Apple spent 'billions' on revamped Maps service

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  • Reply 41 of 59
    mike1 said:

    felix01 said:
    I'm still not using Apple Maps. Three questions for you folks who are. Positive answers might convince me to start giving Apple Maps a serious look:

    1. Does Apple Maps show the posted speed limits (I know temporary work areas won't be correct) along the computed route? And how about if you're just using it to track progress along roads but not a computed route? Speed limits there too?

    2. Are computed arrival times more accurate than on earlier versions? I guess what I'm asking here is whether Apple is tracking the average traffic speeds along major roads and using that dynamic info to continually recalculate arrival times.

    3. Are alternate routes provided around crashes and/or work zones (or just general traffic congestion)? Kind of like Waze does.
    1. No, I speed everywhere, so do not care.

    2. Yes. Improved all the time.

    3. I don't think it has realtime feedback at this point, but I could be wrong.


    1. Yes it does. I too generally ignore them, but they're there. Keep in mind that Maps uses speed limits or actual time (if slower than speed limits) to calculate ETA.
    2. Yes. Unless there's a fresh accident, Maps is really precise with ETAs for me. For example, when I get in the car it tells me it will take 45 minutes to get home from work, it is usually spot on. Keep in mind, I know how to get home, but that simple little alert let's me know what I'm in for.
    3. Yes. If the alternative route is faster than the normal or original, it will suggest the fastest route. It will also re-route around road closures. I am not interested in in Waze-like features like getting off highways to save a minute or two.
    I second all of this. Apple Maps has come on in leaps and bounds, and certainly in the U.K. now does all of this. In London it will also tell you for you current route how many minutes it is until the next underground train arriving on your platform etc. And CarPlay is excellent. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 42 of 59
    Japhey said:
    yuck9 said:
    And it still has problems. Leads me on a different path 2 out of 5 times to the same place every day. You should be asking for a refund. They saw you coming.  Today I went to a city I've never been to before. I ask for the closest Starbucks. It tells me 2.2 miles away. I drive not more then 3 blocks away and there it is. 

    Maps is showing it's 1.9 miles to location. Few billion on that ? LOL.
    Why do you need a map if you go to the same place every day?
    Because Apple Haters are lost and try to bring others along for the ride.
    edited November 2019 watto_cobramike1
  • Reply 43 of 59
    I always use google maps and deleted the Apple Maps app 
    edited November 2019 chemengin1
  • Reply 44 of 59
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 1,989member

    felix01 said:
    I'm still not using Apple Maps. Three questions for you folks who are. Positive answers might convince me to start giving Apple Maps a serious look:

    1. Does Apple Maps show the posted speed limits (I know temporary work areas won't be correct) along the computed route? And how about if you're just using it to track progress along roads but not a computed route? Speed limits there too?

    2. Are computed arrival times more accurate than on earlier versions? I guess what I'm asking here is whether Apple is tracking the average traffic speeds along major roads and using that dynamic info to continually recalculate arrival times.

    3. Are alternate routes provided around crashes and/or work zones (or just general traffic congestion)? Kind of like Waze does.
    1. No, I speed everywhere, so do not care.

    2. Yes. Improved all the time.

    3. I don't think it has realtime feedback at this point, but I could be wrong.


    In CarPlay, Apple maps often shows the speed limit, usually with accuracy. You can pass a sign on the interstate where the speed limit changes and watch the sign in the app change as well. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. ETAs are pretty accurate. There's now a new feature where you can elect to share your ETA with another iPhone user on your contact list, and it will send a message to the recipient, and also send updates if it changes. I think they can click on the message and follow you on a map, if you've elected to share your ETA. (After you've arrived manually choose, the ETA sharing will stop.) It uses whatever traffic date others have. When congestion gets bad enough, it'll offer alternate routes.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 45 of 59
    Just tested it. It’s telling me the times of the buses too. 

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 46 of 59
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    I primarily use Apple Maps, mainly because its the default. It’s generally good but definitely found Google maps to be more accurate with things like road closures. Google also tends to have better store information and I’ve virtually never found Apple Maps accident information to be accurate.

