I’d be happier if it just gave accurate directions. Here’s a two recent examples.. • Telling me to take the freeway when it’s all torn up down to the gravel, while the State of Michigan is completely rebuilding it. • Directing me to get off the road to take a longer road, of equal quality and speed, to then redirect me back on the same road in less than 300 feet, when the road I was on was shorter, faster and of the same or better quality.
And it would also be nice if it knew about the speed limits, and either gave me an option to have them displayed, or provided an over speed indicator or audible warning. With settings similar to the recently departed NAVIGON App.
And the issues go on, but basic navigation guidance should always be its primary function.
It really all depends on where you live. I experience quite the opposite.
Sounds like Apple Maps is sufficient for you then since it appears your primary use of the app is to simply get directions from point A to point B. There's much more a map is capable of doing than that. Unfortunately it would seem that Apple shares the same sentiment as you in the sense that their primary objective of releasing new "features" is to simply add additional support for directions in new regions.
There's still no way to map out a route and have Maps give me turn by turn directions along that route. For example, if I want to do a go the scenic route, I currently have to set the destination to a point on the scenic route and, when I get to that point, reset the destination to the next point on the scenic route, and so on.
Apple’s stance is a tad naive though. Their services are performing measurably worse (think Siri) compared to Google because they can’t improve their services through machine learning and aggregated data server-side, not having the ability to properly scale as that data needs to be ‘indexed’ on the individual user devices instead. They could send your user tracking data to their servers by stripping it from anything that leads to ‘you’, and then index it while destroying that incoming data. Not doing that makes no sense to me. User data collection is needed to improve the product. It’s about what’s done with the data to protect you that matters. Google has to adhere to laws and standards just like Apple.
"Apple is also relying on its millions of iPhone customers to passively and actively improve data, but attempting to anonymize and dissect collection in a manner that preserves privacy.
"We specifically don't collect data, even from point A to point B," Cue claimed. "We collect data — when we do it — in an anonymous fashion, in subsections of the whole, so we couldn't even say that there is a person that went from point A to point B. We're collecting the segments of it. As you can imagine, that's always been a key part of doing this. Honestly, we don't think it buys us anything [to collect more]. We're not losing any features or capabilities by doing this."
I'd like Apple maps to show the exact look of Interstate intersections and signage the way some other GPS Nav systems do. I rented a car Jeep recently and the Jeep's nav had an amazing, identical view of what I was seeing in real life which was very comforting at a complex intersection I was new to.
I'd like Apple maps to show the exact look of Interstate intersections and signage the way some other GPS Nav systems do. I rented a car Jeep recently and the Jeep's nav had an amazing, identical view of what I was seeing in real life which was very comforting at a complex intersection I was new to.
They're doing this. From the TechCrunch profile above (which many commenters on this thread have clearly not read):
Here there be Helvetica
Apple’s new Maps, like many other digital maps, display vastly differently depending on scale. If you’re zoomed out, you get less detail. If you zoom in, you get more. But Apple has a team of cartographers on staff that work on more cultural, regional and artistic levels to ensure that its Maps are readable, recognizable and useful.
These teams have goals that are at once concrete and a bit out there — in the best traditions of Apple pursuits that intersect the technical with the artistic.
The maps need to be usable, but they also need to fulfill cognitive goals on cultural levels that go beyond what any given user might know they need. For instance, in the U.S., it is very common to have maps that have a relatively low level of detail even at a medium zoom. In Japan, however, the maps are absolutely packed with details at the same zoom, because that increased information density is what is expected by users.
This is the department of details. They’ve reconstructed replicas of hundreds of actual road signs to make sure that the shield on your navigation screen matches the one you’re seeing on the highway road sign. When it comes to public transport, Apple licensed all of the type faces that you see on your favorite subway systems, like Helvetica for NYC. And the line numbers are in the exact same order that you’re going to see them on the platform signs.
It’s all about reducing the cognitive load that it takes to translate the physical world you have to navigate into the digital world represented by Maps.
Should show speed limits like my car's built-in nav system. I'd also like my nav system to alert me if I'm exceeding the speed limit just like it has voice alerts about accidents ahead blocking lanes.
It DOES show Speed Limits.. It currently does NOT warn you if you go over them.
Let's be honest, that will never happen in the Maps arena.
Fair enough. When your entire business model is centered around collecting as much behavioural information as possible about people, there's a lot of incentive to make tracking guiding them better.
