I use both Apple and Google maps, but mainly CoPilot Live for long hauls as it's always functional since the database in on the phone, never missing if out of phone service range. It has excellent graphics, nite mode, and a really useful live traffic status bar on the right side of the screen that can show traffic conditions up to 100miles ahead on your route. It actively re-routes which has been stunning at times in saving me from sudden major traffic jams in the Los Angeles area.
That said, I love Apple maps for the ability to use Siri to verbally request some local destination "Siri, navigate to "Pizza Bakery, Newport Beach", 70-80% of the time it works like magic, not perfect yet but respectable.
It's always a good idea to carry several Nav apps when travelling, just my opinion from 15 years of PDA navigating, choice is always good.
They need to show that they've listened and that they've improved the app dramatically to bring it not just in line with but beyond the usability of its competition.
If they can't show they've done that in the last year, I'm concerned.
As mentioned in the article Apple's POI information is largely provided from the likes of Yelp where as Google has all of their search engine data to leverage. Unless Apple buys Yelp much of the location data set is outside of their control.
...apple maps simply don't work because there is not enough information, user interface is good but it does not find a house address even in Prague...
Can you give me an example? I'll run through it.
You should compare the map in iOS 6 as the OP probably wasn't referring to Mavericks. The map detail in Mavericks is substantially improved over iOS 6 maps on my iPad. Try this address: <span style="border:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:18px;">V Celnici 8 </span>
<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"> </span>
<span style="border:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:18px;">Prague</span>
<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;">, </span>
<span style="border:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:18px;">110 00</span>
<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"> </span>
<span style="border:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:18px;">Czech Republic. in iOS 6 maps the behavior is exactly as the poster described. It shows you the street not the actual address which is a couple blocks away. On the other hand Google Maps is spot on.</span>
That pin is incorrect. The address is the Marriott Hotel around the corner a couple blocks away. I was assuming that the original poster was commenting on iOS 6 Maps as Mavericks and iOS 7 are yet to be released, however apparently they still use incorrect data. In iOS 6 Maps the pin drop was a bit closer than the one you have shown from Mavericks. Your example even missed the street.
I use Apple maps most of the time with one important exception, I find Google maps traffic more accurate and easier to see. Apple masps uses only red dashes to indicate traffic slow downs whereas google maps use Red orange and green. This is far easier to see when driving whereas I really have to squint looking at the Apple maps. This is a safety issue esp when driving at freeway speed and having to make split second decisions before taking the off ramp I wish Apple would use solid coloring to indicate slow or halted traffic ahead. Cmon Apple I thought you knew about ease of use! I do like Apple's directions better because it alters route as I wander off the prescribed route but it doesn't offer ways around heavy traffic. I hate having to swiitch between them when driving. Oh well we can hope - work in progress, its still way better than what was there before.
Actually no, it is way off. The correct location is that purple POI dot to the right, but even that location is off as the address is the hotel on the adjacent street. I don't have Mavericks yet but in the example shown I noticed a change in behavior from iOS 6 Maps. In iOS 6 the application changes the search term to just 'V celnici' and drops the pin near the beginning of the street as if to indicate that it does not know the full address, however, in Mavericks it keeps the entire address in the label as if it found the exact address when in fact it is completely in error.
I find this article to be very well-written and thorough -- DED at his best. The side-by-side comparisons are very difficult to explain, but DED has done a very good job blending images and concise verbal explanations.
The only real issue I have is with the second paragraph"
[QUOTE]Apple's mobile iOS 6 Maps is even well ahead of Google and Nokia in the arena for 3D mapping visualizations using a full powered desktop. [/QUOTE]
In truth, Google and Nokia maps apps are [B][I]"web browser apps"[/I][/B] running on the desktop -- and they do not take advantage of the [B][I]"full power"[/I][/B] of the desktop. iOS 6 Maps running natively on an iPad 4 often performs as well or better than either of these desktop/browser apps.
Google Earth has a native app for OSX but it is slow, tedious, finicky UI and poor results.