    I routinely get directions for places I know because often there may be a different, faster route that I’m not familiar with or didn’t think of, or there’s more than one route and I want to see which is quicker.

    genovelle said:
    appleric said:
    And still we can not have multiple locations directions like Google Maps, and it’s still connected to Yelp. I had such hopes for this new iOS13 version of maps. But it’s all fluffy fun, and no real life functional needs.
    What do you mean. Like selecting a coffee shop or restaurant along the way and pickup the original destination?  Yes it does it. And while it uses yelp.  Other points of interest sources must be in play too
    Apple Maps has no ability to request a particular route or stop along the way. Example: there are two routes to get to our cabin. One is generally a bit longer but an easier drive. The time for either route can vary dramatically depending on traffic. Apple Maps virtually always suggests the same route, even if it’s within 5 minutes of the other route and there’s no ability to ask for directions from A to C via B. Yes I can enter directions from A to B, then from B to C and add the time up manually, but that’s quite a pain if you’re trying to estimate arrival times.

    I’ve also noticed that Apple Maps frequently does not post alternate routes, even if they are the same or even slightly quicker, so if I have a preferred route I’m never sure if Maps hasn’t displayed it because there’s a big accident or just because it’s not smart enoug h to do so.
    edited November 2019 muthuk_vanalingamphilboogie
  • Reply 47 of 59
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    felix01 said:
    I'm still not using Apple Maps. Three questions for you folks who are. Positive answers might convince me to start giving Apple Maps a serious look:

    1. Does Apple Maps show the posted speed limits (I know temporary work areas won't be correct) along the computed route? And how about if you're just using it to track progress along roads but not a computed route? Speed limits there too?

    2. Are computed arrival times more accurate than on earlier versions? I guess what I'm asking here is whether Apple is tracking the average traffic speeds along major roads and using that dynamic info to continually recalculate arrival times.

    3. Are alternate routes provided around crashes and/or work zones (or just general traffic congestion)? Kind of like Waze does.
    1: Yes. They are quite accurate, but sometimes not available on smaller, rural roads.
    2. IME arrival times are quite accurate and dynamically updated
    3. I’ve never used Waze so I can’t compare, but if an alternate route is significantly shorter it will pop up a notice and let you change routes.
  • Reply 48 of 59
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    So, Google is now (or will soon):
    -- Tracking people's heart rate & exercise from their FitBit
    -- Tracking their browsing & click history via Chrome
    --  Searching their emails via GMail
    --  Watching what they type on Google Docs
    --  Scanning their photos via Android
    --  Tracking their health history after obtaining full, unrestricted patient data from one of the U.S.'s largest healthcare organizations.
    --  Tracking where people go via Google Maps

    T H A N K    Y O U     A P P L E ! ! !
    ... I am grateful!

    Uh I think you need to remove the tinfoil hat. And Google doesn’t have unrestricted access to patient data. Whatever you think of the company they’re not that stupid. 

    https://www.ascension.org/News/News-Articles/2019/11/12/21/45/Technology-that-improve-patients-lives-caregivers-experience

    Let’s not forget this:

    https://www.fastcompany.com/90385310/apple-suspends-siri-grading-program-that-lets-contractor-listen-in-on-recordings

      Collected and stored (at least) name, address, diagnosis, lab results of many millions of patients ....   That is far more than the law allows -- unless you subvert it of course.
    edited November 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 49 of 59
    Google provides its 3D mapping data to third party developers. There are now location based games using Google Maps. It is also perfect for AR applications. Apple has nothing like it.
  • Reply 50 of 59
    wizard69 said:
    The funny thing here is that Apple Maps has always done what I expect of a Maps application.  As for Starbucks I’ve never needed to find one as I don’t do business with that sort of corporation.  However why anybody would need Maps to find a Starbucks or any restaurant for that matter, is beyond me.  
    I went to Starbucks today and ordered a Latte. They asked me which kind of milk I wanted and I asked for some milk from Peet's. I greatly prefer Peet's milk, but they said that I could only get Starbucks milk. Dirty, dirty monopolists.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 51 of 59
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    flydog said:

    felix01 said:
    I'm still not using Apple Maps. Three questions for you folks who are. Positive answers might convince me to start giving Apple Maps a serious look:

    1. Does Apple Maps show the posted speed limits (I know temporary work areas won't be correct) along the computed route? And how about if you're just using it to track progress along roads but not a computed route? Speed limits there too?

