Street View will be occasionally useful, for sure; otherwise, I'm sticking with Apple Maps for day-to-day use...
Visually superior, better/simpler interface, Siri, etc. Integated 3D flyover instead of jumping to a separate app (Google Earth)...
The visual artifacts of 3D flyover will fade over time, and they don't have any impact on my day-to-day use...
I'm sure it felt good to the digital elite and short-selling bloggers to take some shots at Apple, the company certainly fell short of their own standards... You know, build 'em up, tear 'em down... But I'm guessing in a few months, we will continues to see way more usage of Apple Maps than Google Maps on iPhones... Same as we've seen with the devices themselves: Android is winning the unit volume, particularly on the low-end, but Apple kills with actual web ($) usage...
But, speaking of downloads, iOS 6 with Apple Maps has been downloaded, what, about 250 million times since September?
I stopped at once... But, I later noticed you could continue with the download without setting up an account, which I did... Buried in the fine print...
Typical Google, they're force-feeding (almost) folks into Google Play accounts to do anything...
That's why the Google+ numbers are so bogus - they don't reflect market enthusiasm or actual usage (which is terrible), but mostly forced registrations for other Google services...
AI's posters certainly shouldn't be used as a measure of all iDevice users but on this forum there is a clear consensus of people willing to give Google's app a chance.
Also, [B]aspenboy[/B] and [B]aross99[/B] make some good points regarding the number of downloads in comparison to the installed base.
AI's posters certainly shouldn't be used as a measure of all iDevice users but on this forum there is a clear consensus of people willing to give Google's app a chance.
Also, aspenboy and aross99 make some good points regarding the number of downloads in comparison to the installed base.
It was curiosity for me, plain and simple. I happen to really like Apple's Maps but figured I give the Google Maps app a whirl in case it blew my socks off. Well, that didn't happen so I'll stick to Apple's Maps app.
I downloaded it on my new iPad. Needs to be 2x to use and then jaggy as heck. I foolishly thought it was going to support both iPhone and iPad. Also, really didn't like the implied necessity of registering or logging in. If it asked that each time I went to use it, I would be an unhappy camper. As it is, I prefer Apple's solution for now.
I wonder what percentage this would be of the iOS6 user base?
(Fair warning - these numbers could be completely wrong...)
According to Wikipedia, Apple sold 250M iPhones through June 2012. Last I heard, at least 60% of the iPhone traffic was on iOS6, so lets call that 150M iPhones with iOS6.
So I guess we would call that about 7% of the iPhones with iOS6 have installed Google Maps?
Certainly not the "Map Apocalypse" some people are worried about...
I spent the last two weeks on a road trip using Apple's turn by turn directions, and it worked great. I'm not going to bother with Google maps unless I want Street View...
I mentioned a couple of days ago that even counting just the iPhone 5 buyers, 10 million downloads would be just over 20% of that base. Even that figure is not the Map Apocalypse.
I am one of the 10 million downloaders and the app is tucked away on my last page in case Apple Maps or TomTom doesn't seem to be working, or I need to use Street View. I suspect I'll use once every 3 to 6 months.
I just put it in my Navigation folder, with the rest:-
Don't need Google tracking me and the Apple map does a great job in my experience so why bother? Now I've got home screen after home screen with apps I've added so I'm not at all averse to adding another, but I do try and avoid unnecessary duplication.
This app is everything Apple was being criticised over previously, but all the little tech-boy bloggers are giving it glowing reviews anyhow. I know it's getting 10/10 on some sites, but how can an app that treats a users privacy so cavalierly ever be more than a 5/10? It's arguable which mapping app is more accurate, but it's plainly obvious that only Apple is looking out for your safety and privacy.
Maybe because their sites are largely funded by advertising revenue from Google, who also have the power to make sites disappear from relevance in a heartbeat.
A couple of little tweaks to the ranking algorithms and you are on page 337 of search results.
I still find Google Maps to be superior to Apple's overall. For example, I find that if you don't know the exact name of a business, Google will figure it out while Apple will either not find anything or find some completely wrong Yelp-listed restaurant instead.
Just this past weekend, I was looking for our local Lafayette Hotel, but I wasn't sure of the name and put it in as "Hotel Lafayette". Apple Maps took me to some hotel in Lafayette, Indiana, while Google Maps knew what I meant and brought up the hotel I was looking for.
Personally, I don't have a problem with Google tracking my every move.