When it comes to maps I am perfectly happy for google to collect information. I am not murdering anyone or on a drug run or stalking an ex girlfriend. The problem is that they don’t seem to be using it in a meaningful way because their time estimates at the start of the trip are often way off from the actual length. I understand that accidents can happen but if you are collecting billions of data points why not sue that data to give me a close arrival time that does not constantly drift even when the traffic and weather patterns are the same?
As for the point about Google’s incentive, Apple has more money than any other company, to give your users the best possible product should be incentive enough for them to create the best map app (and voice assistant!) Interested to see what they will release.
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 wouldn't trust Apple Maps for driving directions, but for anything requiring good design and readability, it is miles ahead of Google Maps. Anything transit-related is useless on Google. The NYC Subway lines are quite nice on Apple Maps. State and country borders are very clear on Apple Maps, and nearly invisible on Google. A big plus on the Apple Maps iPhone app is the true 3D view, which disappeared from the Google Maps app. This is odd since the website now includes Google Earth. Google Streetview is non-existent on Apple Maps, and Apple Maps needs a website.
Let's be honest, that will never happen in the Maps arena.
Wanna bet?
The Apple Maps core architecture and UI are already better than Google. Apple is now collecting its own Maps data and will remove dependencies on third parties. For what I use maps for, Apple maps is already better than Google maps.
I'd like Apple maps to show the exact look of Interstate intersections and signage the way some other GPS Nav systems do. I rented a car Jeep recently and the Jeep's nav had an amazing, identical view of what I was seeing in real life which was very comforting at a complex intersection I was new to.
They're doing this. From the TechCrunch profile above (which many commenters on this thread have clearly not read):
Here there be Helvetica
Apple’s new Maps, like many other digital maps, display vastly differently depending on scale. If you’re zoomed out, you get less detail. If you zoom in, you get more. But Apple has a team of cartographers on staff that work on more cultural, regional and artistic levels to ensure that its Maps are readable, recognizable and useful.
These teams have goals that are at once concrete and a bit out there — in the best traditions of Apple pursuits that intersect the technical with the artistic.
The maps need to be usable, but they also need to fulfill cognitive goals on cultural levels that go beyond what any given user might know they need. For instance, in the U.S., it is very common to have maps that have a relatively low level of detail even at a medium zoom. In Japan, however, the maps are absolutely packed with details at the same zoom, because that increased information density is what is expected by users.
This is the department of details. They’ve reconstructed replicas of hundreds of actual road signs to make sure that the shield on your navigation screen matches the one you’re seeing on the highway road sign. When it comes to public transport, Apple licensed all of the type faces that you see on your favorite subway systems, like Helvetica for NYC. And the line numbers are in the exact same order that you’re going to see them on the platform signs.
It’s all about reducing the cognitive load that it takes to translate the physical world you have to navigate into the digital world represented by Maps.
Having read the article I was responding specifically to this " They’ve reconstructed replicas of hundreds of actual road signs." I said if you read my post, some people clearly didn't, that I'd like "the exact look of Interstate intersections and signage". The article leaves that a little vague as it only says 'signs' hence I was saying I hope Apple go all the way like the one on the new Jeep I rented on a trip showing the entire intersection, preferably in a way that it moves correctly from your POV.
Just finished a 2 month trip out west and back, my number ONE go to for nav and info is google maps!! Light years more detail and info, routing and businesses. Have tried Apple maps several times on the trip and they are so poor! They lack even businesses and locations that I was looking for just to name a couple of things. All my equipment is Apple but, the Apple Maps are so bad, if Apple blocked google maps, I would dump my iPhone immediately!
Should show speed limits like my car's built-in nav system. I'd also like my nav system to alert me if I'm exceeding the speed limit just like it has voice alerts about accidents ahead blocking lanes.
It does show speed limits. Has for while. Doesn’t yet give alerts though when exceeding the speed limit.
How good Apple Maps is seems to depend a lot on where you live. In southern Ontario and northeastern U.S.A where I'm mostly using it, Maps has been very useful and rarely confusing in its directions. Speed limits are shown and recently the alternative route suggestions due to traffic backups have been very helpful. The advice on what lane to be in for highway exits and entrances have been accurate. When getting turn-by-turn voice directions, the accuracy of street name prounciations is getting better but still room for a lot of improvement there. I seldom use Google maps or other services, so I'm not able to make a comparison.
