Map Apps promise not fulfilled until that day come when I can setup my route ahead( I call it my Custom direction) on my iPhone or laptop/desktop/tablet etc and than send it to my iPhone. When I select that link and start driving, navigation should follow my custom map. If I select reverse direction than it should follow that custom map in reverse direction.
Maps has gotten way better than it used to be. However, I still can't believe there's no bicycle option. Does it still kick you back on a car route if you cycle on a pedestrian route at over 10mph?
Apple needs concentrate on the basics of navigation and fix the major problems before adding little stuff like indoor airport directions. I've had too many times where driving with Siri barking totally wrong info at me is worse than almost aimlessly driving around hoping I'll find my destination. I took a horrifically confusing circle around the south side of San Antonio -- get on I-10, get off and do a U followed by getting back on I-10 followed by an immediate offramp then another U then it tells me again to get off and do a third U -- all while I was at least 3 miles from my destination. That wasn't the only troublesome incident. More than once I've searched AM for a local establishment (that's been there for decades) only to get results for a place named the same that's over 1000 miles away -- and Google maps showed the closer one.
I haven't had issues like this since early on with AM. I am in Pennsylvania and Apple Maps got me to a tiny cemetery for a funeral just yesterday. No good address and the name of the cross streets only. On the flip I have had Google maps take me to the wrong destination, or to a spot where there is nothing and the destination was supposed to be on my right. I think both can perform poorly given the right circumstances.
I personally use Apple maps exclusively in my neck of the woods and don't have trouble. I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the out of the way destinations it has been able to get me to without issue.
Apple map has some nice things going for it. It auto corrects fast, gives accurate estimates of arrival times, is pretty, etc.
However, there are a few things that drive me crazy. First, I seemingly have to have my radio on and set to Bluetooth audio to work over my car speakers. Waze works no matter if I have the radio in and no matter what type of input set. For instance, I can be listening to the radio and it works. I don’t know if this is a setting thing on Apple Maps, but if so I can’t find it.
Second, give me the option to have an audio warning when I’m speeding. Everybody else does that.
Third, eventually Apple needs to implement some type of user provided road condition warnings.
Let's be honest, that will never happen in the Maps arena.
What exactly makes Google Maps so special these days?
To give you an idea:
- I do a regularly test of asking to road to 5 main streets in Antwerp (where I live). Apple Maps + Siri has never managed to score more than 1 out of 5, Google Maps + Google Assistant score 4 out of 5 (Google fails to understand one street with a French speaking and a Dutch speaking part in its name, which is of course tricky)
- Apple announces pubic transport directions per city, Google does it per country. Which basically means that Apple is years behind and will remain behind for a lot of years to come No public transport coverage in my country. Even Brussels, the capital of Europe, is not covered by Apple. Very poor. I gives me the feeling that Apple is considering non US customers as 2nd class
- Google Maps runs on all my devices.
- Google Maps is very well integrated with other systems: webpages with embedded maps, google search, ...
Map Apps promise not fulfilled until that day come when I can setup my route ahead( I call it my Custom direction) on my iPhone or laptop/desktop/tablet etc and than send it to my iPhone. When I select that link and start driving, navigation should follow my custom map. If I select reverse direction than it should follow that custom map in reverse direction.
I may be misunderstanding you, but I get my route on my Mac and then send it to my iPhone all the time.
Maybe I am just not used to the Google Map way of working but I absolutely hate it and MUCH prefer Apple maps. I switch to Google if a location (a business) can't be located on Apple Maps, and I also often compare routes to see which one is best, but I navigate by Apple Maps 99% of the time. I find Google maps unwieldy and difficult.
The one thing I miss in Apple Maps is the ability to control my route better. I would like an easy way to say way points, in particular.
Let's be honest, that will never happen in the Maps arena.
What exactly makes Google Maps so special these days?
To give you an idea:
- I do a regularly test of asking to road to 5 main streets in Antwerp (where I live). Apple Maps + Siri has never managed to score more than 1 out of 5, Google Maps + Google Assistant score 4 out of 5 (Google fails to understand one street with a French speaking and a Dutch speaking part in its name, which is of course tricky)
- Apple announces pubic transport directions per city, Google does it per country. Which basically means that Apple is years behind and will remain behind for a lot of years to come No public transport coverage in my country. Even Brussels, the capital of Europe, is not covered by Apple. Very poor. I gives me the feeling that Apple is considering non US customers as 2nd class
- Google Maps runs on all my devices.
- Google Maps is very well integrated with other systems: webpages with embedded maps, google search, ...
I don't think the comparably worse coverage in Europe is an intentional slight to non-US customers. I think that Europe is just more difficult. First, Apple is a US company and they are going to start "at home" on new initiatives. Second, the vast amount of languages in Europe is challenging. Third, Europe has some really strict (and in many cases senseless) laws on privacy and data that slow progress with these types of initiatives since the collection of vast amounts of data is required for success in this arena.
