Street View functionality coming to Google Maps web app in two weeks, report says
In yet another article regarding Apple's bemoaned iOS Maps, The New York Times claims that Google will be adding Street View functionality to its web app in as little as two weeks, giving iOS 6 users access to the exclusive Google Maps feature.
The information was revealed by NYT technology journalist David Pogue in a Wednesday report regarding a recent experience with the new iOS Maps.
Apparently Pogue used Apple's new mapping service to guide him to a speaking engagement and, while the interface was clean and the directions were clear, the system ended up taking him to the wrong destination, making him late for his talk. The tech writer's troubles echo earlier reports of incorrect, old or missing location data.
Pogue slammed Apple's foray into map making, saying "Maps is an appalling first release. It may be the most embarrassing, least usable piece of software Apple has ever unleashed," but unlike similar reports, offered alternatives to the service and in doing so let loose that Google would be rolling out Street View for its iOS-compatible web app in two weeks.
From Pogue's report:
Currently, the Google Maps web app does not support Street View.
In replacing Google Maps in iOS 6 with its own proprietary solution, Apple lost the Street View feature Google spent years to build, substituting it with a 3D rendering function called Flyover. Although a nice addition to iOS Maps, Flyover is limited to certain major metropolitan areas and some say the functionality is not as useful as an on-the-ground view of a location's surroundings.
Later in the report, Pogue noted Apple is taking full responsibility for the missing features, including incorrect place names.
?We own this; we manage the vendors," said an anonymous Apple executive. "This is no one?s issue but ours."
Last week, Apple issued a statement regarding the complaints over iOS Maps, promising that the service is a work in progress and would get better with time.
The information was revealed by NYT technology journalist David Pogue in a Wednesday report regarding a recent experience with the new iOS Maps.
Apparently Pogue used Apple's new mapping service to guide him to a speaking engagement and, while the interface was clean and the directions were clear, the system ended up taking him to the wrong destination, making him late for his talk. The tech writer's troubles echo earlier reports of incorrect, old or missing location data.
Pogue slammed Apple's foray into map making, saying "Maps is an appalling first release. It may be the most embarrassing, least usable piece of software Apple has ever unleashed," but unlike similar reports, offered alternatives to the service and in doing so let loose that Google would be rolling out Street View for its iOS-compatible web app in two weeks.
From Pogue's report:
You can still use Google?s maps ? on the Web. Visit maps.google.com and accept the offer to create a Home-screen icon for you. You won?t get spoken directions, but you?ll get written directions, public transportation details, live traffic reports and, of course, Google?s far superior maps and data. (In two weeks, you?ll be able to get Street View this way, too, says Google.) And you can install the Google Plus Local app for full access to Google?s more complete database of shops and businesses.
Currently, the Google Maps web app does not support Street View.
In replacing Google Maps in iOS 6 with its own proprietary solution, Apple lost the Street View feature Google spent years to build, substituting it with a 3D rendering function called Flyover. Although a nice addition to iOS Maps, Flyover is limited to certain major metropolitan areas and some say the functionality is not as useful as an on-the-ground view of a location's surroundings.
Later in the report, Pogue noted Apple is taking full responsibility for the missing features, including incorrect place names.
?We own this; we manage the vendors," said an anonymous Apple executive. "This is no one?s issue but ours."
Last week, Apple issued a statement regarding the complaints over iOS Maps, promising that the service is a work in progress and would get better with time.
Comments
The Google mobile web app is still terrible.
iOS Apps + the upcoming update to Garmin, for Street View. For those not in the mood to shell out for a GPS, I suppose the Google Maps web app will do.
I'm over the whole iOS Maps flap, anyway. It doesn't matter, in retrospect, nearly as much as I thought. *shrugs*
IOS 6 maps rocks for me ! No issues yet and I will bet in less than 2 years it will be far better than google maps was after their first 2 years....
Quote:
Originally Posted by lalaruza
IOS 6 maps rocks for me ! No issues yet and I will bet in less than 2 years it will be far better than google maps was after their first 2 years....
