Official Google Maps iOS app released for iPhone and iPad

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Just hours after reports surfaced that Google would be releasing a standalone iOS app powered by its expansive mapping service, the official Google Maps app made its way to the App Store and is available for download now.

Google Maps iOS
Source: Google via iTunes


The wait for Google's official Google Maps app is over as the company released the free app late Wednesday night, complete with turn-by-turn navigation, Street View and transit information.

Many have been awaiting the standalone app's release after the erstwhile Google Maps-powered software previously found in iOS was removed in iOS 6. With the most recent operating system, Apple replaced the Google Maps-powered Maps app with a proprietary solution that leverages location data from TomTom, among other navigation companies.

Longtime iOS users will feel at home with Google's new mapping app, as the overall look is much the same as the legacy Maps and the Google Maps web client. However, the user interface is completely redesigned and takes on cues from other Google iOS apps like YouTube and Gmail. Multi-touch gestures are supported with all features available with the swipe of a thumb.

Making a comeback to the native iOS app is Street View, the lack of which was the source of complaints heard from a number of iDevice users. In place of the Google-built feature, Apple implemented a 3D tool dubbed Flyover, which provides a bird's-eye view of certain large metropolitan areas around the world. While not as comprehensive as Street View, Flyover does offer a unique and detailed look at a supported city with fairly quick load times compared to other competing services.





From Google Maps' official blog:
The world around us is constantly changing and, thanks to feedback from you, we make tens of thousands of daily updates to keep Google Maps accurate and comprehensive. Here?s a helpful hint for the new app: if you see something off, simply shake your phone to send us feedback.
Alongside the rollout, Google also released the Google Maps SDK for iOS, to help developers integrate the mapping service into their own third-party apps. The SDK will also allow app makers to bypass Apple's own iOS Maps, which was met with criticism when it launched in September.

Earlier on Wednesday, sources told All Things D that the internet search giant would be rolling out Google Maps for iOS later tonight, but offered no details regarding the product.

Google Maps weighs in at 6.7 MB and can be downloaded through the App Store.

From the App Store description:
Search
  • Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.
  • Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.
  • Sign in to sync your searches, directions, and favorite places between your computer and your phone.

  • Directions
  • Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.
  • Find your way by train, bus, subway or walking directions.
  • Access live traffic information in cities across the world.

  • Street View and imagery
  • View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.
  • See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.
  • View high resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

  • Simple and easy to use
  • An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.
  • Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.
  • Use gestures to explore the map and browse results.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 140


    "The item is no longer available"

  • Reply 2 of 140


    Same here.  Has anyone actually been able to download it?

  • Reply 3 of 140
    Pulled already!!!!
  • Reply 4 of 140
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member

    Not in Australia

    Update, now it is.
  • Reply 5 of 140
    App just got kicked out of apple App Store! FU Apple!
  • Reply 6 of 140
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member


    Just tried it on my iPhone 5; it renders faster and general outperforms the native Maps for me. Satellite view looks better as well. Will have to wait until tomorrow, however, to see how the turn-by-turn navigation compares.


     


     


     


    Quote:


    Google Maps for iOS is the best-designed maps app on any platform and challenges even Google Maps on Android for speed. That sounds like hyperbole, but on the iPhone 5 the new Google Maps app seems faster and is definitely better-designed than even Google Maps on Android. If Apple CEO Tim Cook is looking for examples of how to do a maps app right on the iPhone — or on any platform — Google has provided the answer.



     


    http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/12/3760770/google-maps-iphone-available-features-navigation-transit

  • Reply 7 of 140
    Not available and not needed. Apple maps work just fine.
  • Reply 8 of 140

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Kingron View Post



    Not available and not needed. Apple maps work just fine.


    I agree, though it is good to have options.  I felt the whole MapGate was way overblown and the problems are rapidly being fixed.  Plus Apple Maps does have gorgeous UI.

  • Reply 9 of 140


    Live and installed for me. Quick 2 minute test proves to be awesome. Fast, fluid, turn by turn all there, multi angel rotation works, no complaints. 

  • Reply 10 of 140
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member


    Seems to be functional enough. It is not a universal app, so it looks poor on an iPad. Vectorized data, so zooming seems to be OK. I haven't been able to find street view.

  • Reply 11 of 140
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Why couldn't Google just have done turn-by-turn before the fight? They ended up doing it anyway!

    Btw, not available on App Store.
  • Reply 12 of 140


    Downloaded it just seconds ago at 23.41 in Montreal without problem

  • Reply 13 of 140
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    No longer available
  • Reply 14 of 140

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post


    Seems to be functional enough. It is not a universal app, so it looks poor on an iPad. Vectorized data, so zooming seems to be OK. I haven't been able to find street view.



    This is for iPhone only as of now. AI has the title wrong.


     


    "but sadly it's not designed to work on the iPad. Google says that will come later. Graf also said that the goal is to maintain a parity between iOS and Android going forward"


    http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/12/3760770/google-maps-iphone-available-features-navigation-transit

  • Reply 15 of 140
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by thataveragejoe View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post


    Seems to be functional enough. It is not a universal app, so it looks poor on an iPad. Vectorized data, so zooming seems to be OK. I haven't been able to find street view.



    This is for iPhone only as of now. AI has the title wrong.


     


    "but sadly it's not designed to work on the iPad. Google says that will come later. Graf also said that the goal is to maintain a parity between iOS and Android going forward"


    http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/12/3760770/google-maps-iphone-available-features-navigation-transit



     


    It certainly looks better on my IP5, and having found how to get into street view, that is smooth. Overall the interface is not as nice as Apple Maps IMO.

  • Reply 16 of 140
    Live and installed for me. Quick 2 minute test proves to be awesome. Fast, fluid, turn by turn all there, multi angel rotation works, no complaints. 

    Yup agree. Street view was nice and fluid. Note, for me at least, app does not show up in the app store search, but link from article worked.
    Is it possible to use Siri with it? However, except for street view(awesome), apple app for 'basic stuff and local' is just as good(although I don't care for the color contrast)
  • Reply 17 of 140
    i cannot find it by searching, but if you click the link in the aricle - it indirects you to it in the itunes store - where i was able to download it
  • Reply 18 of 140


    When I try to download it, I get the error "This item is temporarily unavailable, try again later".

  • Reply 19 of 140
    The app seems well made. It was fast and fluid when doing searches and rendering the maps. Public transit is as good as I can imagine it could be, and by that I mean it's excellent. Mapping appear to be vectored. It's not as pretty as Apple Maps, but that was to be expected. Street View looks is there, looks good and is also fluid. Optimized for the iPhone 5.

    I did find this funny...

    [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/17737/width/350/height/700[/IMG]


    As previously stated in another thread, this is a win-win for Apple and customers. if Apple had kept with Google we would not have had Google pushing effort into a great 3rd party app and we would have been stuck with another year (or more) of the sub-par backend offerings Google was giving users on iOS. I'll personally keep the app on my last page so if I need public transit, Street View, or a 2nd opinion t'll be there, but I'll stick with Apple Maps as my primary and TomTom app for my road trips.
  • Reply 20 of 140


    "The item you tried to buy is no longer available."  11:56 pm EST

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