Give it another few years and Google will start to see its fortunes slide as Apple's eco system, i.e. the only one making money, increasingly shuts out Google products. It is inevitable just as Apple is slowly moving away from using Samsung for manufacturing is occurring. Tim is in no rush but the writing is on the wall for those that ripped off Apple's IP.
I was very surprised about this announcement so I checked my companies crowd-sourced app usage data for past 2 weeks and it still shows Google Maps with a clear lead:
In case you were wondering about the peaks, mapping apps are always used most on the weekends.
Now this is app usage from a sample of over 8 thousand users. However the article was talking about requests. So I would guess that the reason there are 3x more requests from Apple Maps is people searching for different text to try to find the thing they are looking for! Where as in Google Maps they probably find it the first time.
The other interpretation is Google Maps users get lost more often.
I live in the UK and until Apple come up with anything remotely useful or as good as street view, faster/slower re-routing, accurate traffic mapping and satellite imagery that has a history option then google maps will remain literally 'streets' ahead. Only reason Apple maps is served up on my iPhone is because the apps take me there by default, not by choice.
I agree, the faster/slower routing is killer. I love seeing the alternate routes as I'm driving. And if the faster router is more than a few minutes, you get the "we've found you a better route" prompt, and they seem better on Google Maps. I may give Apple another shot though.
The other killer "feature" for Google is the searching. I could use the wrong name of something and also misspell it, and it still knows what I'm talking about. Last time I tried Apple Maps, you basically had to type in the name of the POI letter for letter exactly as it is. Partial searches and different words or misspellings gave you either no results, or results on the other side of the country (why would I want results in California if my map is zoomed into New York?)
Until Apple Maps has automatic re-routing around heavy traffic, wrecks, etc I'll be sticking with either Google Maps or Waze. Also the inability to select avoid tolls, only tolls, avoid highways, shortest and fastest route should be embarrassing to Apple. These are basic options that have been part of navigation for years now. Waze does route selection sooo much better. It gives you 3 options that are easy to select rather than the tiny lines you have to click on in Apple Maps. Also the amount of steps it takes just to get Apple Maps to start giving you directions is ridiculous. In Waze you just enter where you're going and hit route and it automatically selects the fastest route and you're on your way.
I'm sorry but the only reason why I think Apple maps is getting used more is because of Siri. When your driving and you use voice activation. Siri is going to bring up Apple maps not Google. And you can't change it. -_-
I was very surprised about this announcement so I checked my companies crowd-sourced app usage data for past 2 weeks and it still shows Google Maps with a clear lead:
In case you were wondering about the peaks, mapping apps are always used most on the weekends.
Now this is app usage from a sample of over 8 thousand users. However the article was talking about requests. So I would guess that the reason there are 3x more requests from Apple Maps is people searching for different text to try to find the thing they are looking for! Where as in Google Maps they probably find it the first time.
I keep trying Apple Maps once in a while - like when I ask Siri for directions, or tap an address in my appointment. It still disappoints more than delights. I'm certain it will continue to improve, and transit users in major cities like NY probably find it more compelling than in smaller cities like mine. As much as I'd like to make it my first choice, Google Maps is still on my home screen while Apple Maps is kept in a folder next to the compass.
How about accuracy and efficiency of directions from Point A to Point B, i.e. not leading people around in circles?
I had a time earlier this year with Apple Maps taking me off the interstate, effectively make a U turn, go back 1 mile, make another U turn, then repeat. I had to navigate that one without turn by turn directions. The destination was over five miles away.
On the other hand, I've had several times recently where Google Maps suggests a really out of the way route for absolutely no good reason, making a 30 minute trip into an hour. Apple Maps gave me better directions on those.
How about accuracy and efficiency of directions from Point A to Point B, i.e. not leading people around in circles?
I had a time earlier this year with Apple Maps taking me off the interstate, effectively make a U turn, go back 1 mile, make another U turn, then repeat. I had to navigate that one without turn by turn directions. The destination was over five miles away.
On the other hand, I've had several times recently where Google Maps suggests a really out of the way route for absolutely no good reason, making a 30 minute trip into an hour. Apple Maps gave me better directions on those.
Not saying this is your issue, but Google Maps has given me what I initially thought was odd, out-of-the-way routing in two different instances in the past 90 days and both times I found it was because of a major snarl on I-4 the first time and I-75 the second. So in truth it saved me a lot of time stuck in traffic. The one thing I wish they'd do tho is make it more clear that's what they're doing. Otherwise the tendency might be to ignore it thinking they were just offering goofy directions for that trip. I don't recall any notification of the traffic problem being the reason at the time. They just offered a different route and unexpected route.
