In regards to earlier comments: Google contractors were proven to be sabotaging OpenStreetMap maps, and the suggestion that they were just doing this for fun is naive.
Also the suggestion that Google is "far ahead" of Apple maps, or indeed many of the other mapping services out there is similarly myopic. Outside of the USA Google maps is littered with incorrect information. In many regions Apple's maps are not only better, but have always been better. (e.g. China)
The problem with Google maps is the masses of outdated information it contains, a problem which they have not been able to solve. Perhaps they can take the approach Apple is using to help correct and update their own maps.
All I am saying is go back in time and check out Google maps at the same point in development. Rest assured Google is not going to come close to Apple in the long run ... at anything. Their theft of iOS ended what was great, mutually beneficial business arrangement. Eric's betrayal will be their undoing. A few years ago I said the same thing about Gates and Microcrap when they ruled the world ... not so much now eh? Have faith grasshopper.
Meanwhile we use Siri day in day out with great success, perhaps you have other issues? Tried elocution lessons ? Heck I'm a Brit using the America Siri
Oh, I thought those comments were serious initially. Now I am convinced he is just sarcastic.
In regards to earlier comments: Google contractors were proven to be sabotaging OpenStreetMap maps, and the suggestion that they were just doing this for fun is naive.
Also the suggestion that Google is "far ahead" of Apple maps, or indeed many of the other mapping services out there is similarly myopic. Outside of the USA Google maps is littered with incorrect information. In many regions Apple's maps are not only better, but have always been better. (e.g. China)
The problem with Google maps is the masses of outdated information it contains, a problem which they have not been able to solve. Perhaps they can take the approach Apple is using to help correct and update their own maps.
Google Maps is riddled with serious issues in Silicon Valley. As Google headquarters is located in Silicon Valley I can only imagine how horrible their directions are elsewhere.
Further, studies show more people use the default apps on the iPhone, so Google is being deprived of a lot of iPhone users data, which Apple is gaining.
I don't think you need studies to deduce that since the iPhone doesn't let users change the default apps. So to use anything other than the default involves at the minimum an extra copy and paste. Thus for a third party app to gain users, it's not good enough to be just slightly better; it needs to be so much better that users are willing to accept the extra inconvenience of using that app compared to Apple's apps.
It doesn't matter. Why should this matter to me or you? What matters is how the product performs right now, and right now Google Maps is far ahead of Apple Maps, I'm concerned that Apple can never catch up. In fact, I can't see how Apple can.
First, Apple can do anything it wants. It has over a hundred billion dollars and growing in the bank. Second, Google's product might be better for the way you use maps, but you assume everybodies use is the same.
i have tested Google's Maps and Apple's Maps in providing local directions. In providing directions Apple's maps is on par with Google, and Apple's offering looks better. If you want local poi information, Google's offering is significantly better for local businesses. Apple's offering works better in terms of performance on the iPhone. It routes quicker. I have had Google's App tell me to take a left turn after I have passed an exit. Not cool.
As far as poi info is concerned, Apple is catching up quickly. Releasing tools like this means Apple is serious. Further Apple has made a lot of map related purchases. I suspect the next major iOS update will show us why.
The only area I don't see Apple catching up is with street view, but I suspect many like myself don't care.
Really the argument shouldn't be whether Google Maps, with a huge lead in development, is more accurate or not on Android v iPhone with Apple Maps, but whether Apple Maps was the right choice for iOS when Google was sticking it to Apple by not offering any advanced features until Apple let Google violate user's privacy. Even with the expected growing pains Apple Maps definitely was better than the antiquated scrapes iOS had been using.
If Apple is at fault, it's for not starting to build out their own maps solution the day it got in bed with Google to supply Maps to the iPhone.
Good point. People forget that Google really left Apple little choice but to bring to market its own mapping solution.
Good point. People forget that Google really left Apple little choice but to bring to market its own mapping solution.
At the time I even suggested that Apple wait another year to tie up lose ends before releasing it, but it wasn't until months later that I learned about their contract with Google for supplying the backend for Maps was expiring and Google wanted Apple to do things I'm very happy they didn't give into. I think I had read, even if Apple agreed to Google terms they were still only going to offer bitmaps to the iOS Maps app.