This is important, because within a few months Apple will release OSX Mavericks Maps for the Mac -- this is truly a full-powered desktop maps app -- which can share routing information with iOS7 Maps app. So, at release, OSX Maps will be the most powerful desktop map solution -- for what it does. I hope that Apple quickly addresses the search and POI data issues (mentioned in the article) with its new map acquisitions. I would also like to see: [LIST] [*] license better Satellite data [*] continue to add 3D Flyover areas [*] add trip planning and tracking -- waypoints, track points, etc. [*] additional Hybrid/Satellite Map programmability and scriptability [/LIST]
What percentage of Google Maps users are running on Apple Devices as opposed to Android? Following from that, what is the split on revenues Google generates from its maps from the Apple v the rest?
Apple Maps is my go to app on the desktop and iDevices -- has been since iOS6. However, I occasionally run Google Maps to verify or supplement Apple Maps... less and less over time.
So far, Apple Maps has no trip planning or tracking capabilities -- so I use Google browser maps for that!
But, yonder nor sorghum stenches, will I give Google any location data -- even though the apps demand it!
The scriptability in Google Maps is possible because it runs in a browser thus allowing Javascript code and also allows for embedding in a web page. In a native app you normally don't get that kind of easy access to the code. You can already make overlays in iOS but it must be done in your own app using Map kit which is likely to be the case in the OS X version as well, but I seriously doubt we will be able to embed maps in our web pages using Apple Maps.
The scriptability in Google Maps is possible because it runs in a browser thus allowing Javascript code and also allows for embedding in a web page. In a native app you normally don't get that kind of easy access to the code. You can already make overlays in iOS but it must be done in your own app using Map kit which is likely to be the case in the OS X version as well, but I seriously doubt we will be able to embed maps in our web pages using Apple Maps.
What I want for Apple Maps is the ability to script the display of the map while traversing a route... giving a programmable virtual tour that can be paused, repositioned and restarted. This could be accomplished by OAS Applescript on OSX and XCode, JavaScript on iOS. (Even OAS/AppleScript if Apple would implement that on iOS). *
I would not be too surprised if Apple offers a browser-based maps app in the future -- they already have a partial implementation in the iCloud Beta Find My Phone app -- though it still uses uses Google maps back end.
Finally, I disagree with your last point -- I do think we'll see Apple maps embedded in web pages, mail, desktop apps (e.g. iPhoto) and mobile apps.
* This has been a longtime contention of mine -- iOS AppleScript provides a perfect solution to iOS inter-app communication with sandboxing -- let the apps register with Apple the functions that are scriptable and who may script them. Apple already has the methodology in place on OSX.
What Apple's Maps app needs is to borrow a little from Google maps when it comes to secondary roads. Look at the map of the Hamburg airport. With Google at least you can see the secondary roads, although they're not labelled. Apple's Maps, on the other hand, label the roads but make them so light that they're impossible to see.
Don't they become darker and easier to see as you zoom in? A lot of criticism of Apple's maps is based on static "zoomed out" screenshots as the article notes.
Yeah... That is an issue that I think Apple can/should address -- the level of maps detail should be settable by the user -- not dictated solely by zoom level.
* This has been a longtime contention of mine -- iOS AppleScript provides a perfect solution to iOS inter-app communication with sandboxing -- let the apps register with Apple the functions that are scriptable and who may script them. Apple already has the methodology in place on OSX.
I think AppleScript is left over from System 7. The fact that it is still supported by Apple I find really surprising. It has terrible syntax, not object oriented, and because it enables apps to intercommunicate, it could potentially become a security issue for the same reason that Apple does not allow different iOS apps to open documents created by other apps. (few exceptions). A modern scripting language needs to look a lot more like Javascript or C. I really doubt Apple will deploy any APIs using AppleScript. And AppleScript certainly won't run in a browser.
* This has been a longtime contention of mine -- iOS AppleScript provides a perfect solution to iOS inter-app communication with sandboxing -- let the apps register with Apple the functions that are scriptable and who may script them. Apple already has the methodology in place on OSX.
