I can't even find local shops with Apple maps. That's the main problem for me. It doesn't understand landmarks well either. And even with the many comprehensive suggestions I've give, there hasn't been a single change. It would be a great surprise if with iOS8 Apple introduced not only transit data, but also a sudden increase in quality.
My reference for how bad satellite images are is still Kyoto. I'm waiting until that town stops looking like a checker of B&B tiles and blurred colored tiles.
I would also love to be able to draw my own lines, areas, landmarks, like I can on google maps. How many times did I plan for a precise itinerary while visiting foreign cities. And why not even add the option to print in a map format ?
I'd think with all these licensed services they'd have their bases covered.
Improving transit directions is fine – personally I'm more of an old-school visual map reader type than a follow directions type. So I more hope to see the transit/route markings improve on the actual map itself. Let me see an overlay of the entire transit system in the full map view (not just one destination in the directions view), colored with the relevant route labels or service status provided by the local transit system.
As a matter of fact, if Apple can spend so much effort and collaboration with automakers towards CarPlay, Apple should also spend time collaborating with mass transit authorities to improve their interface experiences. You could argue the scale of mass transit efforts would impact more people than one-by-one car sales. Improve the experience of carbon-negative transportation and not just gas-guzzling transportation.
Why is this reported as ipso-facto being part of iOS 8, and not, let's say, iOS 7.5? Wouldn't it be more journalistic to say "a future version of iOS"?
Otherwise, articles on AI have as much credence as the laughable analyst reports we read everyday, written by people who presumably don't know anything about Apple.
You're right, it could be added as point update. However, these additions are probably seen as begin too substantial for a point update. I could see Apple demoing as a new addition to iOS 8 at WWDC.
I don't believe the additions for public transit are that substantial -- a few tweaks to the UI and additional/updated backend data. I don't think any additional developer access/APIs would be required. (The current developer access to mapping APIs is somewhat constrained -- I'd rather see Apple open that up.
What may be the telling thing though -- is what other new stuff (devices, software, categories) Apple has planned for WWDC. If they have a full boat, they could do Maps Transit as a point update and Maps Trip Planning as a WWDC release (new GUI, APIs, map accessibility, etc).
Improving transit directions is fine – personally I'm more of an old-school visual map reader type than a follow directions type. So I more hope to see the transit/route markings improve on the actual map itself. Let me see an overlay of the entire transit system in the full map view (not just one destination in the directions view), colored with the relevant route labels or service status provided by the local transit system.
As a matter of fact, if Apple can spend so much effort and collaboration with automakers towards CarPlay, Apple should also spend time collaborating with mass transit authorities to improve their interface experiences. You could argue the scale of mass transit efforts would impact more people than one-by-one car sales. Improve the experience of carbon-negative transportation and not just gas-guzzling transportation.
Something like this overlaid on a map:
Where you can pan/zoom and show/remove/add legs/lines of detail as desired.
I don't believe the additions for public transit are that substantial -- a few tweaks to the UI and additional/updated backend data. I don't think any additional developer access/APIs would be required. (The current developer access to mapping APIs is somewhat constrained -- I'd rather see Apple open that up.
What may be the telling thing though -- is what other new stuff (devices, software, categories) Apple has planned for WWDC. If they have a full boat, they could do Maps Transit as a point update and Maps Trip Planning as a WWDC release (new GUI, APIs, map accessibility, etc).
Perhaps not from a difficulty stand point, especially considering they seem to have included a basic framework so their 3rd-party devs could create apps, but I could see it being substantial from a marketing standpoint to let people know that Maps has been improved.
I can't even find local shops with Apple maps. That's the main problem for me. It doesn't understand landmarks well either. And even with the many comprehensive suggestions I've give, there hasn't been a single change. It would be a great surprise if with iOS8 Apple introduced not only transit data, but also a sudden increase in quality.
My reference for how bad satellite images are is still Kyoto. I'm waiting until that town stops looking like a checker of B&B tiles and blurred colored tiles.
