portable device buy android but try and find an android tablet that works as well as an iPad, I can't. To gain google maps by going android I loose a out in other areas. So, what do you do, buy an android tablet for maps and use iPad for everything else? What a joke.

Apple can get people eating from their hands and then they screw up like this, on a major piece of software, that's hard to understand. Apple maps isn't even ready for beta. Why? There's towns, cities, streets, addresses, buildings missing, it takes forever to load, topography is off. This problem isn't just in my backyard in Ontario Canada, it's a problem nationwide, in USA, Europe all over. All this so we can have turn by turn, lol, then we best begin altering our freeways as Apple maps seems to think I can make left and right turns anywhere.

Want a tablet that has great map software out of the box? Buy android. That's what this turned into overnight.

 

[white4s]

Yeah, in the area which you live in.
I'm not so concerned about my local gas station or hospital being on the map. I know where they are.
I'm concerned about when I go to those places where people ARE complaining about crap mapping, I'm not going to know where to fill up on gas or get stitched up.
I for one won't be satisfied until complaints stop coming from major cities around the world, regardless of how well my area is mapped (which by the way, isn't)

from what i've seen it seems like there's many issues overseas. for now i'm lucky. i have plans on going to denver and fla within the next year so we'll see

 

[entatlrg]

Worse than releasing a phone in which you couldn't make calls if you held it a certain way? I think not.

Apple survived that. Over the next few months I suspect maps will be greatly improved and it will be forgotten just like antenna-gate, ping, MobileMe, etc.

Oh I think its MUCH bigger than the (overblown) antenna problem. At least with that the solution was simply to move your hand or accept a free bumper. I wish the solution to maps was that simple.

The google web app loads slow and the map apps I tried fall far short of googles (free) offering. This is one of Apple's biggest blunders, more than MobileMe and ping.

 

[dv8r]

I realize that there were already some options there previously. I had been using it the report an error option daily and was excited to see some new ones pop up.

New options popping up is news to me - haven't noticed, what are they?

There are some slightly off roads that I would love to adjust. However, it let me fix the name of road that needed to be updated, which is a welcome change to only being able to submit issues with POIs. And people complaining about the satellite images can now point out that cloud in the sky or whatever. There's obviously a long way to go, but I'm just happy to see some progress in the Error Reporting options.

This really needs a tool like Google MapMaker, it's often some visual changes and the success Google had with this shows that people are willing to do rather complex editions/additions to something like a Maps app. The options from within the app are annoying to use for anything else than small changes.

But I think that's a long way down the road, because Apple doesn't know about crowd-sourcing and still thinks this can be done by their partners alone.

 

[xraydoc]

Here's my Apple maps story. I used the maps app to locate a country club in my area. Maps dropped a pin right on the main club house. No problem. Turned on the turn-by-turn and followed the directions. As I approached the club, the app told me to pull over (on the main thoroughfare, by the way) and park along the road and walk the rest of the way because there was no "navigable" way to drive the rest of the way. Whahh??

Apparently despite the fact that the map knew where the club was, it didn't know that the street it was on connected to the main thoroughfare.

Doh!

In fairness, Google isn't completely right either. It stops at the main entrance (better than Apple's, but still not totally right).

My Navigon app, however, had it 100% correct right to the front door.

 

[viperGTS]

For the locations the Geolocation API knows. Of course, since it lost so many... I can't tell it to "remind to buy bread when I'm near the grocery store in my City" because it doesn't know my city even has a grocery store anymore.

That's how location based reminders borked. Not to mention when it misplaces addresses and so never reminds you because it doesn't know you're near where you wanted the reminder to fire.

Then there's all the 3rd party apps. Since both of you are in a helpful mood in telling us this is overblown, mind telling me how I fix RunKeeper so it "remembers" the streets it used to know in iOS 5 and doesn't anymore ? Aside from moving my running route...

Where in my original post did I say this was overblown? Help yourself.

Feel free to re-read my posts. Yes, they're there, but they are completely useless to me since they rely on Apple's Maps... which happen to place my home a few hundred feet away in the middle of nowhere. Unless I decide to go for a hike in the woods, it had no idea that I'm 'home.'

I thought your post meant in general you lost all location-based reminder functionality. My bad.

 

[xofruitcake]

What about IOS map in China?

