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Other Apple Maps actually outperformed Google Maps today

Wide opeN

Wide opeN

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 27, 2010
1,763
1,035
Georgia
While I'm a big proponent of Google Maps versus Apple Maps normally, Apple Maps actually saved my bacon today.

Went to the Atlanta Jazz Festival today (https://www.atlanta.net/events/atlanta-jazz-festival/) and the park parking lot was full. So naturally, I ended up having to park further away.

Now I thought I had pinned my parking location when I got there via Google Maps. However, when it was time to go, things turned sour real quick. Not only was Google Maps not user friendly trying to retrieve this information, but it was down right unavailable.

Here's why: 7CDD51B3-D165-494E-A14F-6D7223A52DAC.jpeg

While I did not know this when I went to pin my parking location; I WOULD NEVER ALLOW GOOGLE TO "ALWAYS" track my location due to their dubious practices. So since I had selected "only while using app" I basically was screwed!!! So what to do right!?

Well I remember, a lot of times in coming and going that Apple Maps will randomly suggest travel reminders. So I'm like ok, hopefully Apple Maps saved my parking location.

Sure enough it had... WHEW!!! I was able to get back to my car easy peasy!!!

I've ragged on Apple Maps in the past, but it actually came in handy today. And even if Apple Maps is tracking me in the background (hopefully on device only), I certainly trust Apple more than Google.

Just wanted to share.
 
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I use google maps out of habit but I’ve no issues with Apple maps. On a few occasions I’ve had to use it when google maps failed.
 
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I use Apple Maps exclusively. I do have GARMIN app (with full North American map data downloaded) for those times without cell service.
 
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That screenshot you posted is for if you want Google Maps to *automatically* set your parking location.

I have no trouble manually setting my parking spot and I just double checked that I have Google Maps locations permissions set to "while using". I just touch the blue dot and in the menu that pops up is an option to mark your parking location. It's in "step 4" further down on that page.

Step 4: Set your parking location
You can save your parking location so you can remember where you left your car.

  1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app
    F6SPqKg2k9wclyTXmBf6QIbVG3u9WhmTo6Bv
    .
  2. Tap the blue dot that shows your location.
  3. Tap Set as parking location.
Your parking location will be saved in Google Maps until you remove it.
Click to expand...
 
Depending on an iPhone/smartphone to mark & find your car is just asking for it. Avoid doing that. Natural navigation (based on landmarks and paying attention while leaving your car) is a much better way to "mark" your parking spot.
These mobile map apps make us all lazy & dependent on them and they're not 100% reliable.
 
Okay but really... It wasn't Google's fault, it was your own for not setting it to always. But also Waze automatically saves your location as well.
 
While Apple maps have improved this, I still use Google maps when I need public transportation options, especially in Europe. It seems to be more up to date: For example, when I was in Prague last week there was lots of street repair going on and some trams were canceled/rerouted for a few days (some a few months!) and Google was pretty much up to date with them.

I do like the way Apple remembers your parking location when your phone disconnects from the car bluetooth/Car Play
 
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I recently switched back to an iPhone XS after a 3 month experiment with a Samsung Galaxy S10e.

I got my S10e back in March on the 6th, and flew to visit my sister on the 26th of that month. Landed and set out in our rental car, and Google Maps tells me "Turn left in 500 feet."

In the middle of Seattle right next to the airport, there are generally going to be about 3 different streets within 500 feet, and it drove me bonkers.

I tried everything on https://mobileinternist.com/google-maps-not-showing-directions-android and it *STILL* wouldn't work. The fix? I had to tell the phone to use Google's American English voice set instead of Samsung's, stop the Maps service and a few others, and THEN turn off and back on the phone. I've never, not once, had to do that on an iPhone - not even when I've actually RUN Google Maps ON my iPhone in the past.

And this was just Maps. I had multiple other issues with it. Reliability and constancy is a big deal for me; and after 3 months I couldn't take it any more. Traded it in Saturday on a 256Gb XS and I couldn't be happier.
 
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Kung said:
I recently switched back to an iPhone XS after a 3 month experiment with a Samsung Galaxy S10e.

I got my S10e back in March on the 6th, and flew to visit my sister on the 26th of that month. Landed and set out in our rental car, and Google Maps tells me "Turn left in 500 feet."

In the middle of Seattle right next to the airport, there are generally going to be about 3 different streets within 500 feet, and it drove me bonkers.

I tried everything on https://mobileinternist.com/google-maps-not-showing-directions-android and it *STILL* wouldn't work. The fix? I had to tell the phone to use Google's American English voice set instead of Samsung's, stop the Maps service and a few others, and THEN turn off and back on the phone. I've never, not once, had to do that on an iPhone - not even when I've actually RUN Google Maps ON my iPhone in the past.

And this was just Maps. I had multiple other issues with it. Reliability and constancy is a big deal for me; and after 3 months I couldn't take it any more. Traded it in Saturday on a 256Gb XS and I couldn't be happier.
Click to expand...