    2. Are computed arrival times more accurate than on earlier versions? I guess what I'm asking here is whether Apple is tracking the average traffic speeds along major roads and using that dynamic info to continually recalculate arrival times.

    3. Are alternate routes provided around crashes and/or work zones (or just general traffic congestion)? Kind of like Waze does.
    Question for you. Do you send essay questions every time you need information that you can easily find out on your own by just using the product? 

    Try it. Won’t hurt you. 
    Bullshit response.  These aren't essay questions. The only problem with these is getting wrong answers. Nothing wrong with asking reasonable questions. Try not being a jerk. It won't hurt you.
    MplsPfelix01
  • Reply 52 of 59
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    MplsP said:
    Apple Maps has no ability to request a particular route or stop along the way... there’s no ability to ask for directions from A to C via B. Yes I can enter directions from A to B, then from B to C and add the time up manually, but that’s quite a pain if you’re trying to estimate arrival times.
    This is a feature I want to see in Maps. Often Maps will show a route that uses a road or bridge or other point that I don't want to travel thru/to. So I can't plot around it. Dropping pins at A and Z is fine, but there are times when including  B, C, D in the plot is necessary and being able to do so seamlessly would be far more efficient than telling Siri 'A to B', now 'B to C', now 'C...' That works, but is tedious and inefficient.

    Nobody's map software is perfect. Being able to plot your preferences around or to any point(s) seamlessly for any reason is not unreasonable. The 'why can't you just...' typical response is just silly.

    Maps, contrary to one post does show posted speed limits. Ignore them or not, you should know what they are at all times, so I'm glad Apple includes them. What Apple doesn't show is your speed limit. The errant poster may not know the difference between posted speed limits and your speed and is confused.

    On other fronts, Maps knows how fast you're going via GPS. That's how it calculates your ETA. Even though you have a speedometer that is presumed to be reasonably accurate (usually slightly optimistic) I like comparing car indicated speed to more accurate GPS speed. Not a deal breaker, but something Ild like to see.

    I often use Maps to get to places I know well (as well as those I don't) because I sometimes choose to share my ETA with whomever I'm meeting up with. They know when I start, how soon I'll be there, and where I am at any time. It's automatic, and if I hit traffic or have to make a stop, there's no surprises.  They're aware of my arrival before I get out of the car. Everybody is on the same page and we're ready to roll. That can be canceled any time I want. This is a very cool feature.

    I'm hoping that once Apple gathers enough data, they'll add offline mapping. I choose not to use Google products and if I am to use an offline map, I may as well use data from source with a longer history of GPS mapping than the Goog.

    MplsPrazorpitphilboogiewatto_cobra
  • Reply 53 of 59
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    So, Google is now (or will soon):
    -- Tracking people's heart rate & exercise from their FitBit
    -- Tracking their browsing & click history via Chrome
    --  Searching their emails via GMail
    --  Watching what they type on Google Docs
    --  Scanning their photos via Android
    --  Tracking their health history after obtaining full, unrestricted patient data from one of the U.S.'s largest healthcare organizations.
    --  Tracking where people go via Google Maps

    T H A N K    Y O U     A P P L E ! ! !
    ... I am grateful!

