Consumer Reports compares iOS 6 Maps directions to Google's Android Maps - Page 2

This review makes it all the more unbearable that Tim Cook was so quick on the draw with that spineless apology letter.

This CR review of Maps is more or less even-handed and sums up my own personal experience. Aside from some strange landmark and business location data, really my only complaint is that traffic is not easily discerned, especially when driving. I've had absolutely no problems with directions, otherwise.

 

Given that Google has had an over 5 year head start on Apple, why not give Apple a little credit for debuting a product that is exponentially better than Google's initial release? It's mighty big of you allowing Apple to iron the kinks out and I'm glad you're willing to give them another try once their fledgling, wet-behind-the-ears software product is out of diapers.

 

And if they never made this move you would be the first to criticize Apple for the lack of turn-by-turn navigation on the iPhone compared to other devices. :-/

 

Apple can never win in your eyes, can they?

Sure... Whatever...

 

Google initially released Google Maps as a BETA, which is what Apple should have done with their 'less than complete' (as per my week's use of my own  iPhone 5 black/64gb), which may have avoided all of this nonsense.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/9286/p1000634t.jpg

 

I didn't think your posts of images and claims of what you "own" could get any more pathetic but now you're telling us you bought the highest capacity iPhone as well? Despite posting the image having zero relevance to the topic posting the capacity just comes across as extra douchee.

You might have some credibility on any of the tech forums you troll if you'd actually try to post with some sincerity and stop coming across so damn insecure. No one gives a flying frak about what you own. You can have a valid argument without owning a product and have a pathetic opinion even if you do own it.

Consumer Reports sucks in general, however, I think it is right here. If you are in the US, the Map application in many ways is better than what it replaces.

TIm Cook, however, should never have apologized. A statement explaining the situation maybe, but an apology wasn't warranted.

Yes...

 

I'm telling you that I "bought the highest capacity iPhone" 5 because That's Exactly What I Did (as I always buy the 'highest capacity' available of any device I choose to buy), and I have zero concern as to whether some pathetic troll like you finds my posts 'credible' or not - Deal With It (along with your obvious 'insecurities'/inferiority issues).

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/8382/p1000637c.jpg

 

you can call DaHarder many things, but the guy actually owns all the devices he says he owns (I've seen posts on Engadget where he proved such).

Odd that he's called a hater of this or that platform from time to time as he probably bought more hardware from more manufacturers each than any of us have from any one manufacturer.

Maybe, but you guys seem to have nothing decent to say about Apple. Ever.

 

Apart from that being plainly weird, it sort of destroys your credibility. (Your credibility is also not enhanced when the only person giving you a thumbs up for your post is DaHarder).

Photos can be faked but I don't think anyone thinks he's faking his photos, it's just odd (to put in mildly) that he has to constantly show that he bought some mass produced CE. And now, he's boosting that he only buys the largest capacity device. It all comes across as very desperate and does absolutely nothing to increase his credibility as someone who is being objective or sincere.

For instance, you don't need to prove to me that you've bought a Galaxy Nexus S or Lumix 920 or iPhone 5 before I'll read your opinion about the device. I oft disagree with you (and GG's) opinions about philosophies in tech but I don't doubt your sincerity and don't recall ever saying your opinion isn't valid if you haven't owned ever tech being discussed.

 

It's merely a case of you and your (needlessly brand partisan) ilk behaving like some rabidly fanatical attack dogs when anyone post anything that doesn't conform to your little 'Apple ideal, often/unjustly calling their integrity into question in the process (as you did with my earlier post, and which I quickly debunked)

 

Personally... I don't care what you think, believe, etc. because In the many years that I've participated in this forum you've done absolutely nothing to lend the least bit of 'credibility' to any conversation, instead just coming across as a bitter, hostile, arrogant deviant who simply can't accept that there are opinions/experiences different than your own.

 

Don't Like My Posts... Don't Read/Respond To Them.

 

Anyway... It'll be nice once Apple finally gets this whole 'Maps debacle' settled.

 

Anyone who relied on Consumer Report for accurate review of product is an idiot. Here its review for iPhone 5 low light capability.

 

"The claimed improvements of the iPhone 5 in handling low-light shots were not apparent in our tests. In overall quality, both still and video images shot in low light on the iPhone 5 were of comparable quality to those shot on the iPhone 4S, though they did appear a little “ccoler” [sic], with a bluish hue. The shutter delay for both iPhones seemed all but instantaneous."

Edited by matrix07 - 9/28/12 at 9:52pm

Many years ago in Road & Track, a Major Upsett cartoon said it all. We're driving along a road right at the edge of the ocean. Approaching the top, we see a line of cars pulled up at the cliff. One has just driven off the edge and is halfway to the water. The Major turns and says to his passenger: "I see Consumer Reports is testing cars again."

