My feelings too. Apple should have simply left the choice to the consumer.
They couldn't. Apple's agreement with Google expires this year. This might put a dent in sales, unfortunately, which is what Google and Samsung want. Wait till the next version of Samsung ads - they would be foolish not to mock Maps.
Definitely needs work! And I know Apple will make it right. The sooner the better though. Views of the ground, less than a mile up, look like a bowl of oatmeal! And in Flyover, the Billy Penn statue on the top of Philadelphia City Hall just looks like an amorphous monolith of metal! It is not recognizable AT ALL as a person. Also, the Frank Rizzo statue across the street is non-existent!
On the good side, the turn by turn worked well in my dense suburban area.
Earlier versions of Google Maps couldn't find me even though my house was 5-7 years old at the time. Regardless, this is why i'm waiting a while to install ios6.
For their first trip into the maps department, I think it's a great start. They'll catch up to Google and soon enough Google will have their own app if you choose to use that instead.
From what I can gather Apple went their own way with Maps because their licence with Google for maps had run out - there could be a multitude of reasons why it didn't get renewed (cost / advertising requirements / etc) but I'm guessing the growing animosity over android is a huge one and probably the prime reason Apple also dropped the Youtube app, although this could also be because in the 6 years since the first iPhone most of youtube now works nicely as HTML 5 in Safari so a seperate app is no longer a necessity to circumvent flash.
I wonder how long Google are going to let Apple face the flack for this before swooping in with their own Google Maps iOS app to somehow save the day?
Personally on the Apple Maps side of things it is a pretty good effort for a version 1.0 app and I like the smoothness of the vector scaling and turn by turn built in. The problem is that it has replaced a version 6.0 app people are noticing the 5 point step backwards in maturity and it is coming as a bit of a shock. One positive of this whole debarkle is that pretty much all of the issues are with back end server data and so should be easily fixed / updated behind the scenes without any need to update devices.
I'm expecting Apple to throw a whole heap of manpower at this and quickly as the "maps = bad" stories are starting to drown the "everything else = good" iOS 6 / iPhone 5 news stories.
Ouch. Glad I decided to hold off on upgrading. Hopefully they can get it up to snuff soon! Was looking forward to the built-in navigation...
Comments like this makes no sense.
If you're still on iOS 5/4/3 you don't have built-in turn-by-turn navigation anyhow. The shaky start of iOS 6 Maps shouldn't be the sole reason not to upgrade. You could continue to use the same third-party turn-by-turn solutions you've been using all along if you don't like what iOS 6 Maps gives you.
As a matter of fact, I think I've tried 8-10 GPS navi apps and most of them have their silly faults, particularly in rural areas.
They couldn't. Apple's agreement with Google expires this year. This might put a dent in sales, unfortunately, which is what Google and Samsung want. Wait till the next version of Samsung ads - they would be foolish not to mock Maps.
It's not likely to put any dent in sales. First, people can still use Google Maps if they wish. And Google is likely to put out a standalone app, as well.
Second, you're always going to hear from complainers in cases like this. Even if the new Maps is 99.99999999% perfect and 100 times better than Google, you'll hear complaints. It's not perfect, but it's still very good. If you have a data error, then notify them and it will be fixed.
Wait, wait, are people really elevating Google Maps to some holy level, as if it were end the end all be all of mapping software?
Google Maps was ok. At best. And it was only ok because it was free.
I can't tell you how many times Google gave me poor or even wrong directions. If I wasn't super specific with a search, it would find a POI that's not close to me. It would return POIs that make no sense. Etc.
Unless you're in an area with poor Maps support, take all of this with a grain of salt. For most users, there will be no problems. And you won't hear from them. The only people you'll hear are those who are having a problem. It's not an accurate representation of the collective opinion.
If you like Google Maps better, you can always use it by hitting maps.google.com in Safari. And you can even make it a shortcut icon to the home screen.
So. Why anger? Use your brain, not mouth.
