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It's really strange, isn't it?

And then some go on to tell the rest to stop "moaning and groaning" about it. The worst thing a consumer can do to a company is not give honest feedback about its products.

And are you doing that or are you just moaning and groaning in a web forum?
90+ pages and I'll be that no more than a handful of people actually bothered to contact Apple directly.
 
90+ pages and I'll be that no more than a handful of people actually bothered to contact Apple directly.
That's OK. The thousands of other people grumbling here and elsewhere will create enough of a PR headache that Apple will get the message.

... Not that I expect anything to come out of it, though. Apple's burned that bridge, and I'm starting to think that google's going to withhold streetview as a strategic "android-only" feature (it's one of the few features that Apple would have significant issues duplicating, if google further enhances it to include POI minutiae like building entrances, stairwells, parking garage entrances/exits, mall entrances, exact location of businesses inside a building, national park info like vistas and bathrooms, and tons of other useful information).
 
So Google Maps is crap in Newbury, an area I know well because Vodafone used to be a customer of mine.

Are you seriously going to contest that when it comes to the globe that Apple Maps is more useful than Google Maps and more accurate?

Did I say anything about the globe? No. Alot of people in this tread were talking about their own areas, so I shared about my area. Bully for you that you visit the area, I live here.

Estate? Most of us live in houses or apartments or flats. Are you the Earl of Newbury? :)

You never heard of a housing estate? Or you just being facetious?
 
Funny, because I've never been able to read what anything said on street view, it's mostly a pixelated mess zoomed in far enough to be able to actually read anything.

Look at this example.

The Street View car is clearly in the third lane of this road, yet I can zoom in and read the sign which is in a lay-by very clearly.

The nearest 3D imagery in Apple's Maps is over 150 miles away.

You'll note that as the "P" symbol is not displayed in the top left hand corner of this sign, the limited waiting restriction is unenforceable - information that someone might find useful.
 

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Apple's burned that bridge, and I'm starting to think that google's going to withhold streetview as a strategic "android-only" feature (it's one of the few features that Apple would have significant issues duplicating, if google further enhances it to include POI minutiae like building entrances, stairwells, parking garage entrances/exits, mall entrances, exact location of businesses inside a building, national park info like vistas and bathrooms, and tons of other useful information).

That would make sense if not for one little problem... Google doesn't care about beating the iOS with Android. They only care about information.

The more people that use any of their products, the more information they can gather, and the more they can charge to advertisers.

They couldn't care less if people are using their maps on Android or on iOS, they're collecting the data and making their money from advertisers either way.
 
Google maps, for the last 7 years has shown my estate as half built, it was completed 7 years ago. Also it has my road twice, one where it should be, then again about 100 feet north, running parallel and running through a row of houses. When making a route on it, it always uses the messed up road. Something that has been reported to google and ignored.

Apple maps, not only shows the estate fully completed with correct satellite images, also has the road correct and not the messed up version google has... So just shows google ain't perfect...
That's really no consolation frankly. Take a look at the satellite images of Reading on Apple Maps. They are so low res they are completely illegible. Also while it's true the default image for our area is years old on Google, it's a bug, not a lack of data. If you select historical imagery on maps.google.com it immediately shows a much more current satellite image.
 
I have used the new maps and think they blow the Google maps out of the water. I traveled this past weekend and went over 700 miles through some very rural areas of Texas and was totally impressed with the new maps. Maybe they are just good n Texas?

Only good in Texas and the few other locations reported as good, but a disaster in the rest of the world.
 
heh heh, let's say that we all agree that the apple map suck at this stage. Now what? Looks like Apple is going to stuck with their gun . . .

Let's give this topic a rest . . .

Unfortunately, I agree with your first sentence in this (partial) quote, in that I believe that Apple will keep this product in the public arena, rather than reverting to beta testing as it should.

It's apparent that the Apple community both those that seem to have a need to defend the product & others like me who have enjoyed Apple products for a long time now, would assist them when able to improve their offering until it was ready for wider release.

With this in mind, I won't be giving the topic a rest, because it needs to be kept in the public eye to force Apple to make some kind of decision and public statement.

If you take it as read that Apple Maps is here to stay, then the best ideal scenario for me is that Google create & Apple quickly approve a standalone Google Maps application (with Street View) and that Apple allow the customer the right to make their own choice as to which one they integrate with other iOS apps.

That's what I'm looking for and I hope the issue stays in the public eye until Apple tells us what's next.