I think AppleScript is left over from System 7. The fact that it is still supported by Apple I find really surprising. It has terrible syntax, not object oriented, and because it enables apps to intercommunicate, it could potentially become a security issue for the same reason that Apple does not allow different iOS apps to open documents created by other apps. (few exceptions). A modern scripting language needs to look a lot more like Javascript or C. I really doubt Apple will deploy any APIs using AppleScript.
History
The AppleScript project was an outgrowth of the (now discontinued) HyperCard project. HyperCard contained an English language-based scripting language called HyperTalk, which could be used to program a HyperCard stack. Apple engineers recognized that a similar scripting language could be designed to be used with any application, and the AppleScript project was born as part of System 7.
AppleScript was released in October 1993 as part of System 7.1.1 (System 7 Pro, the first major upgrade to System 7). QuarkXPress (ver. 3.2) was one of the first major software applications that supported AppleScript. This in turn led to AppleScript being widely adopted within the publishing and prepress world, often tying together complex workflows. This was a key factor in retaining the Macintosh's dominant position in publishing and prepress, even after QuarkXpress and other publishing applications were ported to Microsoft Windows.
After some uncertainty about the future of AppleScript on Apple's next generation OS, the move to Mac OS X (around 2002) and its Cocoa frameworks greatly increased the usefulness and flexibility of AppleScript. Cocoa applications allow application developers to implement basic scriptability for their apps with minimal effort, broadening the number of applications that are directly scriptable. At the same time, the shift to the Unix underpinnings and AppleScript's ability to run Unix commands directly allowed AppleScripts much greater control over the operating system itself. AppleScript Studio, released with Mac OS X 10.2 as part of Xcode, and later AppleScriptObjC framework, released in Mac OS X 10.6, allows users to build native Cocoa applications using AppleScript.
AppleScript is one component of Mac OS X Automation technologies, along with Services and Automator.
Not that you'd (necessarily) want to but you can easily manipulate multiple OSX Unix threads with AppleScript..
I believe that Automater addresses most of the usability/syntax issues.
I believe that AppleScriptObjC satisfies the "modern" and "object-oriented" issues.
The security issues can be addressed through the "dictionary of functions" and a means of registering functions/approved users with the OS. Likely security-related system or app functions would not be permitted.
Interesting, if true, that Apple is only showing higher Yelp rated businesses in searches. That would make it easier to fix one of my biggest issues with Apple Maps which is that it just plain fails to find many businesses that I know exist. I found this article rather condescending in its dismissal of these businesses as somehow small, useless or unimportant. Yelp reviews are a really poor predictor of quality or interest. If Apple just showed all the businesses matching a search that would make it much more useful.
My second major problem, however, is Apple's poor parsing / interpretation of search terms. Small errors in names (apostrophes, trailing s, etc) mean Apple returns the wrong results. Google does this right and always has. Google's ability to return what I wanted even when I'm only vaguely close in my terms is phenomenal. Combined - the failure to locate things I know exist and poor search interpretation - these flaws mean I'll always go to Google Maps when I want to find something.
I believe that AppleScriptObjC satisfies the "modern" and "object-oriented" issues.
Sounds like a kludge to me. Why would they choose such inelegant platform for a Maps app API? AppleScript doesn't run in a browser either.
From what little I've seen the new Mavericks Apple Maps looks terrible to my eye. IMO a map needs contrast and color to make it easy to read at a glance.
I still have big problems finding anything on Apple's Map. Maybe they've improved business information around big cities, but I don't live there. And for rural areas, Maps is just awful.
For example, there's a drive in movie theater just down the road from me called the Starlite Drive-in. Enter that info into Google maps, and it pins it precisely. Enter it into Apple's Map and... nothing. Even if you add the town (Cadet, MO) it still doesn't find it. Instead, Apple offers a location two states away.
Worse, I've had two occassions where attempting to use driving directions from Map fell apart while on the road, leading to Siri saying "Turn right on Olive, Turn right on Page. Turn right on ..." on and on, one street right after another as fast as the voice would go, and all of this in the middle of a stretch where there were no turns for miles. I had to power down the phone just to stop the "turn right" stream.