The web version for mobile devices is hardly as good as the actual app. That is not a solution.
Google Maps -- the agreement between Apple & Google was up for renewal this year, and obviously the terms were not acceptable to either or both of the parties involved. So Apple must have been left in a position of having no Maps app or developing its own version using non-Google sources. Had Apple chosen to abandon Maps altogether, the outcry would have been far worse -- better to have a mostly usable app than no app at all.
I can remember when Google Maps & Google Earth were released -- my city (large city in the UK) had low resolution satellite images that looked like tree tops. We had to wait nearly two years to get the high resolution versions. Also, most of their maps are way out of date: an empty plot where a building has been standing for over three years. Another building in the early stages of construction (only the steel work showing) was there for five years after the official opening.
iOS standard (vector) maps for my city are fine, and so is route planning from where I live to my sister's house some 160 miles away in NW England (gave me three routes to choose from). Postcode search is better in the new Maps app than it was/is in Google Maps and Navigon. The satellite images are just blobs and mostly unusable -- I would guess that the image rendering in Maps isn't up to scratch.
Apple needed to get its own mapping on iOS not just because of the contractual impasse: Apple needs to be independent of Google simply because the fight against Android is just beginning to warm up and things are likely to get pretty hot (thermonuclear -- I wonder how GWB would have pronounced that) soon.
Wait, wait, are people really elevating Google Maps to some holy level, as if it were end the end all be all of mapping software?
Google Maps was ok. At best. And it was only ok because it was free.
I can't tell you how many times Google gave me poor or even wrong directions. If I wasn't super specific with a search, it would find a POI that's not close to me. It would return POIs that make no sense. Etc.
Unless you're in an area with poor Maps support, take all of this with a grain of salt. For most users, there will be no problems. And you won't hear from them. The only people you'll hear are those who are having a problem. It's not an accurate representation of the collective opinion.
But they've *already* had all that time in development.
Why are we being asked to wait for something we already had?
Apple could have at least made their Map app as an App Store offering, with a *Beta* disclaimer somewhere, until it was ready. OR NOT RELEASE IT AT ALL UNTIL IT WAS PERFECT.
The way these datasets work, they actually need to be corrected by the end user. That's why there is a "Report a Problem" button behind the map. Unfortunately, Google's map data is only good because we've had 6 years or so of people sending in complaints about the data and Google fixing the data.
This is the main problem I have about this article and the others I've read. They focus on funny data problems like the phantom airport in the article above, when those are just errors in the dataset that are easily corrected.
Personally, I am seriously disappointed with the app and think it's an absolute POS so far, but not because of data errors.
It's a POS because of the missing functionality (Streetview for example), which will *never* be replaced.
It's a POS because of it's insaneOVER-focus on cars and turn by turn.
It's a POS because you have to decide which type of directions (car/walk/bus) you want *before* you actually search for a route.
It's a POS because once you have routed, you cannot then go back and see what it would be like if you took a car or bus instead.
It's a POS because they didn't even *try* to make it work properly outside of the USA
It's a POS because lots of cities with freely available, open-source, 3D data are not 3D in the app
But the thing everyone is focussing on is the data errors instead. :-/
The data errors make good copy but people should be focussing on what a steaming pile of poop the app itself is, not the data.
I love the new Maps app! Accuracy seems to be just fine in the Seattle/Redmond area where I live. The app is faster and much smoother than Google Maps. I also love how it displays turn by turn directions, remembers previous searches (no way!) and of course, how the vector based graphics don't shrink labels like the old Google app did. Huge improvement!
Wow. Cut the wool covering your eyes! Even the biggest Apple lovers hates the new maps
Obviously the information being wrong on maps is worrisome. But I find the overall experience in maps MUCH better– faster movement, clear updating, turn by turn, etc.
This is growing pains, guys. I have no doubt apple will start to fill in the blanks and fix the issues going forward. Here are a couple of suggestions for people frustrated with Maps:
(1) Get the free app AroundMe. They still use google for their location data, and it takes one tap to have the location you find show up in Maps for navigation.