 

They break new ground in the field of ignorance every time they evaluate any type of product that I know anything about--I can only assume the rest are similar. I gave up on them completely in...1978, was it...when they rated the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon "unacceptable" because--savor this in your mouth like a fine wine for a while--if you're barreling down the road at 50 mph with your hands off the wheel, then suddenly reach out, jerk the wheel 90 degrees, and let go again, the car "will oscillate and eventually run off the road".

 

About the same time frame, they rated a color TV that was by their own criteria the best in the comparison "unacceptable" because: The knobs were too easy to swallow ! They're completely gormless morons on every subject.

Whoa! Hold on here guys, daharder has a picture of an iPhone, lets take him seriously now. Lol. Seriously man, how pathetic can you get.. that is just sad. But really, you're on here all the time.. what's the motivation? I'm sure it's for us to all benefit from your sage wisdom haha.. well, keep it up chief!

Edited by PatchyThePirate - 9/29/12 at 1:19am

Seems like a somewhat balanced evaluation.
Could be they change opinion every week though.

I largely agree with the quality of the turn by turn navigation interface, but I find it strange that they didn't note that Siri isn't the voice giving directions.
The difference is very clear in English, the voice isn't as natural sounding as Siri and is a bit unfriendly and humorless.
The Dutch version is extremely bad (full of noise and almost no 'contrast') and is barely understandable.
Clearly some points to improve, perhaps they relate to the lack of support of Siri in the Netherlands and lots of other countries.
(I reported this to Apple via the 'report a problem' link within maps).

J.

Ha ha.
Same experience here with the Dutch 'consumentenbond'.
Incredible and they even charge for it; the problem is lots of people believe what they say and buy a .. .Tab because of it.

J.

Honesty is a real quality.

J.

Not like they thoroughly tested anything, really. They only tested navigation in urban areas in the US, that's hardly a thorough test. That information is provided by TomTom, so of course it would be accurate; try testing something that's not implemented by any other third parties, like pedestrian directions in the EU, and then report on the results.

...and yet Chrysler decided they needed to improve the emergency handling characteristics of those two cars the very next model year in at least two different ways:  adding a steering damper and lightening the steering wheel. 

 

As for noting that knobs on a particular TV were too easy for a child to remove and swallow, kudos for the warning. If you didn't have little kids getting into anything and everything at the time then of course you could ignore that warning. You might even think it's silly if you've never had a kid swallow something harmful. Perhaps a bit overboard in not recommending, don't know, but the mention of the knobs being a potential problem certainly sounds appropriate to me.

Edited by Gatorguy - 9/29/12 at 5:58am

This comes from an organization that takes bribes and chooses the Camry as one of the best cars in the world. It is meaningless.

Takes bribes? Explain more please.

He didn't apologize for the product. He apologized for any inconvenience that customers might have experienced. That's a classic customer service device.

I use that all the time when a customer comes in with a ridiculous demand and is all bent out of shape over something that has absolutely nothing to do with our product. You say "I see that this really bothers you. I'm sorry that you're upset". That's an absolutely true statement but doesn't admit any flaw in your product. That's exactly what Cook did. It's too early to tell, but anecdotally, it seems to have defused some of the crap flying around (at least one person posting here said that their friend bought an iPhone because of Cook's apology).

It certainly beats the alternative of just ignoring the 'problem' and hoping it goes away.

Can you say "hypocrite"?

CR at least did a side-by-side test. Granted, it's limited and maybe extrapolating it to the whole world is unreasonable (after all, we know that Google Maps sucks in China), but it's the first data that compares the two side-by-side.

You, OTOH, are happy to condemn Apple with no data at all - much less a side-by-side comparison. So before you criticize CR for not testing the entire world, where's YOUR side-by-side data that shows Apple's Maps to be inferior?

I don't know about taking bribes, but there are plenty of examples of them using ridiculous criteria (some examples are provided above). There are also cases of them fabricating results (I believe it was the Suzuki SUV that they fabricated test results on). Most importantly, they just don't seem to know what they're talking about when it comes to computers. They consistently pick things on the basis of arbitrary criteria that change from day to day.

For example, I've seen them pick one computer over another because of a 1% difference in performance (based on a single test) - even when the faster computer is hundreds of dollars more. I've also seen them choose a computer that's 20 or 30% slower on the basis of it being "fast enough" in order to save $50 or so. They routinely choose a product that is not at the top of their rankings on the basis of some arbitrary or imagined deficiency (Apple's iPhone 4 which blew everyone else away in their rankings but was rejected due to the 'antenna problem' - even though every other phone has the same behavior.