Comments
I use both Apple and Google maps, but mainly CoPilot Live for long hauls as it's always functional since the database in on the phone, never missing if out of phone service range. It has excellent graphics, nite mode, and a really useful live traffic status bar on the right side of the screen that can show traffic conditions up to 100miles ahead on your route. It actively re-routes which has been stunning at times in saving me from sudden major traffic jams in the Los Angeles area.
That said, I love Apple maps for the ability to use Siri to verbally request some local destination "Siri, navigate to "Pizza Bakery, Newport Beach", 70-80% of the time it works like magic, not perfect yet but respectable.
It's always a good idea to carry several Nav apps when travelling, just my opinion from 15 years of PDA navigating, choice is always good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoobitron
They need to show that they've listened and that they've improved the app dramatically to bring it not just in line with but beyond the usability of its competition.
If they can't show they've done that in the last year, I'm concerned.
As mentioned in the article Apple's POI information is largely provided from the likes of Yelp where as Google has all of their search engine data to leverage. Unless Apple buys Yelp much of the location data set is outside of their control.
It searched fine. Does this look right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smiles77
It searched fine. Does this look right?
That pin is incorrect. The address is the Marriott Hotel around the corner a couple blocks away. I was assuming that the original poster was commenting on iOS 6 Maps as Mavericks and iOS 7 are yet to be released, however apparently they still use incorrect data. In iOS 6 Maps the pin drop was a bit closer than the one you have shown from Mavericks. Your example even missed the street.
I always tried the Apple maps first, but they are still unusable here. I always have to fall back to goodle maps to find something.
Is that it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Try this address:
Is that it?
Actually no, it is way off. The correct location is that purple POI dot to the right, but even that location is off as the address is the hotel on the adjacent street. I don't have Mavericks yet but in the example shown I noticed a change in behavior from iOS 6 Maps. In iOS 6 the application changes the search term to just 'V celnici' and drops the pin near the beginning of the street as if to indicate that it does not know the full address, however, in Mavericks it keeps the entire address in the label as if it found the exact address when in fact it is completely in error.
Love how healthy competition is driving both companies to improve their products, which are both free!
Ah, that's a good one! A Google product is free!
The only real issue I have is with the second paragraph"
[QUOTE]Apple's mobile iOS 6 Maps is even well ahead of Google and Nokia in the arena for 3D mapping visualizations using a full powered desktop. [/QUOTE]
In truth, Google and Nokia maps apps are [B][I]"web browser apps"[/I][/B] running on the desktop -- and they do not take advantage of the [B][I]"full power"[/I][/B] of the desktop. iOS 6 Maps running natively on an iPad 4 often performs as well or better than either of these desktop/browser apps.
Google Earth has a native app for OSX but it is slow, tedious, finicky UI and poor results.
This is important, because within a few months Apple will release OSX Mavericks Maps for the Mac -- this is truly a full-powered desktop maps app -- which can share routing information with iOS7 Maps app. So, at release, OSX Maps will be the most powerful desktop map solution -- for what it does. I hope that Apple quickly addresses the search and POI data issues (mentioned in the article) with its new map acquisitions. I would also like to see:
[LIST]
[*] license better Satellite data
[*] continue to add 3D Flyover areas
[*] add trip planning and tracking -- waypoints, track points, etc.
[*] additional Hybrid/Satellite Map programmability and scriptability
[/LIST]
Anyway, props to DED for a great article.
Apple Maps is my go to app on the desktop and iDevices -- has been since iOS6. However, I occasionally run Google Maps to verify or supplement Apple Maps... less and less over time.
So far, Apple Maps has no trip planning or tracking capabilities -- so I use Google browser maps for that!