    Uh I think you need to remove the tinfoil hat. And Google doesn’t have unrestricted access to patient data. Whatever you think of the company they’re not that stupid. 

    https://www.ascension.org/News/News-Articles/2019/11/12/21/45/Technology-that-improve-patients-lives-caregivers-experience

    Let’s not forget this:

    https://www.fastcompany.com/90385310/apple-suspends-siri-grading-program-that-lets-contractor-listen-in-on-recordings

      Collected and stored (at least) name, address, diagnosis, lab results of many millions of patients ....   That is far more than the law allows -- unless you subvert it of course.
    HIPPA has very strict requirements on what information can be shared with whom - if a healthcare organization is sharing data you can be sure that either they have an agreement with Google dictating what can and cannot be done with it and that google can’t share with anyone else, or that the data has been anonymized. The problem is, once the data has been anonymized HIPPA no longer applies and there have been some good studies that show that if you have enough data it’s a fairly easy task to de-anonymize it, especially for a company like google.
  • Reply 54 of 59
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    Rayz2016 said:
    Yup, Apple Maps every time now, without exception. 

    The trick I find works best in the UK: place names rather than postcodes, especially for hotels. A postcode in the UK covers about fifteen buildings, no matter how large the buildings and how far apart they are. 

    We tried to find a hotel near Gatwick once, but I didn’t realise our designated driver had put in the postcode. When we were taken to the edge of a field, I told him to put in the name of the hotel. We were then directed to the hotel’s car park entrance, about half a mile away. 

    What I like about Maps/Siri is that it’s learned my habits. I now get alerts about traffic jams when I start my journey home, or cheery little “traffic light” messages when I set off to the gym.
    Why would you put in a postcode? Assuming that's similar to Zip code here in the US, that's like a whole neighborhood or larger. 
    UK postcodes are unique (some street names are common) and often break down to give you the street and sometimes the side of the street.

    For machines/software I can see why some people might use them if they have them memorised but then it depends on the capacity of the software to decode the information.

    I'll have to give Apple maps another try. I stopped using it in my area because it was a disaster. Totally unreliable.

    muthuk_vanalingamphilboogie
  • Reply 55 of 59
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    macgui said:
    MplsP said:
    Apple Maps has no ability to request a particular route or stop along the way... there’s no ability to ask for directions from A to C via B. Yes I can enter directions from A to B, then from B to C and add the time up manually, but that’s quite a pain if you’re trying to estimate arrival times.
    This is a feature I want to see in Maps. Often Maps will show a route that uses a road or bridge or other point that I don't want to travel thru/to. So I can't plot around it. Dropping pins at A and Z is fine, but there are times when including  B, C, D in the plot is necessary and being able to do so seamlessly would be far more efficient than telling Siri 'A to B', now 'B to C', now 'C...' That works, but is tedious and inefficient.

    Nobody's map software is perfect. Being able to plot your preferences around or to any point(s) seamlessly for any reason is not unreasonable. The 'why can't you just...' typical response is just silly.

    Maps, contrary to one post does show posted speed limits. Ignore them or not, you should know what they are at all times, so I'm glad Apple includes them. What Apple doesn't show is your speed limit. The errant poster may not know the difference between posted speed limits and your speed and is confused.

    On other fronts, Maps knows how fast you're going via GPS. That's how it calculates your ETA. Even though you have a speedometer that is presumed to be reasonably accurate (usually slightly optimistic) I like comparing car indicated speed to more accurate GPS speed. Not a deal breaker, but something Ild like to see.

    I often use Maps to get to places I know well (as well as those I don't) because I sometimes choose to share my ETA with whomever I'm meeting up with. They know when I start, how soon I'll be there, and where I am at any time. It's automatic, and if I hit traffic or have to make a stop, there's no surprises.  They're aware of my arrival before I get out of the car. Everybody is on the same page and we're ready to roll. That can be canceled any time I want. This is a very cool feature.

    I'm hoping that once Apple gathers enough data, they'll add offline mapping. I choose not to use Google products and if I am to use an offline map, I may as well use data from source with a longer history of GPS mapping than the Goog.

    I could use that ability to map multiple stops too.   As a Home Health nurse I would travel several counties making multiple stops throughout the day and the ability to map out those stops would have been very nice.  I'm retired from that now -- but now I'm delivering Meals on Wheels and it would be helpful for that as well -- at least whenever the route changes.

