Apple hiring Maps experts, iOS 7 will recruit users to 'Help Improve Maps' with Frequent Locations

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 39
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,080member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dave MacLachlan View Post


    Dang. Wish I was a skilled enough programmer to apply to one of these positions!



     


    I would dearly love to QA for Apple, but I live practically on the other side of the country.  Last time I checked, it looked like all the positions were local to Cupertino.

  • Reply 22 of 39
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    markm929 wrote: »
    That is a great idea Richard!

    your comment immediately made me remember one of my favorite cartoons ...

    700
  • Reply 23 of 39
    richl wrote: »
    Your use of the past tense ("shifted") seems to indicate that you think that the original iOS Maps app was written by Google. It was not. It was an Apple-developed application that used Google's mapping data. Google didn't shift any resources away from iOS as there were none to begin with.

    Because The original iOS map was basically dependent on Google mapping data, I believe it's more of Google restricting Apple's iOS on new key features at that time like turn by turn. Google was reluctant to give up a key competitive advantage for Android which led to Apple rethinking their dependency on Google's mapping data. Point is competition brings good things to both iOS and Android users.
  • Reply 24 of 39
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Apple should build (or hire) a fleet of drones that will, on a monthly basis, fly over and scan the major cities.

    Obama has that covered.
  • Reply 25 of 39
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    tundraboy wrote: »
    You get a better Apple Maps app just by clicking on a button to activate "Help Improve Maps".  Isn't that reward enough?

    Seeing as you would already know what's wrong with the map in your area you're helping others and Apple, not yourself.
  • Reply 26 of 39
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    ireland wrote: »
    Obama has that covered.

    Heh, heh... I should've said "privately owned" drones. ;)
  • Reply 27 of 39
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Tried to apply for Ground Truth Expert in Los Angeles but it doesn't appear on the site.
  • Reply 28 of 39
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    ireland wrote: »
    Obama has that covered.
    Yes, I'd much rather it was Al Qaida that was flying planes over me. /s/
  • Reply 29 of 39

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pooch View Post





    your comment immediately made me remember one of my favorite cartoons ...





     


    sigh, my life's story lol 

  • Reply 30 of 39
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Yes, I'd much rather it was Al Qaida that was flying planes over me. /s/

    That'd be funny except for NORAD and the fact that it's an entirely different argument.
  • Reply 31 of 39
    woochiferwoochifer Posts: 385member


    All well and good, but until all of these acquisitions and hirings make substantial headway in reducing the errors in Apple Maps, the product itself remains well short of what Apple's users need?  Apple's making it easier to report problems and now wants to involve users with the "Help Improve Maps" function.  But, what good is better problem reporting when the errors in the Maps app persist for months and months after being reported?  I've submitted numerous corrections on business listings in my area, but to date, Apple has only corrected one of the errors that I reported.


     


    Even though Google Maps also have a large number of errors, my experiences indicate that they are much more responsive in correcting erroneous data. 


     


    Yes, Apple has made a lot of progress with the maps app and improved things to a point where I prefer the turn-by-turn directions over Google.  But, the business listings remain the major issue, and progress on that front has been minimal at best, in my experience. 

  • Reply 32 of 39
    v5vv5v Posts: 1,357member


    Because I want to use Apple's app and not Google's I always try Maps first to gauge progress and then switch to Google if Maps fails. In the areas I travel, Maps is frequently wrong.


     


    This week I was looking for a location in a more affluent neighbourhood. Maps recognized the obscure name of the LANEWAY between two buildings (not even a real street) and showed its location with pinpoint accuracy.


     


    Hmmm...

  • Reply 33 of 39
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post



    Tried to apply for Ground Truth Expert in Los Angeles but it doesn't appear on the site.


    It's there on the 2nd page


    https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?#specs&ss=ground truth&t=1&so=&pN=1&openJobId=28264350


     


     



     


    Both L.A. and New York.


  • Reply 34 of 39
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mac_128 View Post



    How about apple give something back to the users who opt in to help Apple profit, rather than take the Google approach approach of exploiting their users data for free.


     


     


    What Google does is worst. It extracts data from users for free to turn around and sell ads that will be shown to the users based on that data.


     


    With that said, I think it would be interesting to turn providing map data improvements into a game whereby users get points for providing not previously provided corrections. Points could be redeemed on iTunes.  I also think it would be cool to allow users to take pictures that could somehow be attached to specific locations, and perhaps voted on inclusions by users. 

  • Reply 35 of 39
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Woochifer View Post


    All well and good, but until all of these acquisitions and hirings make substantial headway in reducing the errors in Apple Maps, the product itself remains well short of what Apple's users need?  Apple's making it easier to report problems and now wants to involve users with the "Help Improve Maps" function.  But, what good is better problem reporting when the errors in the Maps app persist for months and months after being reported?  I've submitted numerous corrections on business listings in my area, but to date, Apple has only corrected one of the errors that I reported.


     


    Even though Google Maps also have a large number of errors, my experiences indicate that they are much more responsive in correcting erroneous data. 


     


    Yes, Apple has made a lot of progress with the maps app and improved things to a point where I prefer the turn-by-turn directions over Google.  But, the business listings remain the major issue, and progress on that front has been minimal at best, in my experience. 



     


    Apple's directions, in my view, is better than Google. Apple's biggest weakness is point of interest data, which is provided by Yelp. I suspect Yelp is responsible for making the corrections. Apple either needs to get Yelp to make corrections quicker, look for another company, or work on acquiring the data itself. 

  • Reply 36 of 39
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post





    Yes, I'd much rather it was Al Qaida that was flying planes over me. /s/


     


    Why would they? Even the US government now claims al Qaida has pretty much been defeated. Boogeymen remain for power-protecting politicians and governments to blame whenever they desire to act unopposed and in their own interest.

  • Reply 37 of 39
    I do not understand Apple...they are spending money improving there maps while one the partners the Dutch Tom Tom allready has this info.

  • Reply 38 of 39
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    pieter4711 wrote: »
    I do not understand Apple...they are spending money improving there maps while one the partners the Dutch Tom Tom allready has this info.

    Even Tom Tom's data is not perfect.
  • Reply 39 of 39
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