Has anyone really had any major issues with Apple Maps yet can also say that Google Maps, MapQuest, TomTom, Garmin, et al. haven't had any wrong locations or directions, ever? Nothing in Apple Maps has ever made me stop using it because it was too annoying to use, although I've definitely been annoyed with Siri search results and dictation over the years.
So what is wrong with email? Now, I more sophisticated setup will use the web interface for such things while obfuscating the look and feel of traditional email, like Amazon does, except for the fact they call it email. Apple does this brilliantly when you report a problem an iTunes Store purchase from your account which then opens up in the browser. You basically write an email of the issue and all the other data is appended.
On the other end, their staff probably have a nice UI for reading and dealing with the issue but it could still all be handled by a mail server. I've dealt with a lot ticketing systems for company's and they almost always use email as their primary form of transmission. Granted, when you have a billion dollar company having a call center, a web-based chat system, as well as FAQ that can help answer questions are nice, but there is no reason to think that email would not be utilized in some fashion.
I hope their anti-fraud techniques are exceptionally good since Google actively sabotages competitor's maps.
That may be a bit of a stretch. Some deluded Google fans may try to enter dummy locations but I don't think Google would be bothered to actively do something like that.
But this is another piece of the puzzle that falls nicely into place. Good thing that Apple is doing this.
As a resident of NYC who travels upstate regularly, I find Apple's Maps to be utterly unusable. When seeking walking directions to the surrounding boroughs it will direct me to routes by ferry (with no way to override), when there are dozens of multiuse bridges encircling Manhattan. Searching for directions upstate, Maps cannot accurately pick up my location over GPS, when Google Maps does. Not to mention that Google offers turn by turn cycling routes that perform exceptionly well, and Apple doesn't offer bicycle directions at all. And Maps demonstrates no understanding of proximity: doing a search for Prospect Park while in lower Manhattan brings up a location in New Jersey, rather than the more popular spot in Brooklyn. Nor is Apple's offering the least heuristic, over the years it has only grown worse. Yes I understand Apple's hands were tied and they really had no choice but to rush their own product to market. Still, by now they should have been able to eliminate the most egregious errors yet show no signs of even attempting to do so. At this point I can't see why any business would bother with Maps, unless they were trying to evade their customers.
I don't see many companies posting email addresses on their websites these days. Nice gesture, but lame.
The point is you can verify your business listing by using an email address at your domain name to show you are indeed the business owner (or affiliated in some way).
It doesn't matter. Why should this matter to me or you? What matters is how the product performs right now, and right now Google Maps is far ahead of Apple Maps, I'm concerned that Apple can never catch up. In fact, I can't see how Apple can.
"Right now" is exactly where Google will be 1, 2 and possibly 5 years from "now".
They're going to need to invest in many areas other than maps and AI if they want to keep up with the Apple/IBM/Microsoft juggernaut. Google seriously pissed off 2 of those triage companies, and the other one pivoted successfully years ago so that they are a sustainable business entity without selling it's users info for profits and to stay viable.
To put it bluntly: Google has shot it's load and they're going to need to hunt around and invest heavily for the buckshot to feed into their ever more despised advertising and 87% profit generator last era musket, named "Privacy Be Damned".
@digitalclips In my own unenlightened opinion, the only question is "do people use Siri rather than G-Now". I don't use Siri for anything more than setting clocks. Even reminders regularly fail.
This is not what I'd like to see. Another very bad part of Apple's development process is multilingual support, especially with Siri (Europe means multiplicity of languages on a way higher level than America), and no "UK English versus US English" doesn't really qualify as *multiple languages*. Try talking to Siri in French with some italian quote in an English email. Now that is going to be interesting.
"- Siri, envoie un texto à Yoeri van Boerland."
(might fail, let's suppose it works)
"- Que voulez vous écrire à Yoeri van Boerland"
"I'll be late for the meeting at HQ. I'll try to bring the latest demo. Worst case, che sera sera."
Never works.
Also, right now, i'm pretty annoyed because Apple iCloud Drive destroyed my iPhone 4's usefulness. I mean, the phone is a perfect machine. It's sturdy, efficient and works perfectly fine. However, Apple's change to iCloud means I can't upgrade any of my numerous machines to Yosemite, or I have to buy a new iPhone even though mine works perfectly fine, or I have to accept that this phone only phones and receives emails from now on. It's even worse than a Blackberry, basically.