I would also love to be able to draw my own lines, areas, landmarks, like I can on google maps. How many times did I plan for a precise itinerary while visiting foreign cities. And why not even add the option to print in a map format ?
Yes, I want to draw my own routes and waypoints in a 2D map -- then automate traversal of the route in 2D or 3D, to get something like the following. It can be done now, but it a very cumbersome process involving several programs and rather tedious effort
The biggest problem with iOS Maps currently is the inability to locate stores within outdoor malls. If you get directions to such a store, the Maps app will dump you at the entrance to the parking lot. Some of these malls are vast and it can be very difficult to locate a particular store. I once spent forty minutes driving and walking around searching for the one I wanted. Google Maps do a better job but are still not perfect. I suspect that Google knows more because stores can update their exact location and Google's search can locate the precise GPS coordinates. Really Apple needs to have maps of every unit and driveway or walkway at every property.
Google maps on the desktop has become a mystifying mess. Some previously usable features have either disappeared or the UI changes have rendered them invisible.
And you know as of their most recent update it no longer works with Safari, it says you have to use chrome only. I guess they want to be able to track you habits without Apple interfering. They also screwed up maps on android as well, Before when you search for something like a gas station or something more generally it will put push pins all over the map which allowed you to pick which one you wanted to look at. They obviously show ones which they had ad deals with first. However, now it only show you one push pin at a time and you have to swipe left of right to see the next one in the list. This is completely stupid, but from their point of view if they only show you one and it top advertisers you may not look to see if there are other chooses.
This is what apps like this are better not being done by an ad company.
You're right, it could be added as point update. However, these additions are probably seen as begin too substantial for a point update. I could see Apple demoing as a new addition to iOS 8 at WWDC.
Although x.5 updates can often see substantial features added. Given Maps' reputation, you'd think that they'd add substantive features as soon as technically possible!
Although x.5 updates can often see substantial features added. Given Maps' reputation, you'd think that they'd add substantive features as soon as technically possible!
1) Are there any examples of adding a completely absent feature set more than halfway through an OS release cycle?
2) I would lean the other way and go with a formal announcement and demo because of Maps' reputation.
And you know as of their most recent update it no longer works with Safari, it says you have to use chrome only. I guess they want to be able to track you habits without Apple interfering.
Perhaps, but Google hasn't had any issues with their busk mess model without having built their own web browser. And I don't think we can ignore Google's forking of WebKit as a legitimate reason for making their maps data work better on their browser just as Apple's webcode works better on their browser.
The biggest problem with iOS Maps currently is the inability to locate stores within outdoor malls. If you get directions to such a store, the Maps app will dump you at the entrance to the parking lot. Some of these malls are vast and it can be very difficult to locate a particular store. I once spent forty minutes driving and walking around searching for the one I wanted. Google Maps do a better job but are still not perfect. I suspect that Google knows more because stores can update their exact location and Google's search can locate the precise GPS coordinates. Really Apple needs to have maps of every unit and driveway or walkway at every property.
I think that is under development by one of Apple's recent acquisitions.
I can't recall where, but I saw a demo video discussing that the user was walking around in a mall and using the camera and VR to detect a sign at an estimated distance/direction starting with the letter "R". From this info, the app could determine where the user was and provide map/navigation information to other locations within the mall.
It might have been: WiFiSlam (though they specialize in indoor mapping); or Locationary:
AllThingsD reports that Apple has acquired Locationary, a Canadian company focused on crowdsourcing location and other data on local businesses for improved accuracy.
Apple has acquired the Toronto-based Locationary, a small Canadian startup, backed by Extreme Venture Partners and Plazacorp Ventures. Multiple sources familiar with the deal tell AllThingsD it closed recently and includes Locationary’s technology and team, both. The price of the acquisition couldn’t immediately be learned.
Referred to as a "Wikipedia for local business listings" by AllThingsD, Locationary uses crowdsourcing and other means to improve local search results for mapping purposes by verifying such data as location and whether or not the business is still in operation.