Did I say anything about the globe? No. Alot of people in this tread were talking about their own areas, so I shared about my area . . .

That's exactly my point, I'm surprised that there are so many people who are only concerned with what happens within a few miles' radius of their home.

Even if they have no intention of travelling anywhere, that they have no compassion for the obvious problems people are facing across the rest of the world. As an example, in iOS 5 there were only a few restaurant applications that I used which relied completely on maps, there are other people that use running, cycling, taxi etc apps every day which they have paid for & are now completely useless. For others, where maps are really bad, Apple have even screwed themselves over by rendering their location-based Reminders and Find My Friends apps, for example, equally as useless.

Even though every consequence of Apple's decision doesn't directly affect me, I care about the wider picture.


You never heard of a housing estate? Or you just being facetious?

The guy was just making a joke. I'd imagine he comes from a country where to him (and others) an estate is something that is centred with a big mansion in rolling acres of land and owned by Baron, or an Earl, or a Lord or something.

For clarification, for the rest of the forum a housing estate in the UK is what others might call perhaps a housing development, where all of the houses have been built in a similar style by the same builder in a certain suburb of a town.
 
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I'm going to put my maps app in a folder so I'm constantly reminded of how useless it is. I feel lost without a functioning map/transport/business search app and although the safari workaround does work, it isn't a substitute for the app.

I'm going to try to move on, but will definitely consider other options to an iphone when I need to upgrade. It was such an important and useful part of the iphone - being able to click on a contact's address, using Reminders to remind me of something when I leave/arrive at a location, Find my friends and find local shops and businesses when I'm in an unknown area. None of that works reliably anymore.

I'm a little sad, actually. And angry too.
 
I'm going to put my maps app in a folder so I'm constantly reminded of how useless it is. I feel lost without a functioning map/transport/business search app and although the safari workaround does work, it isn't a substitute for the app.

I'm going to try to move on, but will definitely consider other options to an iphone when I need to upgrade. It was such an important and useful part of the iphone - being able to click on a contact's address, using Reminders to remind me of something when I leave/arrive at a location, Find my friends and find local shops and businesses when I'm in an unknown area. None of that works reliably anymore.

I'm a little sad, actually. And angry too.
I sold my iPhone 4 a month ago and have not received my 5 yet. I can still easily survive without having a smartphone at all and I really feel pity for those who depend that much on it.

On the other hand, must be an exciting live to go to new locations everyday, find new shops and stuff.

and btw. did they remove location based reminders in iOS6?
 
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I sold my iPhone 4 a month ago and have not received my 5 yet. I can still easily survive without having a smartphone at all and I really feel pity for those who depend that much on it.

On the other hand, must be an exciting live to go to new locations everyday, find new shops and stuff.

I don't think it's so much that we depend on it, in that we actually physically could not live without it.

It's more to do with what's been taken away, in that for many of us, we had a fantastic additional capability on our phone which made our lives very much easier.

Based upon a corporate decision, this feature has now been significantly degraded. What makes it even more frustrating, is that the previously full featured app is commonly available still on many other brands of smartphone.

When I come to renew my contract, if we don't have the choice to reinstate Google Maps, I will probably still end up going iPhone, but for the first time in a long time, I will take a look at the market before finally committing to that decision.

I posted an article yesterday regarding a journalist that has spent over 12 years reporting on and owning Apple products and if he can make the decision to move, I should at the very least consider it if nothing changes.

Something I never knew I wanted before it was presented to me in the palm of my hand, has now become an extremely useful addition to my life, making it far easier to hook up with friends, discover new places etc & therefore, far more enjoyable.
 
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I sold my iPhone 4 a month ago and have not received my 5 yet. I can still easily survive without having a smartphone at all and I really feel pity for those who depend that much on it.

On the other hand, must be an exciting live to go to new locations everyday, find new shops and stuff.

and btw. did they remove location based reminders in iOS6?

I can survive without one too, but I've come to appreciate the flexibility it affords me when I'm out and about in London and travelling in unfamiliar territory here and abroad. Sometimes it's exciting, but most of the time it's just convenient and an easier way to get around and find places quickly.

No they didn't remove the location based reminders, but since the maps are inaccurate and unreliable, reminders are useless now.

----------

I don't think it's so much that we depend on it, in that we actually physically could not live without it.

It's more to do with what's been taken away, in that for many of us, we had a fantastic additional capability on our phone which made our lives very much easier.

Based upon a corporate decision, this feature has now been significantly degraded. What makes it even more frustrating, is that the previously full featured app is commonly available still on many other brands of smartphone.

