Apple adds 20 Flyover cities, new Traffic and Nearby data to Maps

Posted:
in iPhone edited February 2016
As part of Apple's continued Maps buildout effort, the company on Wednesday added 3D Flyover, traffic and point of interest data to its in-house mapping solution, including popular locales like the Virgin Islands and Taiwan.




In what has become a monthly routine, Apple expanded its running list of supported Flyover cities to include 20 new locations in Europe, Africa, Japan and the U.S. Including today's additions, Apple's 3D Flyover feature is available in 240 areas around the world.

  • Adelaide, Australia
  • Amiens, France
  • Berne, Switzerland
  • Bremen, Germany
  • Columbus, OH
  • Dresden, Germany
  • Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • Johannesburg, South Africa
  • La Rochelle, France
  • Louisville, KY
  • Middlesbrough, UK
  • Nantes, France
  • Salzburg, Austria
  • South Bend, IN
  • Springfield, MO
  • Taormina, Italy
  • Toulouse, France
  • Toyama, Japan
  • Tucson, AZ
  • Virgin Islands

Apple uses high-resolution photos and sophisticated three-dimensional models to render Maps' Flyover imagery. The feature makes it easy to spot landmarks, buildings and other objects of interest and is marketed as an alternative to Google's ground-level Street View product.

In addition to new Flyover cities, Apple activated live Traffic data for Taiwan. Finland was also added to the list of countries serving up data for iOS 9's Nearby, a feature that suggests close by points of interest based on their proximity.

Offered up in Maps and Siri Suggestions, the service automatically populates a set of predefined search categories, such as Food and Health, with information based on a user's location. Apple first launched Nearby in September with data for six major markets, adding three more in the past few months.

Apple's iOS Feature Availability webpage was most recently updated two weeks ago.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    This will be great when I win a Helicopter. lol

    If apple was serious about services they would have bought HERE maps with that pile of money they have been sitting on.
    cnocbui
  • Reply 2 of 22
    leptonlepton Posts: 111member
    You know those vans Apple has been sending around the streets of various cities? I believe they will use them to extend flyover so that you can seamlessly fly all the way down to street level. This would compete with Google's street view.
    iqatedololliverairmanchairmanjbdragon
  • Reply 3 of 22
    Wish they'd do Pittsburgh; one of the more picturesque cities in the country, it's just begging to get the 3D treatment.
    cornchip
  • Reply 4 of 22
    Wish they'd do Pittsburgh; one of the more picturesque cities in the country, it's just begging to get the 3D treatment.
    Oh, for crying out loud. I swear it wasn't there the other day! Cool. :)
    lolliver
  • Reply 5 of 22
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    And still the more prosperous south of England gets ignored, apart from London. Middlesbrough?!? Really?!
  • Reply 6 of 22
    lepton said:
    You know those vans Apple has been sending around the streets of various cities? I believe they will use them to extend flyover so that you can seamlessly fly all the way down to street level. This would compete with Google's street view.
    That, if implemented, would be wonderful: to "fly over" a city and then, with a variation of 3D Touch pressure, "glide down" (animation) to a target area and "land with a tactile 'bump'" on a desired motorway, road or street then continue to "taxy" along to a destination address.

