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Universal Google Maps lets me search for “Mum” - WHY doesn’t Apple Maps..?!

martin2345uk

martin2345uk

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,508
1,293
Essex
I find Maps very frustrating. Why can’t it link to my contacts like a third party app can (google maps)?

I type in Mum to google maps and it suggests her at the top of the list.

Apple Maps meanwhile offers this:

744448033b121f0589b87346b362a33d.jpg



Am I doing something wrong? Please someone enlighten me
 
You can do it from within the Contacts app by tapping on the Map next to the address. Within the Maps app, you can add Contacts to a Guide group. Not sure why you can't just add them to Favorites though.
 
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Now several hours later, it works. Earlier I had tapped on the map manually from the Contact, and adding the contact as a Map Guide. I'm not sure if the Guide step was necessary or it was simply time needed for it to process.
 
It gets stranger, when I type a friends name who’s in my contacts it show them in the search results in Maps. But not when I type Mum or Dad. Could it have a problem with one word names..?
 
martin2345uk said:
It gets stranger, when I type a friends name who’s in my contacts it show them in the search results in Maps. But not when I type Mum or Dad. Could it have a problem with one word names..?
Click to expand...
I wondered the same thing. Are you sure Mum/Dad aren't way down on the results list?
 
I can easily search for contact addresses in Maps while typing their name? Just tried it with 3 different contacts. I don't have my mom listed as "mom" but her full name. I have to type most of it for it to show up.

Now, what I do is in Maps I store places - for Home, parents house, work, etc - and I search for those locations when I need to go places I frequent.
 
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Once I stuck a pin in my contact (ouch!) by creating a Guide for it, it works, but not otherwise.
 
BigMcGuire said:
I can easily search for contact addresses in Maps while typing their name? Just tried it with 3 different contacts. I don't have my mom listed as "mom" but her full name. I have to type most of it for it to show up.

Now, what I do is in Maps I store places - for Home, parents house, work, etc - and I search for those locations when I need to go places I frequent.
Click to expand...
How do you do that..?
 
BigMcGuire said:
I have to type most of it for it to show up.
Click to expand...

This.

As the OP screen grab shows, lots of things match on "mum". Need to scroll to the bottom to see the entry for "mum".
And even if you type it fully, still probably will need to scroll down. Example, I have a friend name Dan. They show at the bottom of attached. And even with fully typed out, you might get some "similar to" results ahead of the person, and then followed by "similar to" businesses, services, streets, etc.

Maps seems to show "major" items first (eg. cities/towns, airport, train stations) then Contacts, then extras.
 

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I have my mums address on her contact entry on the phone with a nickname set as "Mum", in maps i can search for her full name or Mum and she comes up. That said i rarely do it as i have my parents address set as a favourite in Maps and i just press the entry.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet.
If it still doesn't work, map your mom's contact as "Mom". The same way you can map anyone else as father, child, brother etc. (click on the contact and then edit, and then assigned name)
 
alpi123 said:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet.
If it still doesn't work, map your mom's contact as "Mom". The same way you can map anyone else as father, child, brother etc. (click on the contact and then edit, and then assigned name)
Click to expand...
I don't have a field called "Assigned Name" when I edit a contact...
 
It only worked for me when I edited the contacts of my parents and added their address. Once that was done it showed a small map next to their address in the contact list. If I then went into the map and entered either 'mum' or 'dad' in the search bar it immediately went to their address
 
Ditto the Nickname field as being an option. Can also use the "Company Name" field. Notes field does not work.

Other option: Spotlight search. First entry that pops up for me is the contact(s). Tap it, tap the address.

I understand why there are people that don't like it, but kinda see why Apple made the design decision. Using the example in this thread, I already know where mom lives, so no need to go to Maps, can get address via Contacts or Spotlight (and in turn Contacts). Or do what @BigMcGuire suggests re: adding a "Favorite" in Maps (makes for easy picking when one has Car Play).

But then again, other than hiking, I rarely use mapping software: generally don't care about traffic (generally know traffic patterns and where the delays are, and if unexpected one pops up, can then pull up a map app) and only lookup a destination when never been there and or need refresher of the memory on address/cross streets.
 
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Actually I never use Maps this way, and was only trying the options out of curiosity to see what worked.
 
I just tried this with several names in my contacts.
Went to maps and searched for first or last name.
They all appeared though none were on top.
It always showed closer matches first.
I guess that makes sense.
It's pretty rare to need directions to someone on my contacts list.
I either know where they live or don't go there often.
 
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WildSky said:
I can't search directly in Maps for a contact either by using a first name or first and last name. What iOS version are you on?
Click to expand...

I can search for my mother directly in Maps. So for you … check the following:

full name of your mom,
Full address is in your mum’s contact,
Tell Siri your mum is “mum”
Maybe even set kickname for you mommy as “mum” (no quotes of course. Save. Close both wait a minute retry.
 
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