But, yonder nor sorghum stenches, will I give Google any location data -- even though the apps demand it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
Map programmability and scriptability
The scriptability in Google Maps is possible because it runs in a browser thus allowing Javascript code and also allows for embedding in a web page. In a native app you normally don't get that kind of easy access to the code. You can already make overlays in iOS but it must be done in your own app using Map kit which is likely to be the case in the OS X version as well, but I seriously doubt we will be able to embed maps in our web pages using Apple Maps.
What I want for Apple Maps is the ability to script the display of the map while traversing a route... giving a programmable virtual tour that can be paused, repositioned and restarted. This could be accomplished by OAS Applescript on OSX and XCode, JavaScript on iOS. (Even OAS/AppleScript if Apple would implement that on iOS). *
I would not be too surprised if Apple offers a browser-based maps app in the future -- they already have a partial implementation in the iCloud Beta Find My Phone app -- though it still uses uses Google maps back end.
Finally, I disagree with your last point -- I do think we'll see Apple maps embedded in web pages, mail, desktop apps (e.g. iPhoto) and mobile apps.
* This has been a longtime contention of mine -- iOS AppleScript provides a perfect solution to iOS inter-app communication with sandboxing -- let the apps register with Apple the functions that are scriptable and who may script them. Apple already has the methodology in place on OSX.
Yeah... That is an issue that I think Apple can/should address -- the level of maps detail should be settable by the user -- not dictated solely by zoom level.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
* This has been a longtime contention of mine -- iOS AppleScript provides a perfect solution to iOS inter-app communication with sandboxing -- let the apps register with Apple the functions that are scriptable and who may script them. Apple already has the methodology in place on OSX.
I think AppleScript is left over from System 7. The fact that it is still supported by Apple I find really surprising. It has terrible syntax, not object oriented, and because it enables apps to intercommunicate, it could potentially become a security issue for the same reason that Apple does not allow different iOS apps to open documents created by other apps. (few exceptions). A modern scripting language needs to look a lot more like Javascript or C. I really doubt Apple will deploy any APIs using AppleScript. And AppleScript certainly won't run in a browser.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Script
Not that you'd (necessarily) want to but you can easily manipulate multiple OSX Unix threads with AppleScript..
I believe that Automater addresses most of the usability/syntax issues.
I believe that AppleScriptObjC satisfies the "modern" and "object-oriented" issues.
The security issues can be addressed through the "dictionary of functions" and a means of registering functions/approved users with the OS. Likely security-related system or app functions would not be permitted.
Interesting, if true, that Apple is only showing higher Yelp rated businesses in searches. That would make it easier to fix one of my biggest issues with Apple Maps which is that it just plain fails to find many businesses that I know exist. I found this article rather condescending in its dismissal of these businesses as somehow small, useless or unimportant. Yelp reviews are a really poor predictor of quality or interest. If Apple just showed all the businesses matching a search that would make it much more useful.
My second major problem, however, is Apple's poor parsing / interpretation of search terms. Small errors in names (apostrophes, trailing s, etc) mean Apple returns the wrong results. Google does this right and always has. Google's ability to return what I wanted even when I'm only vaguely close in my terms is phenomenal. Combined - the failure to locate things I know exist and poor search interpretation - these flaws mean I'll always go to Google Maps when I want to find something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
I believe that AppleScriptObjC satisfies the "modern" and "object-oriented" issues.
Sounds like a kludge to me. Why would they choose such inelegant platform for a Maps app API? AppleScript doesn't run in a browser either.
From what little I've seen the new Mavericks Apple Maps looks terrible to my eye. IMO a map needs contrast and color to make it easy to read at a glance.
For example, there's a drive in movie theater just down the road from me called the Starlite Drive-in. Enter that info into Google maps, and it pins it precisely. Enter it into Apple's Map and... nothing. Even if you add the town (Cadet, MO) it still doesn't find it. Instead, Apple offers a location two states away.
Worse, I've had two occassions where attempting to use driving directions from Map fell apart while on the road, leading to Siri saying "Turn right on Olive, Turn right on Page. Turn right on ..." on and on, one street right after another as fast as the voice would go, and all of this in the middle of a stretch where there were no turns for miles. I had to power down the phone just to stop the "turn right" stream.