CR may have been a reliable source of information 20 years ago. It may even be reliable today if you're looking for information about laundry detergents. But it's useless when it comes to computers.

Maps is even beter than I thought, 3D view in mountains is really execllent.
Look at Bergamo (Italy) for example.
Impressive.

J.

I know Suzuki made some accusations against Consumer Reports which were dismissed. Is that enough for you to pronounce them guilty or is there another story on this where a court actually found they "made stuff up"?

 

As for being a great source for recommendations on computers, I'd tend to agree with you. I wouldn't base a purchase purely on what CR had to say about it. For that matter I wouldn't base any purchase purely on CR's opinion of it. 

Edited by Gatorguy - 9/29/12 at 7:29am

Used iOS6 maps on recent trip to Eastern Sierras, and loved it! Absolutely accurate, fun to use and reassuring. I've had automobile nav systems for almost ten years, and none compare. Every nav system goofs up occasionally. The criticisms of Apple Maps are based on hysteria.

The most poignant moment comes when all my apple friends say, "oh, I'll just download the google app." When the realization hits them that they can't, a huge perception bridge is crossed that is long-term very damaging for Apple. Time to open up and start disrupting other markets; like the carriers! BTW, traffic guidance and public transit are SO critical that I am surprised they let Apple Maps out without great performance on those 2 fronts. 3D is nice but not important when one has limited time and budget to get destinations or route guidance wrong.

Yokohama City University - Kanazawa Hakkei Campus

 

It's not that we don't believe you, no no. It's that we don't give a flying frick. It's nothing to do with any meaningful argument, and it, like your incessant posting of dozens of devices purchased without goal of use as designed, is nothing but bragging, posturing, and self-aggrandizing.

 

Is this your picture or theirs? That's QUITE an improvement.

 

The people too stupid to go to maps.google.com will be too stupid to know that downloadable apps exist, anyway. I don't think this is much of a concern.

 

That's pretty much the same thing. It's the equivalent of saying, "that there are issues isn't fabricated, but the degree and extent of them is fabricated."

Google maps provided iPhone users with a significant risk of motor vehicle accidents, injury and deaths. What kind of screwed up values puts a "business edge" on providing turn by turn, voice directions on their own platform and denies this to hundreds of millions of drivers. Do the math. How many have died because Google, by its very nature, does Evil. While Consumer Reports has every reason to compare features, how about the biggest feature, safety. In the end Google prefers to harvest its consumers lambs to slaughter. Where is the outrage over this "business decision." Google- We steal; we maim; we kill."

 

I'm not aware of any allegations of bribery at CR, but their reviews, including this one, are meaningless. I mean, just look at their low-light photography results, which, inexplicably, are at odds with every other review out there. Clearly, they have a methodology problem, their reviews are riddled with biases, and they seem to often know very little about the products they are reviewing.

 

No one should ever base a buying decision on a CR review of anything.

Google maps provided iPhone users with a significant risk of motor vehicle accidents, injury and deaths. What kind of screwed up values puts a "business edge" on providing turn by turn, voice directions on their own platform and denies this to hundreds of millions of drivers. Do the math. How many have died because Google, by its very nature, does Evil. While Consumer Reports has every reason to compare features, how about the biggest feature, safety. In the end Google prefers to harvest its consumers lambs to slaughter. Where is the outrage over this "business decision." Google- We steal; we maim; we kill."

CR said that the Suzuki rolled over easily in turns.

Suzuki hired an outside failure consultant who determined that the Suzuki did NOT roll over easily in turns.

After extensive fighting back and forth, the two parties agreed to drop the case before a decision was ever reached - HOWEVER, CR had to publicly state that the Suzuki did NOT roll over in routine driving. So their initial statement that it "rolls over easily in turns" was clearly false.

Back on topic.  We used an iPad 3 with iOS 6 (beta) recently on a trip to Disney, and the new Maps was invaluable and honestly very accurate.  Granted it's a popular locale, in a major US city, but that's a pretty typical situation where you're going to be using navigation.  Back at home, I live in a newer development that is continually expanding.  Here Google Maps and Apple Maps are both missing streets and features.  Both have some things in the wrong place.  This is to be expected, since they're moving/adding/removing roads as they go.  Surprisingly, both are nearly identical though, so I'm guessing much of this has to do with how mapping companies receive information from municipalities.  

 

They do, well in Australia they do:-

 

http://www.navigon.com/portal/au/produkte/navigationssoftware/navigon-mobile-navigator-android.html

 

Well, it seems everyone is primed to take a chink out of Apple's armor.

 

What I think is interesting is they take the best of class Android, and then compare that to the iPhone -- which means that everyone else using an Android might experience WORSE results, whereas people are usually more up to date (and can actually update most phones over a 4 year span) on the iPhone.