Although x.5 updates can often see substantial features added. Given Maps' reputation, you'd think that they'd add substantive features as soon as technically possible!
1) Are there any examples of adding a completely absent feature set more than halfway through an OS release cycle?
2) I would lean the other way and go with a formal announcement and demo because of Maps' reputation.
I don't think it is a "completely absent feature set".
For example, I set my origin as the Roman Colosseum and destination as St Peter's Basilica and used the existing transit capability (no 3rd-party routing app). Here's what I got:
I do agree that Apple should make a formal announcement. They could get more [marketing] mileage out of an April Maps Transit and Enhanced Data Announce/Release and then an Apple Maps Trip Planning at WWDC.
This would show momentum with current deliverables and future capabilities in a timely manner to support developers.
What would be really cool is if the 3rd map above, optionally, was presented in 3D and monitored your progress as you traverse the route (similar to the Zamboni in the videos I posted earlier). This would, likely, be a WWDC feature.
Let's see:
? 64-bit APU
? Mx Motion Chip
Faster GPU
More RAM (Map Caching).
Edit:
I misspoke! The app used for transit info is a 3RD Party app named "Transit" from Tapone Technology.
...
There have been quite a few map/location based Apple acquisitions recently
...
I am excited to see what Apple can do. Apple has obviously spent consider time and effort to improve Maps if their recent acquisitions are any indication.
...
There have been quite a few map/location based Apple acquisitions recently
...
I am excited to see what Apple can do. Apple has obviously spent consider time and effort to improve Maps if their recent acquisitions are any indication.
Yes .. as long as they do something.
There is a saying that might be appropriate:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing [even if it means doing it] badly!
The biggest problem with iOS Maps currently is the inability to locate stores within outdoor malls. If you get directions to such a store, the Maps app will dump you at the entrance to the parking lot. Some of these malls are vast and it can be very difficult to locate a particular store. I once spent forty minutes driving and walking around searching for the one I wanted. Google Maps do a better job but are still not perfect. I suspect that Google knows more because stores can update their exact location and Google's search can locate the precise GPS coordinates. Really Apple needs to have maps of every unit and driveway or walkway at every property.
I found a link for this -- a solution using Maps and AR:
Augmented reality:
Apple’s plans to improve mapping data and add transit functionality are just the pipeline for 2014. Apple is also working on unique ways for integrating indoor mapping views and enhanced car integration for future versions of iOS. Sources say that Apple has also begun work on augmented reality functionality that leverages the iPhone’s compass hardware to visually see nearby points of interest. This feature is likely to surface in the coming years. Apple received a patent for such functionality in 2011. Apple is likely also working on an updated version of its Maps app for OS X that adds the improved data.
Dick, I know you've been messing around with using iBeacons, probably useful for that indoor mapping. Part of the 7.1 iOS update involves those. It certainly changes the way it works which is good for developers and retailers. Perhaps a bit more dubious for iDevice users.
Well I visited Chicago and New York and I got around the same way... Even here in Miami if you stay downtown you can get around using public transportation. I'm sure all big cities are the same
NYC is a funny place as far as public transportation, in that it's what most people use as their only means of getting around but that's not because it's so great (it really is pretty good) but because owning a car anywhere near Manhattan is an insane PITA and cash suck. When the trains don't run literally hardly anyone says "Well, I'll just drive in instead". Even if they live in Brooklyn and own a car (like me. BTW, iPads have revolutionized sitting in your car during alternate side parking days). We do not use our cars to go to work.
Public Transportation is completely king everywhere here, all corners, not just downtown. Nowhere is it not : ) Whoever puts out a fast, excellent MTA app with the perfect interface will literally be in the pockets of 90% of all NYers.