Your far from alone. Can’t believe you waited 3 months though.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/anyone-try-the-galaxy-s10-and-return-back-to-an-iphone.2172783/
 
jjohnstonjr said:
Apple Maps has taken out of the way several times when going to a few different destinations. Google Maps however has been spot on and taken me there in a shorter time and short distance.
Click to expand...
Apple Maps doesn’t work so well for me when driving but, oddly, it’s better than Google when I’m on foot. Google seems to want to rigidly keep me on roads whereas Apple will use footpaths as shortcuts.
 
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Wide opeN said:
While I'm a big proponent of Google Maps versus Apple Maps normally, Apple Maps actually saved my bacon today.

Went to the Atlanta Jazz Festival today (https://www.atlanta.net/events/atlanta-jazz-festival/) and the park parking lot was full. So naturally, I ended up having to park further away.

Now I thought I had pinned my parking location when I got there via Google Maps. However, when it was time to go, things turned sour real quick. Not only was Google Maps not user friendly trying to retrieve this information, but it was down right unavailable.

Here's why: View attachment 839163

While I did not know this when I went to pin my parking location; I WOULD NEVER ALLOW GOOGLE TO "ALWAYS" track my location due to their dubious practices. So since I had selected "only while using app" I basically was screwed!!! So what to do right!?

Well I remember, a lot of times in coming and going that Apple Maps will randomly suggest travel reminders. So I'm like ok, hopefully Apple Maps saved my parking location.

Sure enough it had... WHEW!!! I was able to get back to my car easy peasy!!!

I've ragged on Apple Maps in the past, but it actually came in handy today. And even if Apple Maps is tracking me in the background (hopefully on device only), I certainly trust Apple more than Google.

Just wanted to share.
Click to expand...
I also use google maps a lot but I like Apple maps also. Especially the feature that saves my parking spot, really useful. The UI in my opinion is superior on Apple maps as well.
 
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I am slowly trying to extricate myself from the G-cosystem. But Apple Maps has failed me too often. Just last week, when I was 15 miles away from home I fired it up and entered my home address. Never heard of it. Not even the town. So I quit the app, and tried again. Still nothing. So I used Google Maps. This is not the first time this has happened for me. Maybe it's a phone thing. But Google Maps has never failed me.
 
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FFR said:
Your far from alone. Can’t believe you waited 3 months though.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/anyone-try-the-galaxy-s10-and-return-back-to-an-iphone.2172783/
Click to expand...

Well, to begin with, the phone was fantastic. It fixed a few issues that I'd had with an iPhone - and that STILL exist. For instance, I own an F150 with Sync, and anytime I sync my phone to my F150 with BT, I cannot use the microphone in the phone to dictate speech.....nor can I use the one in the F150.

The S10e has no issues with it, and that was awesome. The phone was flawless....for about a month. Then I started having small issues here and there, such as the Maps issue I outlined above.

Then all of a sudden last Wednesday, my phone freaked the hell out. Rebooting, app crashes, dropped calls, etc. At that point I said "Screw this" and got an XS last Saturday. I'm now in the process of selling my S10e.
 
I mean, Apple Maps could track the location because Apple Maps must have been detecting your location in the background. The same permission you denied Google.

Its cool it worked, but this is about as Apples or Oranges as you can get.
 
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Wide opeN said:
While I'm a big proponent of Google Maps versus Apple Maps normally, Apple Maps actually saved my bacon today.

Went to the Atlanta Jazz Festival today (https://www.atlanta.net/events/atlanta-jazz-festival/) and the park parking lot was full. So naturally, I ended up having to park further away.

Now I thought I had pinned my parking location when I got there via Google Maps. However, when it was time to go, things turned sour real quick. Not only was Google Maps not user friendly trying to retrieve this information, but it was down right unavailable.

Here's why: View attachment 839163

While I did not know this when I went to pin my parking location; I WOULD NEVER ALLOW GOOGLE TO "ALWAYS" track my location due to their dubious practices. So since I had selected "only while using app" I basically was screwed!!! So what to do right!?

Well I remember, a lot of times in coming and going that Apple Maps will randomly suggest travel reminders. So I'm like ok, hopefully Apple Maps saved my parking location.

Sure enough it had... WHEW!!! I was able to get back to my car easy peasy!!!

I've ragged on Apple Maps in the past, but it actually came in handy today. And even if Apple Maps is tracking me in the background (hopefully on device only), I certainly trust Apple more than Google.

Just wanted to share.
Click to expand...
When I leave my car at the airport I make sure I manually push a pin for the location in Apple Maps. It's never failed. It took way to long to move the bar in an upward fashion on Apple Maps and I'm glad Apple finally got this going.
 
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Apple maps is actually great... in fully supported areas/regions. The issue is, fully supported areas are not as wide as Google maps. As much as I like Apple maps, I still have to rely on Google maps majority of times. And yes, Google maps is truly unintuitive. It’s basically designed to be just a yellow pages. Once you want to use it like a regular map, it’s downright frustrating.
 
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