(2) Report bad location info to apple. You can tap on any feature on the screen and then post an update as to what data is wrong.
Google Maps -- the agreement between Apple & Google was up for renewal this year, and obviously the terms were not acceptable to either or both of the parties involved.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
My feelings too. Apple should have simply left the choice to the consumer.
They couldn't. Apple's agreement with Google expires this year. This might put a dent in sales, unfortunately, which is what Google and Samsung want. Wait till the next version of Samsung ads - they would be foolish not to mock Maps.
On the good side, the turn by turn worked well in my dense suburban area.
Well said. My feelings exactly.
From what I can gather Apple went their own way with Maps because their licence with Google for maps had run out - there could be a multitude of reasons why it didn't get renewed (cost / advertising requirements / etc) but I'm guessing the growing animosity over android is a huge one and probably the prime reason Apple also dropped the Youtube app, although this could also be because in the 6 years since the first iPhone most of youtube now works nicely as HTML 5 in Safari so a seperate app is no longer a necessity to circumvent flash.
I wonder how long Google are going to let Apple face the flack for this before swooping in with their own Google Maps iOS app to somehow save the day?
Personally on the Apple Maps side of things it is a pretty good effort for a version 1.0 app and I like the smoothness of the vector scaling and turn by turn built in. The problem is that it has replaced a version 6.0 app people are noticing the 5 point step backwards in maturity and it is coming as a bit of a shock. One positive of this whole debarkle is that pretty much all of the issues are with back end server data and so should be easily fixed / updated behind the scenes without any need to update devices.
I'm expecting Apple to throw a whole heap of manpower at this and quickly as the "maps = bad" stories are starting to drown the "everything else = good" iOS 6 / iPhone 5 news stories.
If you're still on iOS 5/4/3 you don't have built-in turn-by-turn navigation anyhow. The shaky start of iOS 6 Maps shouldn't be the sole reason not to upgrade. You could continue to use the same third-party turn-by-turn solutions you've been using all along if you don't like what iOS 6 Maps gives you.
As a matter of fact, I think I've tried 8-10 GPS navi apps and most of them have their silly faults, particularly in rural areas.
It's not likely to put any dent in sales. First, people can still use Google Maps if they wish. And Google is likely to put out a standalone app, as well.
Second, you're always going to hear from complainers in cases like this. Even if the new Maps is 99.99999999% perfect and 100 times better than Google, you'll hear complaints. It's not perfect, but it's still very good. If you have a data error, then notify them and it will be fixed.
That's a feature.
Google Maps was ok. At best. And it was only ok because it was free.
I can't tell you how many times Google gave me poor or even wrong directions. If I wasn't super specific with a search, it would find a POI that's not close to me. It would return POIs that make no sense. Etc.
Unless you're in an area with poor Maps support, take all of this with a grain of salt. For most users, there will be no problems. And you won't hear from them. The only people you'll hear are those who are having a problem. It's not an accurate representation of the collective opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netimoon
If you like Google Maps better, you can always use it by hitting maps.google.com in Safari. And you can even make it a shortcut icon to the home screen.
So. Why anger? Use your brain, not mouth.
The web version for mobile devices is hardly as good as the actual app. That is not a solution.
Google Maps -- the agreement between Apple & Google was up for renewal this year, and obviously the terms were not acceptable to either or both of the parties involved. So Apple must have been left in a position of having no Maps app or developing its own version using non-Google sources. Had Apple chosen to abandon Maps altogether, the outcry would have been far worse -- better to have a mostly usable app than no app at all.
