Apple still pushing to improve iOS Maps Flyover with new hires
Recent job postings from Apple indicate that the tech giant is still looking to expand its team to address quality issues that sprung up when it switched from Google's mapping system to its own in-house Maps app.
Monday and Tuesday saw no fewer than seven map-related job listings posted to Apple's corporate site. The listings call for software engineers to be tasked with improving Apple's much-maligned mapping solution. One listing in particular calls for a computer-vision expert, who will take on improving Flyover, Apple's 3D terrain visualization feature.
This is the second sizable Maps-related job posting in as many weeks, indicating that Apple is significantly stepping up its effort to bring its mapping solution up to par with that of market leader Google, whose Maps app Apple abandoned with the introduction of iOS 6. Most recently, Apple put out listings seeking ten software engineers to contribute to iOS Maps, with nine handling assorted programming duties and the tenth assigned to navigation.
In addition to the Flyover posting, Apple's listings today include the call for a "senior software engineer to build highly-optimized vector content for our Maps application," as well as a Geocoder Data Analyst to "work to improve a corner stone of" Apple's mapping program.
Apple's iOS Maps debuted in September of 2012 along with iOS 6. While largely praised for bringing features such as turn-by-turn navigation to Apple's platform at last, the app drew criticism and complaints from a range of users, who found inaccuracies in the location data and faulty rendering of the 3D flyover data.
Apple jumped on the problem almost immediately, issuing an apology to its customers, as well as firing responsible parties. The company then began assembling a team to tackle the issue, and has been occasionally adding staff to that team since.
Monday and Tuesday saw no fewer than seven map-related job listings posted to Apple's corporate site. The listings call for software engineers to be tasked with improving Apple's much-maligned mapping solution. One listing in particular calls for a computer-vision expert, who will take on improving Flyover, Apple's 3D terrain visualization feature.
This is the second sizable Maps-related job posting in as many weeks, indicating that Apple is significantly stepping up its effort to bring its mapping solution up to par with that of market leader Google, whose Maps app Apple abandoned with the introduction of iOS 6. Most recently, Apple put out listings seeking ten software engineers to contribute to iOS Maps, with nine handling assorted programming duties and the tenth assigned to navigation.
In addition to the Flyover posting, Apple's listings today include the call for a "senior software engineer to build highly-optimized vector content for our Maps application," as well as a Geocoder Data Analyst to "work to improve a corner stone of" Apple's mapping program.
Apple's iOS Maps debuted in September of 2012 along with iOS 6. While largely praised for bringing features such as turn-by-turn navigation to Apple's platform at last, the app drew criticism and complaints from a range of users, who found inaccuracies in the location data and faulty rendering of the 3D flyover data.
Apple jumped on the problem almost immediately, issuing an apology to its customers, as well as firing responsible parties. The company then began assembling a team to tackle the issue, and has been occasionally adding staff to that team since.
Comments
"Flyover" works fine it just needs to be expanded beyond the two or three US only cities it is available in. The project is humongous if you think about it, I'm not sure how they will ever get it done even if they have decades to do it.
I mean here it is a year later already and Maps still has pretty much all the errors it originally had. It still has no transit information. It still has very little information about stores, restaurants, etc. It still has only a few cities in "Flyover." No new cities have been announced. No new "partners" have stepped forward to stream information into it.
I think Maps will be remembered as the time Apple bit off far more than it could chew. Other than the continental USA, I don't see how they will ever get the project anywhere even close to completion without hiring massive amounts of extra employees around the globe specifically for this purpose, and we know that isn't likely to happen.
Steve Jobs is rolling in his grave that end consumers have to play "systems integrator" to display new york subway stops on the map app.
Quote:
Originally Posted by winstein2010
I kind remember years ago reading Google Map team was comprised of only 12 full time engineers. It was a nice feature in the past, Smartphones are making maps much more useful than ever.
That's just the "team" at headquarters. Google hires tens of thousands of independent contractors around the world to drive around in cars and take the pictures for street view for example. They have hikers and bicyclists doing the same thing. This is what Apple needs.
It also needs more than just Yelp integration. In my city only one in every eight or ten businesses are even marked on the map because that's how many are in Yelp. Google uses phone book information as well as things like Yelp so while there may not be details on all the businesses, they at least show up on the map with the correct address and phone number.
Apple has a history of starting some project like this and thinking they can get away with their usual team of five guys, but then failing miserably later because the team cannot reasonably be expanded and they kinda don't want to expand it anyway (iChat, Pages, etc.).
Apple Maps is just a more high profile failure of the same type so far.
You could stop using that image that's been 'repaired' a long time ago.
Maybe just use an image of Kyoto, which still looks like total crap.
That's just the "team" at headquarters. Google hires tens of thousands of independent contractors around the world to drive around in cars and take the pictures for street view for example. They have hikers and bicyclists doing the same thing. This is what Apple needs.
