I'm glad they're doing this. The "flyover" doesn't add much practical value to Maps, even if it does look cool, but Street View is a very real benefit in Google Maps.
I might have to go back and read DEDs laughable article that went to great pains to explain why flyover was in fact better than Street View when it clearly wasn't. Now I'll look forwards to Apples implementation of Street View and watch him do a complete reverse ferret and explain why Street View is now brilliant and Apple were right to wait years to implement it.
Edit - in reply to Gatorguy saying: "There was another source even before him that said the same thing. It was more for business locations than the all-encompassing street-view."
I think Apple would do some expectation management if this were the case. Imagine the disappointment, then the pro-Google backlash, if hopes of a Street View competitor (indeed, a better competitor) were dashed by a business-only subset.
I have long thought that Apple Maps lacks only street view, better data and better search to be a Google competitor. Looks like the first two are being addressed, so what about search? I'm looking out for an acquisition since I really hope they don't try to do it in-house from scratch.
One of my mapping guys also reports Apple is planning to replace TomTom with it's own mapping by 2018. He's very connected with the telematics industry, a cartography expert that's often consulted for map and location projects, and generally has been pretty accurate. We'll see.
One of my mapping guys also reports Apple is planning to replace TomTom with it's own mapping by 2018.
That's encouraging. I presume that TomTom developed their map data with quite different priorities than Apple needs for Maps: TomTom come from a background of disadvantaged devices (limited storage, no comms) whilst Maps can assume an internet connection and just dynamically cache the local area. If I was TomTom I would be rushing to elaborate my data while I still had a revenue stream from those standalone devices.
To say something positive about TomTom, I have had their Western Europe app on my iPhone since it was launched. It's excellent for use in other European countries (I'm in UK) when I don't want to pay mobile roaming fees to get to Google Maps (or Apple Maps even). But that's going to change too...
I'm glad they're doing this. The "flyover" doesn't add much practical value to Maps, even if it does look cool, but Street View is a very real benefit in Google Maps.
I might have to go back and read DEDs laughable article that went to great pains to explain why flyover was in fact better than Street View when it clearly wasn't. Now I'll look forwards to Apples implementation of Street View and watch him do a complete reverse ferret and explain why Street View is now brilliant and Apple were right to wait years to implement it.
the two perspectives have different use cases. Flyover is far from useless, i use it often. it can give you a better sense of place than digital photos of facades can.
Didn't Apple buy a GPS technology that's extremely accurate? Pair this with street level view and flyover I would suggest Apple build a proprietary chip like the M-Series chip for navigation. It could constantly update data and increase location accuracy. That would destroy anything on the market.
Funny Arizona is getting Tucson mapped before Phoenix. The latter having a larger population and a big transit service. Tucson well ... has nothing really. Weird priorities.
I still chuckle that people thought this was Apple about to come out with a Dodge Caravan style Apple vehicle, even extolling the virtues of such a design. Priceless!
Mm ...
I wonder if the drivers of those vans are using Apple maps on CarPlay?
yeah its not like GM has a decade head start, or anything. no siree..apple should be right where google is, tomorrow.
With maps, you need to redo everything every couple years so aside from the technology, the data has to be new to be relevant. A major new street just opened near my home so I went to Apple Maps to report it. The street is not on Google Maps either. I didn't report it to Google. I wonder which maps will have it updated first. I recently worked with Apple Maps Connect for our office building which had some mistakes and they fixed it right away. Very impressed with the response and the prompt email messages.
I'm glad they're doing this. The "flyover" doesn't add much practical value to Maps, even if it does look cool, but Street View is a very real benefit in Google Maps.
I might have to go back and read DEDs laughable article that went to great pains to explain why flyover was in fact better than Street View when it clearly wasn't. Now I'll look forwards to Apples implementation of Street View and watch him do a complete reverse ferret and explain why Street View is now brilliant and Apple were right to wait years to implement it.
the two perspectives have different use cases. Flyover is far from useless, i use it often. it can give you a better sense of place than digital photos of facades can.
I just Watched the WDDC What's New In Mapkit video ...