I can remember when Google Maps & Google Earth were released -- my city (large city in the UK) had low resolution satellite images that looked like tree tops. We had to wait nearly two years to get the high resolution versions. Also, most of their maps are way out of date: an empty plot where a building has been standing for over three years. Another building in the early stages of construction (only the steel work showing) was there for five years after the official opening.
iOS standard (vector) maps for my city are fine, and so is route planning from where I live to my sister's house some 160 miles away in NW England (gave me three routes to choose from). Postcode search is better in the new Maps app than it was/is in Google Maps and Navigon. The satellite images are just blobs and mostly unusable -- I would guess that the image rendering in Maps isn't up to scratch.
Apple needed to get its own mapping on iOS not just because of the contractual impasse: Apple needs to be independent of Google simply because the fight against Android is just beginning to warm up and things are likely to get pretty hot (thermonuclear -- I wonder how GWB would have pronounced that) soon.
Truly disappointing. The image quality looks more like 2000 than 2012 and there are multiple errors that I can see within 10 miles of my home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jigjag69
Wow. ISheep have something negative to say about God (Apple)
Do note, that we're just complaining about ONE app, and it's not a deal-breaker.
There are competitors out there who can barely get an entire platform off the ground never mind, mess up just one app.
It just goes to show how Apple spoils their users in every other way.
I'm pissed about the Map app, sure, but iOS is *so* good that I can live with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
Wait, wait, are people really elevating Google Maps to some holy level, as if it were end the end all be all of mapping software?
Google Maps was ok. At best. And it was only ok because it was free.
I can't tell you how many times Google gave me poor or even wrong directions. If I wasn't super specific with a search, it would find a POI that's not close to me. It would return POIs that make no sense. Etc.
Unless you're in an area with poor Maps support, take all of this with a grain of salt. For most users, there will be no problems. And you won't hear from them. The only people you'll hear are those who are having a problem. It's not an accurate representation of the collective opinion.
This ^^
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610
But they've *already* had all that time in development.
Why are we being asked to wait for something we already had?
Apple could have at least made their Map app as an App Store offering, with a *Beta* disclaimer somewhere, until it was ready. OR NOT RELEASE IT AT ALL UNTIL IT WAS PERFECT.
The way these datasets work, they actually need to be corrected by the end user. That's why there is a "Report a Problem" button behind the map. Unfortunately, Google's map data is only good because we've had 6 years or so of people sending in complaints about the data and Google fixing the data.
This is the main problem I have about this article and the others I've read. They focus on funny data problems like the phantom airport in the article above, when those are just errors in the dataset that are easily corrected.
Personally, I am seriously disappointed with the app and think it's an absolute POS so far, but not because of data errors.
It's a POS because of the missing functionality (Streetview for example), which will *never* be replaced.
It's a POS because of it's insane OVER-focus on cars and turn by turn.
It's a POS because you have to decide which type of directions (car/walk/bus) you want *before* you actually search for a route.
It's a POS because once you have routed, you cannot then go back and see what it would be like if you took a car or bus instead.
It's a POS because they didn't even *try* to make it work properly outside of the USA
It's a POS because lots of cities with freely available, open-source, 3D data are not 3D in the app
But the thing everyone is focussing on is the data errors instead. :-/
The data errors make good copy but people should be focussing on what a steaming pile of poop the app itself is, not the data.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tricksy
I love the new Maps app! Accuracy seems to be just fine in the Seattle/Redmond area where I live. The app is faster and much smoother than Google Maps. I also love how it displays turn by turn directions, remembers previous searches (no way!) and of course, how the vector based graphics don't shrink labels like the old Google app did. Huge improvement!
Wow. Cut the wool covering your eyes! Even the biggest Apple lovers hates the new maps
This is growing pains, guys. I have no doubt apple will start to fill in the blanks and fix the issues going forward. Here are a couple of suggestions for people frustrated with Maps:
(1) Get the free app AroundMe. They still use google for their location data, and it takes one tap to have the location you find show up in Maps for navigation.
(2) Report bad location info to apple. You can tap on any feature on the screen and then post an update as to what data is wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sip
Google Maps -- the agreement between Apple & Google was up for renewal this year, and obviously the terms were not acceptable to either or both of the parties involved.
I'd like to see some verification of this.