I was able to get around pretty good in Antwerp with AM when I was there last September, but I had a rental car so I can't speak to the public transit coverage. Additionally, I rarely try Siri for directions here because she just doesn't get foreign names (relative to device language) right. I pointed this out in a previous post last week, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who would like to see improvement in this area.
Here in Germany, I mostly use AM but I do keep GM up to date on my iPhone because there are lots of POI's missing here and in Europe in general in AM. I try to find what I want in AM first and then if it fails, I use GM. I will say the instances of having to switch are decreasing, but not enough that I can forget about GM.
Lots of stuff old and new here. An 03AUG comment: I wonder if much of this information could be presented better, say in tabular or maybe interactive geographic form?
I don’t understand why Maps isn’t more significantly updated weekly through the App Store.
Absolutely! I can’t tolerate the inaccuracy of Apple Maps. Many friends of mine have turned to buy a TomTom GPS for their older cars. I just got my GPS navigator yesterday after 4 years of using Apple Maps and NAVIGON on iPhones bring too slow and inaccurate.
Apple Map has never failed to guide me to the destination, often with the best route & I’m not even in the first world country. I don’t think accuracy is a problem with the map. Addresses could be but many times when search for something obscure I just use Foursquare to search then export direction to Apple Map & go. This method has never failed me to find & reach destination I’d like.
2 points that makes Google Maps much more useful than Apple Maps.
- the global coverage. Apple announces support for public transport city by city, Google does it country by country. At the pace Apple is announcing a global coverage of public transport will be for the next century
- the integration with search engine. You look for something in the search engine and the location is automatically available in the Google Maps on any device you have.
For developers: integration in your own developments.
And another: - Streetview. See your destination before you leave: my favourite example is when I was driving into Sydney for the first time, lots of traffic and lots of one-way streets. My hotel was on a block corner but where was its car park entrance? Once I knew that, I knew which one-way street to approach on.
Street view is wonderful I must admit. Whenever I am planning to stay at a hotel in a foreign city I like to scope out the area and see exactly what it like on my Mac Pro in the comfort of my own home. A recent visit to Buenos Aires is a good case in point. After 'strolling' a few areas in street view we found a fantastic hotel in a great area and knew where all the restaurants were close by. Same in Barcelona. When you get there it's like you have been before and know where everything is. Apple should add the same concept to Maps.
Say all you want about how "superior" you think Google Maps is, I definitely prefer the spoken guidance of GPS in Apple Maps. Works perfectly every time. May not plot the best, most logical course (Google Maps does that better in some cases), but the way it speaks upcoming turns, etc. is superior, in my opinion.
Not sure if others experience this... I never see anyone mention it, but Google Maps *frequently* fails to give spoken guidance, at least for moments. It's just silent. And then will randomly begin speaking, quite often giving instructions way too late! The gf still insists on using this crappy app, whereas Apple Maps works perfectly and on time every time, even if it doesn't always plot the most logical course to a destination.
Maps has gotten way better than it used to be. However, I still can't believe there's no bicycle option. Does it still kick you back on a car route if you cycle on a pedestrian route at over 10mph?
That's so annoying!
Do you mean real-time directions while biking? Is there a way to do that safely? It seems that could be pretty dangerous in a noisy busy city environment. Most cyclers are local and know their area. But as for planning bike trips in new areas, I hope AppleMaps makes it a priority to put down dedicated bike paths, and designated lanes. Seems they could enlist local bike groups for enthusiastic help.
Your safe lecture could apply to any transportation method. Is it any safer to receive real-time directions while driving? Seems that could be equally dangerous, don't you think? Most drivers are supposed to be looking at the road, not at a small phone screen.
Comments
However, there are a few things that drive me crazy. First, I seemingly have to have my radio on and set to Bluetooth audio to work over my car speakers. Waze works no matter if I have the radio in and no matter what type of input set. For instance, I can be listening to the radio and it works. I don’t know if this is a setting thing on Apple Maps, but if so I can’t find it.
Second, give me the option to have an audio warning when I’m speeding. Everybody else does that.
Third, eventually Apple needs to implement some type of user provided road condition warnings.
Maybe I am just not used to the Google Map way of working but I absolutely hate it and MUCH prefer Apple maps. I switch to Google if a location (a business) can't be located on Apple Maps, and I also often compare routes to see which one is best, but I navigate by Apple Maps 99% of the time. I find Google maps unwieldy and difficult.
The one thing I miss in Apple Maps is the ability to control my route better. I would like an easy way to say way points, in particular.
I was able to get around pretty good in Antwerp with AM when I was there last September, but I had a rental car so I can't speak to the public transit coverage. Additionally, I rarely try Siri for directions here because she just doesn't get foreign names (relative to device language) right. I pointed this out in a previous post last week, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who would like to see improvement in this area.
Here in Germany, I mostly use AM but I do keep GM up to date on my iPhone because there are lots of POI's missing here and in Europe in general in AM. I try to find what I want in AM first and then if it fails, I use GM. I will say the instances of having to switch are decreasing, but not enough that I can forget about GM.
The only missing feature is street view for me. I do use that to suss out an area.