When I come to renew my contract, if we don't have the choice to reinstate Google Maps, I will probably still end up going iPhone, but for the first time in a long time, I will take a look at the market before finally committing to that decision.

I posted an article yesterday regarding a journalist that has spent over 12 years reporting on and owning Apple products and if he can make the decision to move, I should at the very least consider it if nothing changes.

Something I never knew I wanted before it was presented to me in the palm of my hand, has now become an extremely useful addition to my life, making it far easier to hook up with friends, discover new places etc & therefore, far more enjoyable.

Well said!
 
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iOS maps is actually more accurate than Google maps where I am. However, as somebody noted above, my main issue is readability (seriously - white roads on a very pale tan background? Micro location icons?). So I hope as Apple revises and updates their maps app, that they will work on the design as well.
 

Thanks for posting this, but what a disappointing read.

Apart from his comment where he (Google Chairman Eric Schmidt) says, "We want them to be our partner. We welcome that".

The rest of his comments come across as rather childish, as if this were some kind of playground squabble affecting just a few people.

These guys need to grow a pair, get round the table and come up with a solution that is best for everyone, especially us as Apple customers.
 
maps:// and youtube://

If entered in IOS 5's Safari's address bar, maps:// and youtube:// each will launch the complete app, not a web version.

The youtube:// trick is the only way to have the Youtube app proper, on an purchased-in-China iPhone.
On an iPad, it launches the IPad version of Youtube not the low res iPhone version.

I am keeping well clear of IOS 6. But wondered what does happen in IOS 6 if you enter the above 2 addresses?
 
If entered in IOS 5's Safari's address bar, maps:// and youtube:// each will launch the complete app, not a web version.

The youtube:// trick is the only way to have the Youtube app proper, on an purchased-in-China iPhone.
On an iPad, it launches the IPad version of Youtube not the low res iPhone version.

I am keeping well clear of IOS 6. But wondered what does happen in IOS 6 if you enter the above 2 addresses?

They do the same exact thing in iOS 6... launch the corresponding apps.
 
I'm a fan and a customer that has over 50 ipads and 50 iphones deployed just in my sale region for my team. we're heavy users.

I also understand the challenges they face in business related to google maps and what it's like to deploy a cometetors solutions and the costs and limitations that also comes with. You might not see those nor have they displayed them to the public, but they exist. This change wasn't made to ******** up your life and that of others.

If you're a customers that doesn't look beyond the first hurdle you've encountered without asking questions or looking at options to solve issues it generates than I think you're being a bit short sighted and likely the exact type of target the competition will go after.

Your argument here would be valid if you were able to change the default, since your not its pretty clear Apple put the benefit of the company ahead of the user experience.

Its a sad day when its the competition going after the customers who want things to just work.
 
Apple Maps - Completely and Utterly Useless!

I am actually in awe at just how bad the map data is for my part of the world in the current Apple Maps. So little detail in terms of roads, whole towns/villages, supermarkets etc missing. The location details or descriptions of around 60-70% of shops, petrol stations, bars, restaurants, business premises etc are incorrect with most being on the wrong street, wrong side of the road, wrong end of the street etc.

As it stands Apple Maps is completely unusable for me and because everything in IOS6 is tied into Apple Maps this makes a large number of other functions on the phone useless too!

The only thing which will save this for me will be for Google to release a fully functioned IOS version of Google Maps and for Apple to allow you to select this as the default Maps program so that Siri, Contacts, etc can all be integrated with it.
 
A fair-minded person would expect Apple to give users the choice of obtaining a Google Maps App from the App Store.

That way, those people who love Apple's implementation could continue with what they have, and those who prefer Google's implementation could download their preferred version.

That's fair, right?

Actually, that wouldn't really help anyway, because all of the OS calls to the Map Kit API are going to go to the Apple Maps instead of the almost infinitely more useful Google Maps. It's true that it isn't a big deal to hide the Maps app and replace it with something that, you know, actually works. But all of those dining apps and social media apps and shopping apps that have an option to find a place and show a map of how to get there will still use Apple Maps, no matter what else you install (unless a jailbreak is available that redirects such things, which I think might be just what I'm waiting for).

Apple's walled garden kind of relies on customers trusting the contents of the garden. The usual defenses for the controlled Apple ecosystem and lack of configurability are that the user experience is all-important and Apple products "just work." The massive rollback in map functionality contraindicates both arguments, and Apple deserves every second of the negative press that they're receiving as a result.
 
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