Nothing about Walkthrough, but it did include FlyOver.
Basically, they've enhanced the existing API to add 3D Satellite and Hybrid view camera placement and manipulation within your app.
There were two interesting demos of Flyover:
Use of code to take a 3D Snapshot to show when you click/tap on a POI pin.
Use of code to create an animated 3D FlyOver video similar to the Apple-supplied FlyOver Tours.
The demos were hard-coded to position the camera and animation -- but it appears possible that someone (Apple) could write an app that allowed the user to dynamically position the camera manually or following a route (similar to trackpoints/waypoints in a .gpx file).
If possible, this has significant potential to individuals, SMBs, institutions and enterprise ...
For example, an up and coming restaurant, hotel, bar ... could appear as a POI pin on, say, the map of the area around Niagara Falls ...
When the user clicks/taps the pin, up pops a info sheet showing a 3D rendering of the eatery within the surrounding area. the info sheet could also contain a custom, 3D FlyOver Tour highlighting.
Now, Apple is capturing StreetView and could buy/contract existing StreetView services from Nokia (Here/NavTeq) or, with the right privacy, even Google.
Nothing has been said publicly, but we're pretty certain that Apple is using the WiFiSlam tech they acquired to map indoor areas (buildings, stores, malls, hospitals, campuses ...). This could be combined with real video ( or something akin to indoor 3D FlyOver ) to create 3D WalkThrough ...
To put it all together -- we're out enjoying the falls but we're getting hungry ... we do a search for wing joints and see several nearby. We tap several POI pins showing 3D Snapshots and miniTours -- and notice one that has a lookout that provides a view of the falls, while dining ... we can do a walkthrough of the eatery and even see a video of the chefs doing food prep. Further, we're shown that the place is highly-rated -- has been trying to earn that second Michelin Star -- Raul's Wings n' Ribs is the place for us!
How do we get there? Why, seamlessly the maps app goes from the POI pin's Take Me There button into map directions (walking, biking, driving, transit) -- all the while showing where we are on a 2D map with a 3D TransitView PIP window overlay ...
Shuffle off to Buffalo ...
What do you think it would be worth to Raul to have that custom POI pin on every map of the Niagara Falls area ... to Raul's customers?
Didn't Apple buy a GPS technology that's extremely accurate? Pair this with street level view and flyover I would suggest Apple build a proprietary chip like the M-Series chip for navigation. It could constantly update data and increase location accuracy.
That would destroy anything on the market.
Funny Arizona is getting Tucson mapped before Phoenix. The latter having a larger population and a big transit service. Tucson well ... has nothing really. Weird priorities.
True, Tucson lacks the smog, heat islands and traffic congestion of Phoenix ...
But they have beautiful desert areas, Rancho sin vacas, mesquite bosques, the southernmost Ski area in the US ... the U of A Wildcats ...
Bear Down Wildcats! Go Steve Kerr, Go Warriors!
and this:
I hope when they do 3D Flyover for Tucson they do at least 2 versions -- regular and desert in bloom (about a month after a wet winter monsoons).
Too bad this can't be done with satellites. Unless it is street view like Google. I guess it helps to know specifically how this will help. Especially with how much things change for businesses and roads and the such.
<div align="center"><img src=http://photos.appleinsidercdn.com/gallery/11755-5119-appleinsider-l.jpg alt="One of Apple's sensor-laden vans, spotted in Hawaii by AppleInsider reader matthawaii." />
<span class="minor2 small gray">One of Apple's sensor-laden vans, spotted in Hawaii by AppleInsider reader matthawaii.</span></div>
Too bad this can't be done with satellites. Unless it is street view like Google. I guess it helps to know specifically how this will help. Especially with how much things change for businesses and roads and the such.
If you look at the attitude of the cameras (LIDAR) on Apple's vans they are different from Nokia's and Googles ...
Apple's are at about a 45° angle to the street, sky and buildings. Google's and Nokia's are 90° to the street.
To me, this suggests that Apple can gather photos and 3D data that is more robust than just the front of a building ... rather that they (in the future) can computationally create a 90° image and 3D representation and interweave it with 3D Flyover.