    And why stop there? Indoor Navigation using improved Wi-Fi, Cellular and GPS technology is just around the corner, and would enable the journey to continue into an office, shop, gallery or even one's own home to do some shopping, viewing or HomeKit admin.
    Hurry tomorrow, I need you now...
    edited February 2016 jbdragon
  • Reply 7 of 22
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    elijahg said:
    And still the more prosperous south of England gets ignored, apart from London. Middlesbrough?!? Really?!
    I was thinking that. Why would anyone want fly over Middlesbrough?
    edited February 2016 elijahg
  • Reply 8 of 22
    Can someone explain to me what the point of this flyover is, aside from being a fancy gimmick? A maps application is to help you get somewhere and move around, not help you fly around a city as if you were videogame. Why does it not focus it's resources in getting transit directions for all cities were public transit is vital to moving around a city? Does not Apple realize that public transit is vital for pretty much every large city outside of the US? I find it amazing that Apple maps is still useless for pretty much every large city on the planet outside of China, the US, and London 3 years after it's release. One city in all of Europe?!? The problem is not only with a lack of transit: in several cities in non developed countries I was surpirsed how excellent Google Maps works (for several years now, I might add) everywhere, even in small towns. Apple Maps was, and still is, not even in the same league. I really enjoy reading this website for info on Apple, but many of the site's editorials and the odd article are very biased towards Apple (especially when it comes to Apple Maps), to the point of being inaccurate and unrealistic.
    tokyojimucroprFlyswatterplankton
  • Reply 9 of 22
    josujosu Posts: 217member
    I keep on wondering why they have not included my hometown still, It's one of the most important cities in Spain and the surrounding area is heavily urbanized, so it can be done at the same time, and is an area of about a million people, bigger than some others with the 3D service on right now.
  • Reply 10 of 22
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    k2kw said:
    This will be great when I win a Helicopter. lol

    If apple was serious about services they would have bought HERE maps with that pile of money they have been sitting on.
    Absolutely.  Apple are years away from compiling meaningful mapping data that even approaches HERE.  Had they bought them they could have used HERE to leverage car play.

    If their data centre ever gets past the eco-morons in Ireland and construction starts, the irony is every non-local truck driver who has to deliver stuff to the site won't be able to use Maps, that's for sure.  HERE maps would have got them there.

    I'm glad Apple didn't buy HERE because that would have likely ended my ability to use it.  I hope the new owners don't make it exclusive.
  • Reply 11 of 22
    Can someone explain to me what the point of this flyover is, aside from being a fancy gimmick? A maps application is to help you get somewhere and move around, not help you fly around a city as if you were videogame. Why does it not focus it's resources in getting transit directions for all cities were public transit is vital to moving around a city? Does not Apple realize that public transit is vital for pretty much every large city outside of the US? I find it amazing that Apple maps is still useless for pretty much every large city on the planet outside of China, the US, and London 3 years after it's release. One city in all of Europe?!? The problem is not only with a lack of transit: in several cities in non developed countries I was surpirsed how excellent Google Maps works (for several years now, I might add) everywhere, even in small towns. Apple Maps was, and still is, not even in the same league. I really enjoy reading this website for info on Apple, but many of the site's editorials and the odd article are very biased towards Apple (especially when it comes to Apple Maps), to the point of being inaccurate and unrealistic.
    I agree 100%.
    Flyover is a useless gimmick compared to transit directions.
    Here in Tokyo—which may have the best transit network in the world—all transit data is open source for Tokyo Metro, JR East and many private train and bus lines, but Apple Maps has no transit directions.  Google is eating Apple's lunch when it comes to transit.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    dacloodacloo Posts: 890member
    FlyOver is absolutely useless. It requires a lot of data and it doesn't provide the visual cues you need to find whatever you are looking for. It's a gimmick.
    Streetview however, is super useful, but it unfortunately seems Apple is not going down that route.

    cnocbuijbdragon
  • Reply 13 of 22
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    At present flyover is a useless gimmick.  But if it could do what the guys described above, in combination with a street view equivalent using force touch tech, at the same degree of availability as street view, it would be unbeatable.

    I doubt that would happen though, as here we are, years after flyover was announced, and it just isn't that common. The resources thrown at it seem to be minimal. It's like they have the one Cessna available  to do the entire world. On the weekend. And if Apple is driving around the streets to develop a street view competitor, it will roll out just as half arsed as flyover.  I don't believe Apple has its heart in it.  
  • Reply 14 of 22
    morkymorky Posts: 200member
    dacloo said:
    FlyOver is absolutely useless. It requires a lot of data and it doesn't provide the visual cues you need to find whatever you are looking for. It's a gimmick.
    Streetview however, is super useful, but it unfortunately seems Apple is not going down that route.