I do understand making a system that keeps compatibility is too expensive, but it still creates a forced upgrade cycle for your users. My steel and glass phone works fine. I don't want to upgrade. Yet I'm forced to buy a bigger phone made of aluminium or stop accessing my files, obviously not an option. It's so irritating.
Perhaps you have a broken iPhone? Seriously, I can see why one would prefer Google Maps over Apple Maps, but Siri rocks. It also keeps getting better. iOS 8 made her much more responsive, and increased her knowledge base. I get surprised everyday with things I can ask her.
Further, studies show more people use the default apps on the iPhone, so Google is being deprived of a lot of iPhone users data, which Apple is gaining. In Maps, Apple is the underdog, but the App works faster on the iPhone and is more accurate with some things like on the fly re-route mapping in the US. Apple's biggest weakness is point of interest data. Things like this help address that shortcoming.
I hate to say it, but while Siri has expanded what she can do, her natural language interface has pretty much languished under Apple. It is FAR from being any sort of natural language interface.
For instance, I tried finding the number to the local pet store, Claw Paws, the other day. Siri heard it as "call Paul" and stated that it couldn't find a Paul in my contacts. No big, people mishear all of the time, so I treated Siri like I would any other natural language interaction with a person. I state, "No, not 'call Paul', 'Claw Paws'. Find the number for Claw Paws. P. A. W. S."
Needless to say it was a complete disaster and I finally just did a web search.
The very fact that Siri is a stateless interface is never going to allow for any sort of natural language interface. I can't even do things like. Have Siri look up a phone number and then in the next interaction have her call the number that I just looked up.
Can Google Now do this? I have no idea, but the simple fact is that Apple really hasn't done much to improve the natural language interface of Siri since they bought it in 2010. Yes, they have integrated more features into her back end, and they have made some improvements in the text-to-speech area (although if I understand correctly this is all outsourced). But they really need to work on the "natural language" interface and an ability for Siri to remember.
The ability to remember is critical. For instance, the new "what is that song" feature is neat, but really an almost useless novelty when compared to apps that do the same things. And that is for one reason only, saving the lookup. When I am listening to the radio I am almost always doing something else and don't want to take any action other then look up what that song is for some later action. Apps like Soundhound or Shazam keep a history of searches. So, I can have it look up a song and then a day or two later when I have time I can open the app and look at what that song I liked was called. With the Siri look up there is no history that I can find, and with no memory feature I can't even do something like say, "Add that song to my 'music to explore' note."
I fear that Apple is going to do with Siri what they did with iTunes Match and so many of their other services. Make or buy something that is nearly perfect and then spend no more time or effort on really improving it. Apple makes incredible hardware, decent software, but their services have always been the redheaded stepchild of the company.
At this point I can't see why any business would bother with Maps, unless they were trying to evade their customers.
That's got to be one of the silliest comments in this thread. Businesses have no say in what tools their potential customers might use to discover or locate them. I don't care what business you run, don't be a fool to say "I don't want my business to appear on Apple's mapping apps."
Comments
http://www.slashgear.com/google-blames-rogue-contractors-for-openstreetmap-sabotage-18209666/
Also the suggestion that Google is "far ahead" of Apple maps, or indeed many of the other mapping services out there is similarly myopic. Outside of the USA Google maps is littered with incorrect information. In many regions Apple's maps are not only better, but have always been better. (e.g. China)
The problem with Google maps is the masses of outdated information it contains, a problem which they have not been able to solve. Perhaps they can take the approach Apple is using to help correct and update their own maps.
Oh, I thought those comments were serious initially. Now I am convinced he is just sarcastic.
Google Maps is riddled with serious issues in Silicon Valley. As Google headquarters is located in Silicon Valley I can only imagine how horrible their directions are elsewhere.
Actually use the service. Wow. That sure was hard to prove.
I am an avid iPhone user. But...
That’s nice, sweetie.
Pro tip: the mark of a good concern troll is that you don’t use the word ‘concern’ in the post.