The sad reality is that Google Maps in the iPhone 1.0, 5 years ago, was far better and had more features than the pathetic Apple Map in iOS 6. So you think the Apple Map will be better in 2 years compared to what Google Map was 8 years ago? That is not an improvement. Apple admitted that their Map app was an inferior product in their latest press statement. Too late for Apple on that one. They should have kept the Google Map app and released their app as a beta until they could get it right, at least to be feature-matching with Google Map.
Originally Posted by Takeo
Flyover is fun to play with…
So less than a quarter of a second before claiming it's useless, you prove that it isn't useless. Thanks for that; what was the point of the post again?
I all of the times I have used Google Maps on my phone, I've never used StreetView there. I've used it on my PC and printed pictures of where I was going. I respect that others have a different view on that score, but for me, the absence just ain't that big a deal.
I'll have to wait to upgrade my iP4 in order to fully evaluate it, though. In the meantime, Waze and Mapquest serve me well for navigation, and the new Maps seems to work decently for just looking stuff up.
/bs
1. Open in Safari on iOS6
2. Save to Home Screen
HTML5 for Maps. That's what I've been using and works great. routing including public transport and richer map data including voice guidance
Quote:
Originally Posted by hillstones
The sad reality is that Google Maps in the iPhone 1.0, 5 years ago, was far better and had more features than the pathetic Apple Map in iOS 6. So you think the Apple Map will be better in 2 years compared to what Google Map was 8 years ago? That is not an improvement. Apple admitted that their Map app was an inferior product in their latest press statement. Too late for Apple on that one. They should have kept the Google Map app and released their app as a beta until they could get it right, at least to be feature-matching with Google Map.
...and the five year old version was what iPhone users were stuck with until iOS 6 introduced TURN BY TURN VOICE NAVIGATION.
End stalemate.
Get over it.
HTFU
Quote:
Originally Posted by eat@me
Nokia Maps on iOS (Web App)
1. Open in Safari on iOS6
2. Save to Home Screen
HTML5 for Maps. That's what I've been using and works great. routing including public transport and richer map data including voice guidance
Too bad it doesn't have my street, I live in the middle of a big blank area, they are a bit slow with updating their maps.
That was still some 5-7 years after they started. Folks need to go back to the first year of the program that Google bought for their maps and see how perfect it wasn't. THAT is what is comparable to ios maps
And yet Apple was the one that got shit for cache location data that could only track you if someone had your iPhone, the computer you were doing iTunes backups on or you voluntarily uploaded the data to them.
I for one like the new maps. They have worked flawlessly for me. But bad press is bad press, it doesn't make it right. I have a friend who was going to make the switch to iOS, I had been working on him for over a year and finally had him sold. Then he read the review on iOS6 maps and decided not to switch.
Sadly, I won't be surprised to hear Google market share showing impressive growth this next year.
To Apple: I live in one of the top twenty largest cities in the US, one of the world's largest universities, and one of the top corporate headquarters per capita regions....seriously you should have 3D maps for us. Maps is half baked, I like it, but Steve probably would have kept it hidden until iOS7.
Is this things out of place/stuff mislocated thing contagious?
This happened to me many, many times with Google maps... In fact, I think that's why there are so many map alternatives on the App Store now - Because Google maps aren't up to snuff. It's all water under the bridge now, though.
Good riddance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
This just pisses me off. What this means is that just as everyone has always suspected, Google has been using Flash for Streetview for years when it didn't really have to. If they can get rid of it that fast, why (the f*ck) didn't they do this years and years ago?
Because they didn't give a shite about iOS users until they were rendered unnecessary. They used us for data and now that all of us are gone, they will push out whatever works immediately to get us back. I WON"T by into this Google crap anymore. I won't use their street view or web app. Apple's Map app is working fine for me and I've been using it alot for directions and haven't had ONE problem YET! It works for me and I'm happy to give Apple my Map support.
Originally Posted by djkikrome
Because they didn't give a shite about iOS users until they were rendered unnecessary. They used us for data and now that all of us are gone…
Well, about… what, a quarter to half of us are still around. The devices that can't get iOS 6, plus the devices that can that people will take their sweet time updating for whatever reason.
It'll be interesting to see how Google's revenue stream for Maps has fallen off in a month or so.