Apple unveils transit data for Maps in iOS 9

Posted:
in iPhone edited June 2015
As expected, Apple announced transit directions integration are coming to the Maps app in iOS 9, featuring multi-modal routing, rail line information and Siri integration, among other functions.




Fittingly dubbed Transit, Apple's transit solution brings public transportation options into Maps, including data for buses, subways and ferries.

Unique to Transit is deep train station mapping that depicts underground structures in their entirety instead of as a dot. Also supported are walking times from one end of a subway station to another, providing more accurate estimates to help commuters catch their train.

Transit also features support for Siri, meaning Apple's virtual assistant will be able to incorporate transit options alongside vehicle and walking directions.

At launch, Transit data will be available in Baltimore, Berlin, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. Apple highlighted Chinese availability with initial support in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xi'an and Zhenghou, with more to come.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    sog35 wrote: »
    i wish this was available last week when i was in NYC

    Did you lunch with [@]Apple ][[/@]? :lol: How many stores did you visit? The one in Grand Central Terminal is quite unique, but I normally go to the SoHo store.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    i wish this was available last week when i was in NYC


    Android has had it for a few years now...lol /s

  • Reply 3 of 20
    Visit CrazyUDID, get the brand new iOS 9 Beta and win an Apple Watch! Fast and reliable service!
  • Reply 4 of 20
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    fallenjt wrote: »
    sog35 wrote: »
     
    i wish this was available last week when i was in NYC
    Android has had it for a few years now...lol /s

    I would've recommended Embark. My 9 yr old son is a subway savant because of it. :lol:
  • Reply 5 of 20
    Visit CrazyUDID, get the brand new iOS 9 Beta and win an Apple Watch! Fast and reliable service!
  • Reply 6 of 20
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    I would've recommended Embark. My 9 yr old son is a subway savant because of it. image

     

    Apple owns Embark. Probably the foundation for the new feature.

  • Reply 7 of 20
    wygboyswygboys Posts: 2member
    Just want to point out one mistake. In the very end of the article, the city in China is Zhengzhou not Zhenghou!
    I know because I was born there. ;-)
  • Reply 8 of 20
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member

    Hello?  Bike directions?  thump thump  Is this mic on?

  • Reply 9 of 20

    I hope that they either include or offer the ability to scrape data for real-time tracking of the different modes of transportation, at least for those transit providers who provide real-time tracking.

  • Reply 10 of 20
    waterrocketswaterrockets Posts: 1,231member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fallenjt View Post

     

    Android has had it for a few years now...lol /s


     

    So has iOS.

  • Reply 11 of 20
    dereksonderekson Posts: 30member

    Apple's website shows a feature under iOS 9 that they didn't mention during the keynote: an Android app for migrating contacts and even installation of some apps for migrating from Android to iOS. That looks really slick. Hell, Android phones often don't even let users migrate their apps and such from their old phone, and Apple will let you migrate from an Android phone. That's a win.

  • Reply 12 of 20
    sestewartsestewart Posts: 102member
    While this is nice and all.. Where's the update to Find Friends that shows what businesses are near where your friends are, or a button to "open this location in maps"?

    Its very irritating looking at Find Friends, and not be able to see what is around that location without manually opening Maps, then multitasking between apps to find the road a friend is on, or what businesses are around that location.

    better yet, just have Find Friends integrated with Maps, and get rid of the separate app.

    Another example of Apple abandon-ware.. Find Friends.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    i wish this was available last week when i was in NYC




    There's a free app (at least I think it was free) called NYC Transit that has a route planner, the official subway map and gives plenty of info, although it doesn't show the physical entrances to subway stations as Maps is going to.   But it does show the service status of each line and lets you know when routes change or stations are going to be skipped because of construction, etc.    That information is presented poorly, but at least it's there.

     

    There's another app called Subway Time that will tell you when the next train is arriving, but only for those lines that have the technology implemented, which is only the 7th Avenue 1,2,3; the Lexington Avenue 4,5,6; the 14th St L, the 42nd street Shuttle and the Staten Island Railway lines.  

     

    But it's great that Apple is finally adding transit information and it looks like they're doing a very classy job about it.

  • Reply 14 of 20
    lymflymf Posts: 65member
    Hopefully Brussels will be incorporated soon in this city list as the network is ready (they have had their real time position app for like 4-5 years now at least and actually were one of the test cities for Google integration of public transportation times and routes.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    What about the ability to select what type of route you want to take while driving like avoid highways or tolls, or fastest or shortest route? You know, the most basic functions of a navigation app? Really think Apple should've bought Waze.
  • Reply 16 of 20
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,755member
    Really think Apple should've bought Waze.

    Yes - I would have been much happier if Apple and not Google had bought them :(
  • Reply 17 of 20
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,755member
    fallenjt wrote: »
    Android has had it for a few years now...lol /s

    Yup - but more people actually use apps on iOS so Apple gets more data than Google from mobile users.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    guiguihipguiguihip Posts: 29member
    lymf wrote: »
    Hopefully Brussels will be incorporated soon in this city list as the network is ready (they have had their real time position app for like 4-5 years now at least and actually were one of the test cities for Google integration of public transportation times and routes.

    Totally with you on this one! Brussels has a great public transportation network and their app is awesome! But I believe that before the "capital of Europe" will be incorporated, bigger cities like Paris, Sydney, and Rome will be. But let's keep our fingers crossed!
  • Reply 19 of 20
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,120member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by John.B View Post

     

    Hello?  Bike directions?  thump thump  Is this mic on?


     

    I presume you're looking for bike trails and bike friendly roads?  I'd really be grateful for that as well.

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