That is the most common reason I now use Apple Maps over TomTom. It's just so easy to ask for a route; no jumping through a dozen screens and manually typing in a location. It only takes a minute or so to complete but Siri only takes a few seconds to make the request.
LOL. Yes, but you had to give up the Darth Vader voice. Seriously, the Google App sucks in terms of simplicity. For instance, once you have it search for a location it than is not clear what to do next for it to map out a route using your current location. You can figure it out for sure, but it took me a couple of tries. Siri solves that problem.
Another article at Ars Technica calls the 10M "desperate". It's insane how junky journalism can take facts out of context and blow it out of proportions. I would lie if I said I wasn't offended by the headline. I honestly think that most of those 10M users downloaded the maps for the same two reasons I did: 1. Just curious; and 2. Incredible wide-spread hype about the "long awaited Google Maps app is here" got me all exited. I personally moved on to the Apple maps. Works great in my NY area. I will keep the Google maps as a backup.
Personally, I don't have a problem with Google tracking my every move.
Could this be that this is because you are from China and you are used to such information being easily shared with the government? I ask that seriously. I have always been taught to have a healthy distrust of the government. Things might be different where you live. The problem isn't just with Google having the data, but also the government's ability to access the data from Google.
Google has done at least two things right that Apple might learn from. First, it came right out and said this is a beta. Hard to have bad press, when you warned everybody first. Hard to see why Apple didn't do that with Maps when it did it with Siri. Second, iPhone users don't get turn by turn from Apple unless they are on a 4S or 5. That is a mistake on Apple's part because there are a lot of 3GS and 4's in operations. Apple is essentially telling those people to use and become familiar with something such as Google's product. I suspect maybe this is tied to Siri as the same phones that can't use turn by turn also can't use Siri. Nonetheless, Apple should fix that.
I downloaded the ap. It's okay, as long as you buy into the ads and tracking. However, it doesn't do one thing that Apple Maps, Garmin, Tom-Tom, Waze, Bing, the U.S. Postal Service, Fed Ex, and UPS can do. It can't find my address, even though the street has been here at least 13 years. Comparing the map to the satellite view, the streets are incorrect and none of the street names are available.
I suspect Google maps are probably superior just due to the amount of effort they've put into it. But a lot of the imagined difference is just the Google reality distortion field. Techies think they can do no wrong. Your mileage may vary. Be careful.
Comments
I downloaded too, definitely wanted to compare...
Street View will be occasionally useful, for sure; otherwise, I'm sticking with Apple Maps for day-to-day use...
Visually superior, better/simpler interface, Siri, etc. Integated 3D flyover instead of jumping to a separate app (Google Earth)...
The visual artifacts of 3D flyover will fade over time, and they don't have any impact on my day-to-day use...
I'm sure it felt good to the digital elite and short-selling bloggers to take some shots at Apple, the company certainly fell short of their own standards... You know, build 'em up, tear 'em down... But I'm guessing in a few months, we will continues to see way more usage of Apple Maps than Google Maps on iPhones... Same as we've seen with the devices themselves: Android is winning the unit volume, particularly on the low-end, but Apple kills with actual web ($) usage...
But, speaking of downloads, iOS 6 with Apple Maps has been downloaded, what, about 250 million times since September?
Once again, Google got a little too greedy...
Same with me!
I stopped at once... But, I later noticed you could continue with the download without setting up an account, which I did... Buried in the fine print...
Typical Google, they're force-feeding (almost) folks into Google Play accounts to do anything...
That's why the Google+ numbers are so bogus - they don't reflect market enthusiasm or actual usage (which is terrible), but mostly forced registrations for other Google services...
Also, [B]aspenboy[/B] and [B]aross99[/B] make some good points regarding the number of downloads in comparison to the installed base.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
AI's posters certainly shouldn't be used as a measure of all iDevice users but on this forum there is a clear consensus of people willing to give Google's app a chance.
Also, aspenboy and aross99 make some good points regarding the number of downloads in comparison to the installed base.
It was curiosity for me, plain and simple. I happen to really like Apple's Maps but figured I give the Google Maps app a whirl in case it blew my socks off. Well, that didn't happen so I'll stick to Apple's Maps app.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aross99
I wonder what percentage this would be of the iOS6 user base?
(Fair warning - these numbers could be completely wrong...)