Google Earth/Maps makes a very abrupt and unsettling transition when you zoom in and it changes from overhead to Street View (overhead 45° to 90°, simulated 3D to 2D images, abrupt color changes, different navigation method).
If I am correct, with the data Apple is gathering, they can use their best-in-class 3D Flyover and smoothly blend into a 3D Street View ... then a 3D WalkThrough!
At some place there will be a tipping point between actual 2D video imagery and simulated 3D generated imagery -- where the next best thing to actually being there is a simulated 3D tour -- FlyOver, eye-level (Street View) and WalkThrough.
The simulated 3D imagery offers the potential to do things such as dynamically:
placing you on top of the Eiffel Tower with the City of Light at your beck and call
looking inside any building
removing buildings, trees mountains, etc. -- anything obstructing your view
I believe we are about at that tipping point -- at least within the next year or so.
Still think they should crowdsource this widespread stuff. They have the users, and they have the technology, and they certainly have the money to offer user rewards (rather than paying drivers). Just write an algorithm that detects areas of low information, then geotarget users in that location to ask them to (opt-in) go/drive around and take photos with their iPhone, with geotagging, for Apple Rewards. Uberize it, and then it's super easy to roll out to cities and locations around the world.
Funny Arizona is getting Tucson mapped before Phoenix. The latter having a larger population and a big transit service. Tucson well ... has nothing really. Weird priorities.
I read at MacRumors that Phoenix is already mapped. Tucson gets mapped in the last half of this month.
There's also this bit at the end of this story from February:
Comments
I'm glad they're doing this. The "flyover" doesn't add much practical value to Maps, even if it does look cool, but Street View is a very real benefit in Google Maps.
I might have to go back and read DEDs laughable article that went to great pains to explain why flyover was in fact better than Street View when it clearly wasn't. Now I'll look forwards to Apples implementation of Street View and watch him do a complete reverse ferret and explain why Street View is now brilliant and Apple were right to wait years to implement it.
One of my mapping guys also reports Apple is planning to replace TomTom with it's own mapping by 2018.
That's encouraging. I presume that TomTom developed their map data with quite different priorities than Apple needs for Maps: TomTom come from a background of disadvantaged devices (limited storage, no comms) whilst Maps can assume an internet connection and just dynamically cache the local area. If I was TomTom I would be rushing to elaborate my data while I still had a revenue stream from those standalone devices.
To say something positive about TomTom, I have had their Western Europe app on my iPhone since it was launched. It's excellent for use in other European countries (I'm in UK) when I don't want to pay mobile roaming fees to get to Google Maps (or Apple Maps even). But that's going to change too...
im guessing this new service will be called "Walkthrough", which was on a WWDC slide: "Flyover and Walkthrough":
http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/8/8746795/apple-wwdc-2015-ios-9-new-features
yeah its not like GM has a decade head start, or anything. no siree..apple should be right where google is, tomorrow.
the two perspectives have different use cases. Flyover is far from useless, i use it often. it can give you a better sense of place than digital photos of facades can.
That would destroy anything on the market.
Funny Arizona is getting Tucson mapped before Phoenix. The latter having a larger population and a big transit service. Tucson well ... has nothing really. Weird priorities.
Mm ...
I wonder if the drivers of those vans are using Apple maps on CarPlay?
yeah its not like GM has a decade head start, or anything. no siree..apple should be right where google is, tomorrow.
With maps, you need to redo everything every couple years so aside from the technology, the data has to be new to be relevant. A major new street just opened near my home so I went to Apple Maps to report it. The street is not on Google Maps either. I didn't report it to Google. I wonder which maps will have it updated first. I recently worked with Apple Maps Connect for our office building which had some mistakes and they fixed it right away. Very impressed with the response and the prompt email messages.
I just Watched the WDDC What's New In Mapkit video ...
Nothing about Walkthrough, but it did include FlyOver.
Basically, they've enhanced the existing API to add 3D Satellite and Hybrid view camera placement and manipulation within your app.