Does it suck too? heh heh.. Of course not...I don't know how much longer everyone want to debate about IOS 6 map. Apple already made their choice and If anyone read the behind the scene story, they should know that Google will never give IOS the best Google map. The Best Google map is reserved for Android. There are plenty of alternative to Google map app. The true users already move on. They will either get an Iphone 5 if they can mitigate the map problem. If not, they move on and buy something else.. What exactly is the point of repeating the same argument over and over and over again?? )

http://prcand.me/2012/9/25/apple-maps-actually-improved-in-ios-6-for-china

http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/152918/how-google-was-skyhooked-by-apples-new-ios-6-maps

 

[cyks]

There are plenty of alternative to Google map app. The true users already move on. They will either get an Iphone 5 if they can mitigate the map problem. If not, they move on and buy something else.. What exactly is the point of repeating the same argument over and over and over again??

No, there aren't any alternatives and, because of that, many of us can't move on. Until the Map Kits are changed to something that actually work or are significantly updated, I lost a lot of function with my phone.

What's the point of repeating? Simple. Ideally Apple will either fix the issue or actually allow it's users to upgrade to 5.1.

What I don't get is the point of everyone coming in here repeating the same, tired, points telling us to just accept that the device (and apps) we've paid for will no longer work as they did just a few weeks ago.

 

[dv8r]

Does it suck too? heh heh.. Of course not...I don't know how much longer everyone want to debate about IOS 6 map. Apple already made their choice and If anyone read the behind the scene story, they should know that Google will never give IOS the best Google map. The Best Google map is reserved for Android. There are plenty of alternative to Google map app. The true users already move on. They will either get an Iphone 5 if they can mitigate the map problem. If not, they move on and buy something else.. What exactly is the point of repeating the same argument over and over and over again?? )

I'm really happy it works for you - I have seen people guessing about what happened between Google and Apple, and i think it's more complex than what's been described - the current version seems to be somewhat Apple skewed.

There have been posts about Google wanting to add turn-by-turn in 2010 - there's a frontpage item from MacRumors on it, you should look for it. It makes no sense for Google to withhold their maps app from Apple (or anybody), Google lives off their data and the add revenue it generates - they want people to use their products even if it's IOS users, more users on their maps app means more updates and precision. Vital if you want to generate revenue...

As for the rest of your "it's not really a problem" post - it's been debated over and over again, things aren't black and white... saying that people that are unsatisfied can move on is rather uninformed.

 

[KnightWRX]

Where in my original post did I say this was overblown? Help yourself.

Sorry, but everyone who has come to this thread to say "there's alternatives" just say that, that people with issues are whiners "overblowing" the issue. If you're not one of them, sorry I pegged you in that crowd.

 

[cyks]

As for the rest of your "it's not really a problem" post - it's been debated over and over again, things aren't black and white... saying that people that are unsatisfied can move on is rather uninformed.

I'll even go a step further than this.

At this point, from the apology from Apple, numerous posts on here, major new stories, and abundance of 'Damn You iMaps' type pages that have popped up, it should be fairly clear that their is definitely a problem.

Most of the people claiming, "it works fine for me" are checking it in areas they know.

Maybe it's just me, but even if the maps were accurate in my home area, I'd be scared to use them elsewhere knowing that there are serious flaws popping up with it in ALL parts of the world.

 

[MozMan68]

Why should I have to have additional apps for that, when the previous Map app handled it all?

And what if there is no appropriate additional app?

Well, I guess I'll just use Google Maps as a webapp then

When I was in Boston last week, downloaded HopStop (just the first time) to figure out transit. Gives me option of bus/train, just bus, just train, taxi or walking all in a single app.

Just one extra step really as I actually have to select the already download app to use as my transit choice.

Google may have it embedded in their maps, but Apple's way of doing it will certainly provided more choice and better accuracy as many have stated previously by having third party app providers constantly trying to be the ONE app you use for transit or simply the best one in your city.

One week in? Sure, the selection may be limited in some areas, but the days of having a train specific app or taxi specific app will be short lived since a single, great option will win out over the others.

 

[tensiondeadache]

FWIW, turn by turn worked perfectly for me on Thursday. I was driving to an old building in National City, CA for a class and it was accurate down to 10 feet on arrival. Given that I can dictate direction requests by voice now, it will replace my car GPS.

 

[xofruitcake]

saying that people that are unsatisfied can move on is rather uninformed.

So I guess you are saying that you are stuck with IOS 6 and has no option of like getting an Android phone or using mapquest or buying another map application in the App store? Tim Cook mentioned quite a few alternatives (some free and some paid) and none of them work for you? Come on. It is one thing to beat up Apple for shipping an inferior product (which they did). It is quite another things to say that Google map is irreplaceable. May be a better way to argue you case is to tell us what alternative you use to solve your problem but can't..