NYC is a funny place as far as public transportation, in that it's what most people use as their only means of getting around but that's not because it's so great (it really is pretty good) but because owning a car anywhere near Manhattan is an insane PITA and cash suck. When the trains don't run literally hardly anyone says "Well, I'll just drive in instead". Even if they live in Brooklyn and own a car (like me. BTW, iPads have revolutionized sitting in your car during alternate side parking days). We do not use our cars to go to work.
Public Transportation is completely king everywhere here, all corners, not just downtown. Nowhere is it not : ) Whoever puts out a fast, excellent MTA app with the perfect interface will literally be in the pockets of 90% of all NYers.
Shoot, Mayor Bloomberg used to take the subway to work every morning.
1) Are there any examples of adding a completely absent feature set more than halfway through an OS release cycle?
2.4 gave us Street View. One can say that that's simply an extension/evolution to the Maps app Apple already wrote and implemented in iOS, the fact that Google's Street view requires Flash on the desktop and was now able to work on the iPhone tells me it was an absent feature. Doesn't really matter if the work was done by Apple or Google.
Comments
I'd think with all these licensed services they'd have their bases covered.
Improving transit directions is fine – personally I'm more of an old-school visual map reader type than a follow directions type. So I more hope to see the transit/route markings improve on the actual map itself. Let me see an overlay of the entire transit system in the full map view (not just one destination in the directions view), colored with the relevant route labels or service status provided by the local transit system.
As a matter of fact, if Apple can spend so much effort and collaboration with automakers towards CarPlay, Apple should also spend time collaborating with mass transit authorities to improve their interface experiences. You could argue the scale of mass transit efforts would impact more people than one-by-one car sales. Improve the experience of carbon-negative transportation and not just gas-guzzling transportation.
I don't believe the additions for public transit are that substantial -- a few tweaks to the UI and additional/updated backend data. I don't think any additional developer access/APIs would be required. (The current developer access to mapping APIs is somewhat constrained -- I'd rather see Apple open that up.
What may be the telling thing though -- is what other new stuff (devices, software, categories) Apple has planned for WWDC. If they have a full boat, they could do Maps Transit as a point update and Maps Trip Planning as a WWDC release (new GUI, APIs, map accessibility, etc).
Something like this overlaid on a map:
Where you can pan/zoom and show/remove/add legs/lines of detail as desired.
Perhaps not from a difficulty stand point, especially considering they seem to have included a basic framework so their 3rd-party devs could create apps, but I could see it being substantial from a marketing standpoint to let people know that Maps has been improved.
Yes, I want to draw my own routes and waypoints in a 2D map -- then automate traversal of the route in 2D or 3D, to get something like the following. It can be done now, but it a very cumbersome process involving several programs and rather tedious effort
[VIDEO]
Or This:
[VIDEO]
Or This:
[VIDEO]
The biggest problem with iOS Maps currently is the inability to locate stores within outdoor malls. If you get directions to such a store, the Maps app will dump you at the entrance to the parking lot. Some of these malls are vast and it can be very difficult to locate a particular store. I once spent forty minutes driving and walking around searching for the one I wanted. Google Maps do a better job but are still not perfect. I suspect that Google knows more because stores can update their exact location and Google's search can locate the precise GPS coordinates. Really Apple needs to have maps of every unit and driveway or walkway at every property.
Google maps on the desktop has become a mystifying mess. Some previously usable features have either disappeared or the UI changes have rendered them invisible.
And you know as of their most recent update it no longer works with Safari, it says you have to use chrome only. I guess they want to be able to track you habits without Apple interfering. They also screwed up maps on android as well, Before when you search for something like a gas station or something more generally it will put push pins all over the map which allowed you to pick which one you wanted to look at. They obviously show ones which they had ad deals with first. However, now it only show you one push pin at a time and you have to swipe left of right to see the next one in the list. This is completely stupid, but from their point of view if they only show you one and it top advertisers you may not look to see if there are other chooses.
This is what apps like this are better not being done by an ad company.
You're right, it could be added as point update. However, these additions are probably seen as begin too substantial for a point update. I could see Apple demoing as a new addition to iOS 8 at WWDC.