Further, studies show more people use the default apps on the iPhone, so Google is being deprived of a lot of iPhone users data, which Apple is gaining.
I don't think you need studies to deduce that since the iPhone doesn't let users change the default apps. So to use anything other than the default involves at the minimum an extra copy and paste. Thus for a third party app to gain users, it's not good enough to be just slightly better; it needs to be so much better that users are willing to accept the extra inconvenience of using that app compared to Apple's apps.
First, Apple can do anything it wants. It has over a hundred billion dollars and growing in the bank. Second, Google's product might be better for the way you use maps, but you assume everybodies use is the same.
i have tested Google's Maps and Apple's Maps in providing local directions. In providing directions Apple's maps is on par with Google, and Apple's offering looks better. If you want local poi information, Google's offering is significantly better for local businesses. Apple's offering works better in terms of performance on the iPhone. It routes quicker. I have had Google's App tell me to take a left turn after I have passed an exit. Not cool.
As far as poi info is concerned, Apple is catching up quickly. Releasing tools like this means Apple is serious. Further Apple has made a lot of map related purchases. I suspect the next major iOS update will show us why.
The only area I don't see Apple catching up is with street view, but I suspect many like myself don't care.
Good point. People forget that Google really left Apple little choice but to bring to market its own mapping solution.
At the time I even suggested that Apple wait another year to tie up lose ends before releasing it, but it wasn't until months later that I learned about their contract with Google for supplying the backend for Maps was expiring and Google wanted Apple to do things I'm very happy they didn't give into. I think I had read, even if Apple agreed to Google terms they were still only going to offer bitmaps to the iOS Maps app.
Has anyone really had any major issues with Apple Maps yet can also say that Google Maps, MapQuest, TomTom, Garmin, et al. haven't had any wrong locations or directions, ever? Nothing in Apple Maps has ever made me stop using it because it was too annoying to use, although I've definitely been annoyed with Siri search results and dictation over the years.
Most real companies have email addresses that use the domain from their website.
Can you show me a major one that doesn't?
edit: Here are the first 3 companies I looked up.
So what is wrong with email? Now, I more sophisticated setup will use the web interface for such things while obfuscating the look and feel of traditional email, like Amazon does, except for the fact they call it email. Apple does this brilliantly when you report a problem an iTunes Store purchase from your account which then opens up in the browser. You basically write an email of the issue and all the other data is appended.
On the other end, their staff probably have a nice UI for reading and dealing with the issue but it could still all be handled by a mail server. I've dealt with a lot ticketing systems for company's and they almost always use email as their primary form of transmission. Granted, when you have a billion dollar company having a call center, a web-based chat system, as well as FAQ that can help answer questions are nice, but there is no reason to think that email would not be utilized in some fashion.
I read somewhere that Giggle lost something like %40 of its map users to Apple.
apparently I'm banned from a certain thread. weird.
Long overdue.
I hope their anti-fraud techniques are exceptionally good since Google actively sabotages competitor's maps.
That may be a bit of a stretch. Some deluded Google fans may try to enter dummy locations but I don't think Google would be bothered to actively do something like that.
But this is another piece of the puzzle that falls nicely into place. Good thing that Apple is doing this.
The point is you can verify your business listing by using an email address at your domain name to show you are indeed the business owner (or affiliated in some way).
For example [email protected] should should be guaranteed control of the business listing for apple.com over [email protected]
Google does this with their Authorship program so you don't have to go through additional setup steps. As do many other companies
"Right now" is exactly where Google will be 1, 2 and possibly 5 years from "now".
They're going to need to invest in many areas other than maps and AI if they want to keep up with the Apple/IBM/Microsoft juggernaut. Google seriously pissed off 2 of those triage companies, and the other one pivoted successfully years ago so that they are a sustainable business entity without selling it's users info for profits and to stay viable.
To put it bluntly: Google has shot it's load and they're going to need to hunt around and invest heavily for the buckshot to feed into their ever more despised advertising and 87% profit generator last era musket, named "Privacy Be Damned".
@digitalclips In my own unenlightened opinion, the only question is "do people use Siri rather than G-Now". I don't use Siri for anything more than setting clocks. Even reminders regularly fail.