    Another that would be nice, my TomTom had it years ago is the ability to indicate a closed road when you reach it.   It would recalculate a route to the destination that excluded that road.   It was helpful.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 56 of 59
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    Apple Maps has improved significantly over the past few years.  They are also very responsive when I submit issues with either the map or directions, often notifying of their fix within a couple of days from my submission.
    Same. I wish the OS team responded to my feedback like the maps team does.
    macgui said:
    I've been somewhat fortunate.  My needs of a map tend to increase right behind the development of Apple Maps, in that Maps seems to be always just what I need when I need it.

    I once had a fully fledged Map app – Navigon, by Garmin. It's the best Nav app I've ever used, including Garmin standalone GPS units. Then they dropped it. It's advantage was being able to function offline with downloaded maps.

    If Apple would do this, I'd be very happy. Sure I'd like things like dropping multiple pins and let the routes develop. And then drop more and make route changes on the fly.

    My only real complaint at this point is that it's often not quick enough with the turn by turn data. It doesn't matter too much with there are street signs clearly visible. Often it will count down the distance in feet to the next turn, too  slowly to make the turn. Approaching an intersection Maps may say 200' to the next turn... 150'... 100'... 80'50'30'0'... Rerouting... LOL It might be that the SE is a little slow for Maps.

    That's a good excuse to buy an 11Pro, but then I'd be ticked if it didn't work Maps and GPS much faster.
    I had Navigon before they were bought out. Didn’t realize that app is gone now. For the time that was an incredible app. Then I started using Waze when it first came out and had the Pac-Man like score system. I was pretty high up early on because work had me all over the place.

    A buddy and I were just talking about Maps the other day and he too mentioned it being a little behind. I had to use it to find someone’s house and I missed a turn because it was off and I’m on an XS Max. It’s not terrible, but not as on as what it use to be.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 57 of 59
    appleric said:
    And still we can not have multiple locations directions like Google Maps, and it’s still connected to Yelp. I had such hopes for this new iOS13 version of maps. But it’s all fluffy fun, and no real life functional needs.
    This is also one of the main reasons I still have google maps on my phone: 
    Not being able to look for a route between two places, when both of them are not my current location. This is truely a huge miss on Apples part. Same with directions for bicycle rides. To pour miilions into features, that are going to be available for most users in years at the earliest, while lacking basic functionality... that is, well, poor judgement.
    This is like making a smartphone that has the ability to see through walls, but you can't make calls with it.
  • Reply 58 of 59
    talexy said:
    appleric said:
    And still we can not have multiple locations directions like Google Maps, and it’s still connected to Yelp. I had such hopes for this new iOS13 version of maps. But it’s all fluffy fun, and no real life functional needs.
    This is also one of the main reasons I still have google maps on my phone: 
    Not being able to look for a route between two places, when both of them are not my current location. This is truely a huge miss on Apples part. Same with directions for bicycle rides. To pour miilions into features, that are going to be available for most users in years at the earliest, while lacking basic functionality... that is, well, poor judgement.
    This is like making a smartphone that has the ability to see through walls, but you can't make calls with it.
    Haha yeah, "a huge miss on Apple's part" or you don't know how to use one of the most basic features in Maps. You just search for a location, hit Directions, then the link for "My Location" (which it correctly defaults to) and change it to whatever you want the originating location to be. There's a button to switch from and to as well. Not sure how you missed this.
    watto_cobramike1
  • Reply 59 of 59
    MplsP said:
    Apple Maps has no ability to request a particular route or stop along the way. Example: there are two routes to get to our cabin. One is generally a bit longer but an easier drive. The time for either route can vary dramatically depending on traffic. 
    I think you're only half right on this one.  While it's true that I can't indicate a stop along the way like I can with Waze, when I use Apple Maps, I almost always get a choice of multiple routes.  For instance for my route home from work, I get a choice between using the freeway for a large portion of the trip, or using surface streets.
    watto_cobramike1
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