According to Wikipedia, Apple sold 250M iPhones through June 2012. Last I heard, at least 60% of the iPhone traffic was on iOS6, so lets call that 150M iPhones with iOS6.
So I guess we would call that about 7% of the iPhones with iOS6 have installed Google Maps?
Certainly not the "Map Apocalypse" some people are worried about...
I spent the last two weeks on a road trip using Apple's turn by turn directions, and it worked great. I'm not going to bother with Google maps unless I want Street View...
I mentioned a couple of days ago that even counting just the iPhone 5 buyers, 10 million downloads would be just over 20% of that base. Even that figure is not the Map Apocalypse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I am one of the 10 million downloaders and the app is tucked away on my last page in case Apple Maps or TomTom doesn't seem to be working, or I need to use Street View. I suspect I'll use once every 3 to 6 months.
I just put it in my Navigation folder, with the rest:-
Variety is the spice of life.
I used two iPhone 5's. One with Google and the other with iOS Maps. Bother performed exactly as I needed them too. WTF?
I'm curious why people seem to hate Google+ here. I love it, it works extremely well with my Macs, as well as iDevices...
None of that's me.
Don't need Google tracking me and the Apple map does a great job in my experience so why bother? Now I've got home screen after home screen with apps I've added so I'm not at all averse to adding another, but I do try and avoid unnecessary duplication.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
This app is everything Apple was being criticised over previously, but all the little tech-boy bloggers are giving it glowing reviews anyhow. I know it's getting 10/10 on some sites, but how can an app that treats a users privacy so cavalierly ever be more than a 5/10? It's arguable which mapping app is more accurate, but it's plainly obvious that only Apple is looking out for your safety and privacy.
Maybe because their sites are largely funded by advertising revenue from Google, who also have the power to make sites disappear from relevance in a heartbeat.
A couple of little tweaks to the ranking algorithms and you are on page 337 of search results.
I still find Google Maps to be superior to Apple's overall. For example, I find that if you don't know the exact name of a business, Google will figure it out while Apple will either not find anything or find some completely wrong Yelp-listed restaurant instead.
Just this past weekend, I was looking for our local Lafayette Hotel, but I wasn't sure of the name and put it in as "Hotel Lafayette". Apple Maps took me to some hotel in Lafayette, Indiana, while Google Maps knew what I meant and brought up the hotel I was looking for.
Personally, I don't have a problem with Google tracking my every move.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
I'm curious why people seem to hate Google+ here. I love it, it works extremely well with my Macs, as well as iDevices...
I can barely keep up with Facebook and Twitter, why bother with another time waster?
btw I don't "hate" inanimate objects, such as companies and software, it's pointless, criticise sure, but hate, no.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
That is the most common reason I now use Apple Maps over TomTom. It's just so easy to ask for a route; no jumping through a dozen screens and manually typing in a location. It only takes a minute or so to complete but Siri only takes a few seconds to make the request.
LOL. Yes, but you had to give up the Darth Vader voice. Seriously, the Google App sucks in terms of simplicity. For instance, once you have it search for a location it than is not clear what to do next for it to map out a route using your current location. You can figure it out for sure, but it took me a couple of tries. Siri solves that problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TokyoJimu
Personally, I don't have a problem with Google tracking my every move.
Could this be that this is because you are from China and you are used to such information being easily shared with the government? I ask that seriously. I have always been taught to have a healthy distrust of the government. Things might be different where you live. The problem isn't just with Google having the data, but also the government's ability to access the data from Google.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
I'm curious why people seem to hate Google+ here. I love it, it works extremely well with my Macs, as well as iDevices...
Perhaps, because I really don't want my every online move attached to my real name.
Google has done at least two things right that Apple might learn from. First, it came right out and said this is a beta. Hard to have bad press, when you warned everybody first. Hard to see why Apple didn't do that with Maps when it did it with Siri. Second, iPhone users don't get turn by turn from Apple unless they are on a 4S or 5. That is a mistake on Apple's part because there are a lot of 3GS and 4's in operations. Apple is essentially telling those people to use and become familiar with something such as Google's product. I suspect maybe this is tied to Siri as the same phones that can't use turn by turn also can't use Siri. Nonetheless, Apple should fix that.
I suspect Google maps are probably superior just due to the amount of effort they've put into it. But a lot of the imagined difference is just the Google reality distortion field. Techies think they can do no wrong. Your mileage may vary. Be careful.