The first time I saw a post about pinning web version of google map on home screen is a user from UK where her college kid need the information. My point is that a real user will try to find alternative instead of keep complaining (and if mean selling the Iphone, so be it). The only people keep complaining about the IOS map is only here to argue. If you are really stuck, how are dealing with the problem today????????? You just don't go to work or school or stay home all together? I am sure there is some way that you are getting by.. It is inconvenient and you have every right to bash Apple. But keep saying that there is no solution is just bs..

 

[pdqgp]

So I guess you are saying that you are stuck with IOS 6 and has no option of like getting an Android phone or using mapquest or buying another map application in the App store? Tim Cook mentioned quite a few alternatives (some free and some paid) and none of them work for you? Come on. It is one thing to beat up Apple for shipping an inferior product (which they did). It is quite another things to say that Google map is irreplaceable. May be a better way to argue you case is to tell us what alternative you use to solve your problem but can't..

The first time I saw a post about pinning web version of google map on home screen is a user from UK where her college kid need the information. My point is that a real user will try to find alternative instead of keep complaining (and if mean selling the Iphone, so be it). The only people keep complaining about the IOS map is only here to argue. If you are really stuck, how are dealing with the problem today????????? You just don't go to work or school or stay home all together? I am sure there is some way that you are getting by.. It is inconvenient and you have every right to bash Apple. But keep saying that there is no solution is just bs..

He has a point in that several apps he's been using are tied to Apple's maps and now that such is the case, he's not able to use them. I can see his point as well as mine and yours.

IMO there are alternatives and while I do feel users of such 3rd party apps can't entirely blame Apple as they willingly use an app that was chosen by the developer to be built off the default mapping data. That said, Apple is responsible for them not working the way they once did.

I agree with you and have been quite vocal that give all the above doesn't ruin the functionality of the phone completely. It is bothersome no doubt, but I would pursue the 3rd party app company to redo their program to match up with Google. Maps + has already gone back to google and thus that capability is there and a viable option. I'm curious to see if any of them do this in order to please their users.

 

[dv8r]

So I guess you are saying that you are stuck with IOS 6 and has no option of like getting an Android phone or using mapquest or buying another map application in the App store? Tim Cook mentioned quite a few alternatives (some free and some paid) and none of them work for you? Come on. It is one thing to beat up Apple for shipping an inferior product (which they did). It is quite another things to say that Google map is irreplaceable. May be a better way to argue you case is to tell us what alternative you use to solve your problem but can't..

The first time I saw a post about pinning web version of google map on home screen is a user from UK where her college kid need the information. My point is that a real user will try to find alternative instead of keep complaining (and if mean selling the Iphone, so be it). The only people keep complaining about the IOS map is only here to argue. If you are really stuck, how are dealing with the problem today????????? You just don't go to work or school or stay home all together? I am sure there is some way that you are getting by.. It is inconvenient and you have every right to bash Apple. But keep saying that there is no solution is just bs..

Ok - so you are uninformed...

The first thing i did was to move Apple Maps to the last page with Apps and made a link to Google Maps on the home screen. That still is a work-around - Apple Maps is still the default app when you start something map-related. So if You set a presence reminder - it's Apple Maps. If you use the new Facebook feature - it's Apple Maps. If you schedule a meeting with location - it's Apple Maps. Those are things I can't fix with a the link to Google Maps. So I get by, but when I use the things that tie into the Maps API it takes me longer, not as productive...

There's also a real discussion to be had on the way you are supposed to update this thing - something I think Apple haven't fully thought through and why it's a problem to say that eludes me.

About "complexity" - it's a real thing... People may have a lot of apps they have invested in, there's also the need to learn to use something different (either Windows Phone or Google Android). If arguing is a problem for you, then why did you jump into a thread named "Wow. Apple Maps is a disaster", i mean really, what did you expect to find in here?

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Used Apple Maps instead of my car's GPS all day - going to places I know how to get to anyways.

Maps worked FLAWLESSLY with one exception. Siri took me to Costco Gas instead of Costco but they happened to be within 300 yards so no harm.

 

[Brazuca]

Fuel for the fire. Google does worse than Apple in finding cities in Ontario

Google has no idea where those 784 towns I was looking for are, and that’s worse than what Apple can do.

.

Old Maps vs. New Maps