This is not what I'd like to see. Another very bad part of Apple's development process is multilingual support, especially with Siri (Europe means multiplicity of languages on a way higher level than America), and no "UK English versus US English" doesn't really qualify as *multiple languages*. Try talking to Siri in French with some italian quote in an English email. Now that is going to be interesting.
"- Siri, envoie un texto à Yoeri van Boerland."
(might fail, let's suppose it works)
"- Que voulez vous écrire à Yoeri van Boerland"
"I'll be late for the meeting at HQ. I'll try to bring the latest demo. Worst case, che sera sera."
Never works.
Also, right now, i'm pretty annoyed because Apple iCloud Drive destroyed my iPhone 4's usefulness. I mean, the phone is a perfect machine. It's sturdy, efficient and works perfectly fine. However, Apple's change to iCloud means I can't upgrade any of my numerous machines to Yosemite, or I have to buy a new iPhone even though mine works perfectly fine, or I have to accept that this phone only phones and receives emails from now on. It's even worse than a Blackberry, basically.
I do understand making a system that keeps compatibility is too expensive, but it still creates a forced upgrade cycle for your users. My steel and glass phone works fine. I don't want to upgrade. Yet I'm forced to buy a bigger phone made of aluminium or stop accessing my files, obviously not an option. It's so irritating.
Perhaps you have a broken iPhone? Seriously, I can see why one would prefer Google Maps over Apple Maps, but Siri rocks. It also keeps getting better. iOS 8 made her much more responsive, and increased her knowledge base. I get surprised everyday with things I can ask her.
Further, studies show more people use the default apps on the iPhone, so Google is being deprived of a lot of iPhone users data, which Apple is gaining. In Maps, Apple is the underdog, but the App works faster on the iPhone and is more accurate with some things like on the fly re-route mapping in the US. Apple's biggest weakness is point of interest data. Things like this help address that shortcoming.
I hate to say it, but while Siri has expanded what she can do, her natural language interface has pretty much languished under Apple. It is FAR from being any sort of natural language interface.
For instance, I tried finding the number to the local pet store, Claw Paws, the other day. Siri heard it as "call Paul" and stated that it couldn't find a Paul in my contacts. No big, people mishear all of the time, so I treated Siri like I would any other natural language interaction with a person. I state, "No, not 'call Paul', 'Claw Paws'. Find the number for Claw Paws. P. A. W. S."
Needless to say it was a complete disaster and I finally just did a web search.
The very fact that Siri is a stateless interface is never going to allow for any sort of natural language interface. I can't even do things like. Have Siri look up a phone number and then in the next interaction have her call the number that I just looked up.
Can Google Now do this? I have no idea, but the simple fact is that Apple really hasn't done much to improve the natural language interface of Siri since they bought it in 2010. Yes, they have integrated more features into her back end, and they have made some improvements in the text-to-speech area (although if I understand correctly this is all outsourced). But they really need to work on the "natural language" interface and an ability for Siri to remember.
The ability to remember is critical. For instance, the new "what is that song" feature is neat, but really an almost useless novelty when compared to apps that do the same things. And that is for one reason only, saving the lookup. When I am listening to the radio I am almost always doing something else and don't want to take any action other then look up what that song is for some later action. Apps like Soundhound or Shazam keep a history of searches. So, I can have it look up a song and then a day or two later when I have time I can open the app and look at what that song I liked was called. With the Siri look up there is no history that I can find, and with no memory feature I can't even do something like say, "Add that song to my 'music to explore' note."
I fear that Apple is going to do with Siri what they did with iTunes Match and so many of their other services. Make or buy something that is nearly perfect and then spend no more time or effort on really improving it. Apple makes incredible hardware, decent software, but their services have always been the redheaded stepchild of the company.
Seems that it's only for businesses in the US, I have a business in The Netherlands but I can't select that.
For me, it does not work at all. Location Czech Republic. After login i see just text:
And when I hit enter in address field it says: Maps Connect can't find that page.
:-(
At this point I can't see why any business would bother with Maps, unless they were trying to evade their customers.
That's got to be one of the silliest comments in this thread. Businesses have no say in what tools their potential customers might use to discover or locate them. I don't care what business you run, don't be a fool to say "I don't want my business to appear on Apple's mapping apps."