I like using it but I keep going back to Google maps as Apple maps is still not there by a long shot.
Not when it comes to data points and certainly not on search. and when it comes to somewhat rural location
it’s not even a competition.
I agree. No way I would rely on Apple Maps. A new (and major) road extension 2 minutes away from our house is still not completely updated on Apple Maps. It'll be a year in February since it was opened...
Apple Maps is not even available in India, it even says so on Apple's website. Therefore we here use many other map apps and routing apps. Out of all those, Google is the undisputed best, even compared to the pathetic efforts put out by Garmin etc.
Google maps is extremely accurate and reliable, and even speaks out directions like a real person (turn Right after the Prestige Nebula building on the Right, etc.).
The only issue with Google here is that it tends to route us in as much as a straight line as possible. This means it will take us through the narrowest gully where one has to fold their wing mirrors in order to not hit the buildings on either side, even though a few metres away there is a perfectly serviceable faster and better road.
"We are fast learners and we are fast at fixing things," said Greg "Joz" Joswiak, Apple vice president of iPhone, iPod, and iOS Product marketing. "We learned the maps business incredibly fast."
I don't have access to their "marketing numbers", but I do know the single biggest problem plaguing Apple Maps is POI data. As long as I have a valid address, Apple Maps has been great, but turning (for example) the name of a restaurant into an address Apple Maps can navigate to is still a problem, and has been going back to day one.
It took Apple three years to do it, but Apple Maps is now the undeniable leader in iOS mapping, with a usage rate tripling that of its closest competitor Google Maps.
Wait a minute!!
You mean a default, built-in app is used by more people than one that requires download?
How insane is that?
Insane indeed!
Considering it was given the cold shoulder by Apple users immediately after launch instantly putting Goog Maps in the top 10 downloaded apps of all time. Apple Maps has come a long way. Now let's get that iOS usage number over %90.
2018
"Wait a minute!! you mean AppleMusic, a default, build-in app is used by more people than Spotify?"
How about accuracy and efficiency of directions from Point A to Point B, i.e. not leading people around in circles?
I had a time earlier this year with Apple Maps taking me off the interstate, effectively make a U turn, go back 1 mile, make another U turn, then repeat. I had to navigate that one without turn by turn directions. The destination was over five miles away.
On the other hand, I've had several times recently where Google Maps suggests a really out of the way route for absolutely no good reason, making a 30 minute trip into an hour. Apple Maps gave me better directions on those.
Not saying this is your issue, but Google Maps has given me what I initially thought was odd, out-of-the-way routing in two different instances in the past 90 days and both times I found it was because of a major snarl on I-4 the first time and I-75 the second. So in truth it saved me a lot of time stuck in traffic. The one thing I wish they'd do tho is make it more clear that's what they're doing. Otherwise the tendency might be to ignore it thinking they were just offering goofy directions for that trip. I don't recall any notification of the traffic problem being the reason at the time. They just offered a different route and unexpected route.
No, in those instances I wondered why it would give me such a strange route so I looked up traffic info online (including Google's traffic map) and also on radio traffic reports. Nothing indicated any problems and indeed once I drove them the roads were in their usual condition.
Comments
The other interpretation is Google Maps users get lost more often.
Of course a built in app will gain traction over time especially with people changing out their device every one to four years.
The other killer "feature" for Google is the searching. I could use the wrong name of something and also misspell it, and it still knows what I'm talking about. Last time I tried Apple Maps, you basically had to type in the name of the POI letter for letter exactly as it is. Partial searches and different words or misspellings gave you either no results, or results on the other side of the country (why would I want results in California if my map is zoomed into New York?)
On the other hand, I've had several times recently where Google Maps suggests a really out of the way route for absolutely no good reason, making a 30 minute trip into an hour. Apple Maps gave me better directions on those.
Google maps is extremely accurate and reliable, and even speaks out directions like a real person (turn Right after the Prestige Nebula building on the Right, etc.).
The only issue with Google here is that it tends to route us in as much as a straight line as possible. This means it will take us through the narrowest gully where one has to fold their wing mirrors in order to not hit the buildings on either side, even though a few metres away there is a perfectly serviceable faster and better road.
Cheers
This is great news. Looking forward to the collapse of giggle search and other services.
Insane indeed!
Considering it was given the cold shoulder by Apple users immediately after launch instantly putting Goog Maps in the top 10 downloaded apps of all time. Apple Maps has come a long way. Now let's get that iOS usage number over %90.
2018
"Wait a minute!!
you mean AppleMusic, a default, build-in app is used by more people than Spotify?"