I'm a US citizen living temporarily in South Africa in the Western Cape. There, Google Maps works perfectly when searching for store locations, directions etc. Apple Maps is absolutely terrible providing poor search results. By contrast, Apple Maps provides excellent turn-by-turn navigation. Google Maps does no such thing except when I'm in US. I have changed language settings to no avail. Appreciate if anyone has a remedy other than another map app.
The reason I use Google Maps (the only Google app that I use) is the ability to swipe the green bar on top to see up coming turns. Apple Maps has those useless (to me) buttons above the overview buttons. Too much work while driving. I hear Car Play will work with Google Maps soon.
Has since iOS 12 as does Waze.
I have all three in my Jeep's Car Play and use Apple most of the time but on occasions, I have to use GoogleMaps because AppleMaps simply doesn't know something e.g. directions to a specific store that has multiple locations. On occasions with Apple Maps instead of directions, I get a list of a dozen alternative locations on the Car Play screen that require reading so as to select ...but ... but ... I am driving, this even when I specified the street and area name that should have nailed it. Google Maps immediately gives directions to the correct store location.
So I am glad I have choices now. I also like the ability to add waypoints on Google Maps on my Mac to plot a wildly different route to a destination (e.g. scenic drive from Florida to Maine) other than the AI chosen one. I cannot do this on Apple Maps on my Macs. I really wish I could.
I looked again at maps recently after being taken to the wrong location by it a few years ago. I found it's turn-by-turn instructions inferior to Google's - in a complex freeway crossover its instructions weren't given enough in advance or clearly enough, I ended up ignoring it. Regardless of the fanboy support in this thread, while I'm certain its overall mapping data has improved and is improving tremendously, it still has a big black eye from Tim Cook essentially telling people four (or five or six?) years ago to ignore Maps and use Google's app. Apple doesn't do services very well.
Comments
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/06/29/apple-taking-maps-to-the-next-level-in-ios-12
https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/29/apple-is-rebuilding-maps-from-the-ground-up/
"Apple is also relying on its millions of iPhone customers to passively and actively improve data, but attempting to anonymize and dissect collection in a manner that preserves privacy.
"We specifically don't collect data, even from point A to point B," Cue claimed. "We collect data — when we do it — in an anonymous fashion, in subsections of the whole, so we couldn't even say that there is a person that went from point A to point B. We're collecting the segments of it. As you can imagine, that's always been a key part of doing this. Honestly, we don't think it buys us anything [to collect more]. We're not losing any features or capabilities by doing this."
Here there be Helvetica
Apple’s new Maps, like many other digital maps, display vastly differently depending on scale. If you’re zoomed out, you get less detail. If you zoom in, you get more. But Apple has a team of cartographers on staff that work on more cultural, regional and artistic levels to ensure that its Maps are readable, recognizable and useful.
These teams have goals that are at once concrete and a bit out there — in the best traditions of Apple pursuits that intersect the technical with the artistic.
The maps need to be usable, but they also need to fulfill cognitive goals on cultural levels that go beyond what any given user might know they need. For instance, in the U.S., it is very common to have maps that have a relatively low level of detail even at a medium zoom. In Japan, however, the maps are absolutely packed with details at the same zoom, because that increased information density is what is expected by users.
This is the department of details. They’ve reconstructed replicas of hundreds of actual road signs to make sure that the shield on your navigation screen matches the one you’re seeing on the highway road sign. When it comes to public transport, Apple licensed all of the type faces that you see on your favorite subway systems, like Helvetica for NYC. And the line numbers are in the exact same order that you’re going to see them on the platform signs.
It’s all about reducing the cognitive load that it takes to translate the physical world you have to navigate into the digital world represented by Maps.
As for the point about Google’s incentive, Apple has more money than any other company, to give your users the best possible product should be incentive enough for them to create the best map app (and voice assistant!) Interested to see what they will release.
I have all three in my Jeep's Car Play and use Apple most of the time but on occasions, I have to use GoogleMaps because AppleMaps simply doesn't know something e.g. directions to a specific store that has multiple locations. On occasions with Apple Maps instead of directions, I get a list of a dozen alternative locations on the Car Play screen that require reading so as to select ...but ... but ... I am driving, this even when I specified the street and area name that should have nailed it. Google Maps immediately gives directions to the correct store location.
So I am glad I have choices now. I also like the ability to add waypoints on Google Maps on my Mac to plot a wildly different route to a destination (e.g. scenic drive from Florida to Maine) other than the AI chosen one. I cannot do this on Apple Maps on my Macs. I really wish I could.