It also needs more than just Yelp integration. In my city only one in every eight or ten businesses are even marked on the map because that's how many are in Yelp. Google uses phone book information as well as things like Yelp so while there may not be details on all the businesses, they at least show up on the map with the correct address and phone number.
Apple has a history of starting some project like this and thinking they can get away with their usual team of five guys, but then failing miserably later because the team cannot reasonably be expanded and they kinda don't want to expand it anyway (iChat, Pages, etc.).
Apple Maps is just a more high profile failure of the same type so far.
[/quote
Looks like you know more about Apple is going to do next than Apple themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
... I mean here it is a year later already and Maps still has pretty much all the errors it originally had. ...
Uhm, I know time moves faster on the Internet, but it's still only been about 5 months, not a year, since iOS 6 and the new Maps were released.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Maps "Flyover" doesn't need to be "improved." This is bad phrasing at best.
"Flyover" works fine it just needs to be expanded beyond the two or three US only cities it is available in. The project is humongous if you think about it, I'm not sure how they will ever get it done even if they have decades to do it.
I mean here it is a year later already and Maps still has pretty much all the errors it originally had. It still has no transit information. It still has very little information about stores, restaurants, etc. It still has only a few cities in "Flyover." No new cities have been announced. No new "partners" have stepped forward to stream information into it.
I think Maps will be remembered as the time Apple bit off far more than it could chew. Other than the continental USA, I don't see how they will ever get the project anywhere even close to completion without hiring massive amounts of extra employees around the globe specifically for this purpose, and we know that isn't likely to happen.
Actually, there have been improvements -- especially in the latest iOS beta. Here are 2:
Hover Dam is fixed...
A city with population of 46,000 has good 3D flyover...
I think Apple should do some 3D Flyover promotionals of tourist destinations* then entertain offers from others.
* Rhine Cruise / Danube Cruise
Hawaii
DisneyLand / Disney World
Mecca - Medina
Paris
Lyon France has great 3D Flyover... Paris, none...
That would be fine if Google updated their information regularly. In the UK many of the businesses marked on Google maps have long since disappeared to be replaced by new businesses
Google has been working on maps for over ten years. For a first release Apple did fine. Apple's biggest mistake was not going the Google route and calling it a beta.
In the US turn by turn data seems first rate. The largest problem is relying on Yelp for point of interest data because 1) it is often incorrect in many regards, and 2) Yelp is slow on making corrections. If Apple wants to compete against Google, it needs to bring POI data in house and dedicate a team to make daily corrections.
The 1st thing they need to fix it the Maps' App icon.
No one just drives off an overpass onto the highway...
Originally Posted by walletinspector
No one intelligent just drives off an overpass onto the highway…
There we go.
I continue to love the new Maps application (ignoring the data behind it), and continue to think the maps are easier to read. I love the turn by turn as well.
Flyover for me is a gimmick and I don't really care what they do with it. I thought the same of Street View.
Where Maps constantly falls down though is search. It consistently fails to find things that Google Maps locates no problem. I'm not out in the middle of nowhere either - it fails in the Bay Area. If they fix that, Google Maps will be deleted from my iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Maps "Flyover" doesn't need to be "improved." This is bad phrasing at best.
"Flyover" works fine it just needs to be expanded beyond the two or three US only cities it is available in. The project is humongous if you think about it, I'm not sure how they will ever get it done even if they have decades to do it.
I mean here it is a year later already and Maps still has pretty much all the errors it originally had. It still has no transit information. It still has very little information about stores, restaurants, etc. It still has only a few cities in "Flyover." No new cities have been announced. No new "partners" have stepped forward to stream information into it.
I think Maps will be remembered as the time Apple bit off far more than it could chew. Other than the continental USA, I don't see how they will ever get the project anywhere even close to completion without hiring massive amounts of extra employees around the globe specifically for this purpose, and we know that isn't likely to happen.
All that being said, creating their maps was still the very best option out of a boat of bad options. Yes, it bit off more than it could chew perhaps- but it had no choice. It couldn't stay chained to Google forever which would ALWAYS cripple the app compared to the Android version- and all the other mapping solutions are shit (ie. bing is much worse than Apple maps). This is a solution that yes, is painful for some in the short-term, but for the long term it was ABSOLUTELY the right choice, and the ONLY choice, for a responsible and ambitious company like Apple. It can now intergrate the app and take it in directions which would have been impossible if someone else controlled it.
Oh, and it hasn't been out for a year. And yes, it has improved, significantly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Recent job postings from Apple indicate that the tech giant is still looking to expand its team to address quality issues that sprung up when it switched from Google's mapping system to its own in-house Maps app.
......
That image is out of date. The dam is now shown perfect.