    The Apple "street view" car passed by my house in Brooklyn, NY last summer, so they are doing something in that arena.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 15 of 22
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    cnocbui said:
    k2kw said:
    This will be great when I win a Helicopter. lol

    If apple was serious about services they would have bought HERE maps with that pile of money they have been sitting on.
    Absolutely.  Apple are years away from compiling meaningful mapping data that even approaches HERE.  Had they bought them they could have used HERE to leverage car play.

    If their data centre ever gets past the eco-morons in Ireland and construction starts, the irony is every non-local truck driver who has to deliver stuff to the site won't be able to use Maps, that's for sure.  HERE maps would have got them there.

    I'm glad Apple didn't buy HERE because that would have likely ended my ability to use it.  I hope the new owners don't make it exclusive.
    Apple could have kept HERE maps as a separately available Software application on Android and Windows and for the Car Manufacturers and used the data with the flyover in their iPhone APP.   Right now apple maps is more gimmick than anything else.   (And why is this even tolerated years after Scott Forestall was forced out is just ridiculous).   
    P.S.   SIRI is still Sh!t.   On so many levels their Software & Services need to be kicked up a several notches.
    Flyswatter
  • Reply 16 of 22
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    elijahg said:
    And still the more prosperous south of England gets ignored, apart from London. Middlesbrough?!? Really?!
    Cultural center of the UK isn't it?  ;)
    elijahgcornchip
  • Reply 17 of 22
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    k2kw said:
    cnocbui said:
    Absolutely.  Apple are years away from compiling meaningful mapping data that even approaches HERE.  Had they bought them they could have used HERE to leverage car play.

    If their data centre ever gets past the eco-morons in Ireland and construction starts, the irony is every non-local truck driver who has to deliver stuff to the site won't be able to use Maps, that's for sure.  HERE maps would have got them there.

    I'm glad Apple didn't buy HERE because that would have likely ended my ability to use it.  I hope the new owners don't make it exclusive.
    Apple could have kept HERE maps as a separately available Software application on Android and Windows and for the Car Manufacturers and used the data with the flyover in their iPhone APP.   Right now apple maps is more gimmick than anything else.   (And why is this even tolerated years after Scott Forestall was forced out is just ridiculous).   
    P.S.   SIRI is still Sh!t.   On so many levels their Software & Services need to be kicked up a several notches.
    Apple would have kept HERE maps as an eco-system exclusive, I suspect.

    Cortana is amazing.  I can say 'get me directions to DCU in Dublin' and she'll come back with 'Alright, getting you directions to Dublin City University'  Then I get a screen with public transport options, legs involved and transit details and times.  There are also three icons for a car, public transport and walking.  If I touch the car icon then a voice nav button it launches HERE Drive with the route loaded.
  • Reply 18 of 22
    fracfrac Posts: 480member
    elijahg said:
    And still the more prosperous south of England gets ignored, apart from London. Middlesbrough?!? Really?!
    Cultural center of the UK isn't it?  ;)
    No, that would be Norwich   :#

    The UK is oddly un-represented tho' I did see an Apple camera van(pretty sure) on the M11 which, given you can't stop, is redundant..
    elijahg
  • Reply 19 of 22
    I wonder why it's "Birmingham, England", "Edinburgh, Scotland"... yet it's "Middlesbrough, UK". 
  • Reply 20 of 22
    cashxxcashxx Posts: 114member
    Wish they'd do Pittsburgh; one of the more picturesque cities in the country, it's just begging to get the 3D treatment.
    Oh, for crying out loud. I swear it wasn't there the other day! Cool. :)
    Pittsburgh was done the last update.  But still won't work for me for some reason.  I have 3 Macs and and iPhone and can't get it on all of them for some reason.  This latest list doesn't work either.  Don't get it!
    justadcomics
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