 

The CONSUMER is going to the iPhone, not because it's just a "hip thing" but because of reliability. It's like the OLD Windows 98 comparisons that made fun of Mac users for their expensive lifestyle choice, but whenever someone using a Win Box was talking to a poor sap with a poorly performing Win Box -- they would invariably say; "Who, you got the HP? You should have gotten the Dell -- business class, the consumer versions suck." Or they might tell you the parts list and the motherboard to get to build your own. That's the Android experience; all comparisons are made with the BEST OF CLASS, and if something happens to suck; well that's because you were dumb enough to get the MyTouch.

 

My wife's MyTouch by the way, is a clunky POS -- but she just uses the browser and very few apps. I wanted to save money. If I had the money to get a Galaxy S3 -- despite whatever marginal "gee wiz" thing it might have over the iPhone -- the iPhone is always the better investment. 1 year from now, it will update, and things will be running smoothly -- no guarantees with these other phones.

 

What REALLY annoys me with this really POOR REPORTING is that nobody compares the Apple Maps to the Google Maps on an iPhone. When they talk of Apple's hubris, or being too late to the map party, they don't bother to talk about how left behind Google was leaving their iPhone development.

 

And YES, distractions and business should LOSE POINTS on a map app. Apple will probably add more features, but the default screen should be much less cluttered with ONLY what you need to see, and a user needs to see the path from the distractions at a glance. MORE = more accidents, not more power. 

 

I'm not making an excuse for Apple's "new" offering and growing pains -- just agreeing that Apple did their homework once again on usability. 95% of the people don't use 90% of the gee-wiz features, so getting the basics down is the most important evaluation.

 

However -- I can't agree with the hyperbole over Google's datamining - though it is bad, Apple is now integrating FaceBook. It should be a highly controlled option -- but having it seem so casual for users means that a third-party gets to datamine EVERYTHING they do. Of course, at least with iPhone you can turn most of it off.

 

>> Also -- apple having the controls for apps sending and receiving data in THEIR settings menu, might be less intuitive -- but it's a better way to control things than "in the app." One, because every app can have a different way of hiding settings, and Two, because a developer with less scruples could be tricking you into sharing your data. So I'd much prefer having absolute knowledge of all apps, rather than an honor system that only fails with the worst offenders and you leak data (and battery life) like a sieve.

As a long time Apple user and deeply embedded in the entire eco system I am extremely disappointed in what they have produced to replace the Google based version in iOS6.  Why release it now when Maps clearly isn't ready for even average use?  I can understand the vision but the Maps product as it is justmakes Apple look un-prepared. It gives the naysayers an opening.

 

I used my iPad to plan and execute a 1,600km round journey in the car with my family last week (I am in Australia). Forget about turn by turn, I just wanted to work out a route with overnight stopping points. The new app is far less than sub optimal even for this. Even zooming in very close didn't show the names of almost all major (60,000 population) or minor towns along the route - how do you plan stops in your journey if you don't know where towns are? You should have to zoom into very close distances to be able to see there is town actually down there.  In a lot of cases when it does show the name of the town it placed it 50km from the actual location (although the streets were in the right place). This leads you to switch to satellite view and where Maps says there is supposed to be a large town there is just trees and grassland. And once I got to my destination it couldn't find a number of locations and even a few street addresses -- Google maps found them all.  I know that Apple is partnering with many companies for this data but that data is either imcomplete or isn't being integrated into the app very well at present.

 

And streetview is sorely missed when research a location.

 

Right now, this far from being as useful a tool as the previous Google based version.   

 

So a user ensconced in the Apple ecosystem is disappointed that they've expanded their ecosystem to no longer rely on third party stuff and to better integrate this new aspect with the rest of the ecosystem?

 

 

You're right! Google Maps should have never been released. It left out towns, too.

 

Perhaps you didn't read my post. I said; "what they have produce" not "that". I am happy that Apple is working in this space but not yet the result of "what" they have produced.

 

Google has taken years to get their maps to the current state. My fear is that Apple could take years to catch up. You'd have to be a very one eyed fanboi not to see the superiority that Google currently has in this space.

 

When are Apple going to have an equivalent to street view in the app and of the same or superior quality to Google Street View? This is a feature I and my colleagues were using on a daily basis.

 

Why wouldn't the designers of the Apple maps have place names etc. scale appropriately as you zoom on the map? Surely this is fundamental to the design.... I mean really fundamental.

 

Satellite imagery - it's not a deal breaker why wouldn't Apple have used the best available across the globe straight from launch instead of something inferior to other map providers (not just google)?

 

Given Apple's famous attention to detail, I just don't think they prepared as well for this release as they should have.

 

I am a loyal customer and I want my iOS products to be effective as they were before and that isn't the case currently.