There were two interesting demos of Flyover:
The demos were hard-coded to position the camera and animation -- but it appears possible that someone (Apple) could write an app that allowed the user to dynamically position the camera manually or following a route (similar to trackpoints/waypoints in a .gpx file).
If possible, this has significant potential to individuals, SMBs, institutions and enterprise ...
For example, an up and coming restaurant, hotel, bar ... could appear as a POI pin on, say, the map of the area around Niagara Falls ...
When the user clicks/taps the pin, up pops a info sheet showing a 3D rendering of the eatery within the surrounding area. the info sheet could also contain a custom, 3D FlyOver Tour highlighting.
Now, Apple is capturing StreetView and could buy/contract existing StreetView services from Nokia (Here/NavTeq) or, with the right privacy, even Google.
Nothing has been said publicly, but we're pretty certain that Apple is using the WiFiSlam tech they acquired to map indoor areas (buildings, stores, malls, hospitals, campuses ...). This could be combined with real video ( or something akin to indoor 3D FlyOver ) to create 3D WalkThrough ...
To put it all together -- we're out enjoying the falls but we're getting hungry ... we do a search for wing joints and see several nearby. We tap several POI pins showing 3D Snapshots and miniTours -- and notice one that has a lookout that provides a view of the falls, while dining ... we can do a walkthrough of the eatery and even see a video of the chefs doing food prep. Further, we're shown that the place is highly-rated -- has been trying to earn that second Michelin Star -- Raul's Wings n' Ribs is the place for us!
How do we get there? Why, seamlessly the maps app goes from the POI pin's Take Me There button into map directions (walking, biking, driving, transit) -- all the while showing where we are on a 2D map with a 3D TransitView PIP window overlay ...
Shuffle off to Buffalo ...
What do you think it would be worth to Raul to have that custom POI pin on every map of the Niagara Falls area ... to Raul's customers?
True, Tucson lacks the smog, heat islands and traffic congestion of Phoenix ...
But they have beautiful desert areas, Rancho sin vacas, mesquite bosques, the southernmost Ski area in the US ... the U of A Wildcats ...
Bear Down Wildcats! Go Steve Kerr, Go Warriors!
and this:
I hope when they do 3D Flyover for Tucson they do at least 2 versions -- regular and desert in bloom (about a month after a wet winter monsoons).
If you look at the attitude of the cameras (LIDAR) on Apple's vans they are different from Nokia's and Googles ...
Apple's are at about a 45° angle to the street, sky and buildings. Google's and Nokia's are 90° to the street.
To me, this suggests that Apple can gather photos and 3D data that is more robust than just the front of a building ... rather that they (in the future) can computationally create a 90° image and 3D representation and interweave it with 3D Flyover.
Google Earth/Maps makes a very abrupt and unsettling transition when you zoom in and it changes from overhead to Street View (overhead 45° to 90°, simulated 3D to 2D images, abrupt color changes, different navigation method).
If I am correct, with the data Apple is gathering, they can use their best-in-class 3D Flyover and smoothly blend into a 3D Street View ... then a 3D WalkThrough!
At some place there will be a tipping point between actual 2D video imagery and simulated 3D generated imagery -- where the next best thing to actually being there is a simulated 3D tour -- FlyOver, eye-level (Street View) and WalkThrough.
The simulated 3D imagery offers the potential to do things such as dynamically:
I believe we are about at that tipping point -- at least within the next year or so.
Still think they should crowdsource this widespread stuff. They have the users, and they have the technology, and they certainly have the money to offer user rewards (rather than paying drivers). Just write an algorithm that detects areas of low information, then geotarget users in that location to ask them to (opt-in) go/drive around and take photos with their iPhone, with geotagging, for Apple Rewards. Uberize it, and then it's super easy to roll out to cities and locations around the world.
Funny Arizona is getting Tucson mapped before Phoenix. The latter having a larger population and a big transit service. Tucson well ... has nothing really. Weird priorities.
I read at MacRumors that Phoenix is already mapped. Tucson gets mapped in the last half of this month.
There's also this bit at the end of this story from February:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/02/23/latest-apple-mystery-van-sightings-occur-in-california-florida-hawaii