Although x.5 updates can often see substantial features added. Given Maps' reputation, you'd think that they'd add substantive features as soon as technically possible!
1) Are there any examples of adding a completely absent feature set more than halfway through an OS release cycle?
2) I would lean the other way and go with a formal announcement and demo because of Maps' reputation.
Perhaps, but Google hasn't had any issues with their busk mess model without having built their own web browser. And I don't think we can ignore Google's forking of WebKit as a legitimate reason for making their maps data work better on their browser just as Apple's webcode works better on their browser.
I think that is under development by one of Apple's recent acquisitions.
I can't recall where, but I saw a demo video discussing that the user was walking around in a mall and using the camera and VR to detect a sign at an estimated distance/direction starting with the letter "R". From this info, the app could determine where the user was and provide map/navigation information to other locations within the mall.
It might have been: WiFiSlam (though they specialize in indoor mapping); or Locationary:
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/19/apple-acquires-crowdsourced-local-business-search-firm-locationary-for-improved-maps/
There have been quite a few map/location based Apple acquisitions recently:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple
I don't think it is a "completely absent feature set".
For example, I set my origin as the Roman Colosseum and destination as St Peter's Basilica and used the existing transit capability (no 3rd-party routing app). Here's what I got:
I do agree that Apple should make a formal announcement. They could get more [marketing] mileage out of an April Maps Transit and Enhanced Data Announce/Release and then an Apple Maps Trip Planning at WWDC.
This would show momentum with current deliverables and future capabilities in a timely manner to support developers.
What would be really cool is if the 3rd map above, optionally, was presented in 3D and monitored your progress as you traverse the route (similar to the Zamboni in the videos I posted earlier). This would, likely, be a WWDC feature.
Let's see:
Edit:
I misspoke! The app used for transit info is a 3RD Party app named "Transit" from Tapone Technology.
I am excited to see what Apple can do. Apple has obviously spent consider time and effort to improve Maps if their recent acquisitions are any indication.
Yes .. as long as they do something.
There is a saying that might be appropriate:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing [even if it means doing it] badly!
I found a link for this -- a solution using Maps and AR:
[URL=http://************/2014/03/11/ios-8-apple-polishes-maps-data-adds-public-transit-directions-service/#more-313943]http://************/2014/03/11/ios-8-apple-polishes-maps-data-adds-public-transit-directions-service/#more-313943[/URL]
Dick, I know you've been messing around with using iBeacons, probably useful for that indoor mapping. Part of the 7.1 iOS update involves those. It certainly changes the way it works which is good for developers and retailers. Perhaps a bit more dubious for iDevice users.
http://beekn.net/2014/03/apple-ios-7-1-launches-major-ibeacon-improvement/?utm_content=buffer20661&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Well I visited Chicago and New York and I got around the same way... Even here in Miami if you stay downtown you can get around using public transportation. I'm sure all big cities are the same
NYC is a funny place as far as public transportation, in that it's what most people use as their only means of getting around but that's not because it's so great (it really is pretty good) but because owning a car anywhere near Manhattan is an insane PITA and cash suck. When the trains don't run literally hardly anyone says "Well, I'll just drive in instead". Even if they live in Brooklyn and own a car (like me. BTW, iPads have revolutionized sitting in your car during alternate side parking days). We do not use our cars to go to work.
Public Transportation is completely king everywhere here, all corners, not just downtown. Nowhere is it not : ) Whoever puts out a fast, excellent MTA app with the perfect interface will literally be in the pockets of 90% of all NYers.
Shoot, Mayor Bloomberg used to take the subway to work every morning.
2.4 gave us Street View. One can say that that's simply an extension/evolution to the Maps app Apple already wrote and implemented in iOS, the fact that Google's Street view requires Flash on the desktop and was now able to work on the iPhone tells me it was an absent feature. Doesn't really matter if the work was done by Apple or Google.