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How is Apple Maps these days?
- Thread starter xxray
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I don't use or need it. It has the worst services, Apple owns my entire world.
To be fare, I have not had any outages with Google services for a very long time, whereas Apple had one just a few days ago, making it impossible for some people to restore their devices from iCloud backups. It is probably still better to keep important stuff in different places.
And take the same alternative route it offers, along with the rest of the free world!
interested in this.
but if youre using google maps, arent you also helping other google maps users?
why use a smaller platform?
Does apple maps tell you when there’s a cop car up ahead? Does it tell you when there an object or pothole in the road up ahead? Waze does 95% of the time as its crowdsourced. Until Apple maps can do that, it’s not really an option. Using waze for police car notification is almost better than having a radar detector. Google now owns Waze, and incorporates a lot of its reported data points (but not all) into its maps now. So, for me it’s #1 Waze, #2 Google Maps, #3 Apple Maps. I’d never blindly use an app just because of the rest of the ecosystem. Same reason I don’t use Apple Mail App (Alto instead) nor Apple Calendar (Fantastical 2 instead). There are so many better options.
[doublepost=1498854457][/doublepost]
Google owns Waze and incorporates its data points, so if you use Waze, you are helping Waze users AND Google users.
I deleted Apple Maps from my phone. Wish there was a way for the OS to set Google Maps as the default map app.
It's OK. iOS 11 will add turn by turn which is nice; knowing which lane to be in helps occasionally, as does knowing the speed limit. I mainly use it to get to/from work only because it's convenient and works fine in my area. If I drive to a completely new area/place I will probably use Google Maps though, Apple Maps never really gets you exactly where you need to go, just the general area.
I've been meaning to ask others opinions, as I've been using Apple Maps for years in Minneapolis.
The iOS 11 maps has so many new improvements, my favorite being tapping on the top banner and getting the abbreviated route view, which constantly shows many alternative routes with ETA differences. It's one of my favorite new features.
The iOS 11 maps also seem a lot more beautiful, with better map look and updated typography. They look really nice in both daytime and nighttime modes, with bigger cities having bigger fonts.
In Dev beta 2/PB 1, they turned the lane positioning on as well as showing the current speed limit, which is nice. The speed limit isn't 100% accurate, but I just got a new Lexus today with the same speed limit feature, and it seems to have the same inaccuracies in the same places, bad data points coming in from the same sources, I guess.
There have been major differences in Dev betas 1 & 2, so this seems in no way finished for iOS 11 yet.
Apple seems great in timely updates, when I mark something as wrong, I can get it fixed in under a day most times.
The biggest issue I have with Apple Maps is the POI search that was mentioned earlier, but I know there's a lot of effort going into that and I highly recommend giving feedback. They have a report a problem for search results. Even with Apple, some things ARE crowdsourced.
The iOS 11 maps has so many new improvements, my favorite being tapping on the top banner and getting the abbreviated route view, which constantly shows many alternative routes with ETA differences. It's one of my favorite new features.
The iOS 11 maps also seem a lot more beautiful, with better map look and updated typography. They look really nice in both daytime and nighttime modes, with bigger cities having bigger fonts.
In Dev beta 2/PB 1, they turned the lane positioning on as well as showing the current speed limit, which is nice. The speed limit isn't 100% accurate, but I just got a new Lexus today with the same speed limit feature, and it seems to have the same inaccuracies in the same places, bad data points coming in from the same sources, I guess.
There have been major differences in Dev betas 1 & 2, so this seems in no way finished for iOS 11 yet.
Apple seems great in timely updates, when I mark something as wrong, I can get it fixed in under a day most times.
The biggest issue I have with Apple Maps is the POI search that was mentioned earlier, but I know there's a lot of effort going into that and I highly recommend giving feedback. They have a report a problem for search results. Even with Apple, some things ARE crowdsourced.
This.
I did report an incorrect speed limit and it was fixed same day. I'm sure YMMV, as I believe they do verify reported issues.
Feedback really works these days. It was a very slow process, if indeed anything changed at all back in the day. Maps has slowly but surely progressed to be a great mapping and navigation app over the years. With lane advice and speed limits its up to the level of “real” satnav apps like Navigon.
It’s last real weakness imo is its breadth of POI information but even that gets better all the time.
In my experience Waze change their maps much quicker than Google.
[doublepost=1498884619][/doublepost]Having tried Apple Maps, Google Maps & Waze, I use Waze exclusively for driving in iOS 10, but will give Apple Maps another chance once iOS 11 is officially out in September.
Just a quick note. Usually use the Garmin on trips, but spent the last 10 days on the East Coast in RI. Used Maps quite a bit in the vehicle and walking around a couple large cities. I have no complaints. Admittedly, I had not used it in a while. I'd have to say it's making substantial progress. I may even use it more often now. 
Civil/transportation engineer chiming in here. Waze's reporting influence in the US has grown considerably recently such that many states are incorporating user reports into their live traffic and roadway conditions (more emphasis on the former condition). For instance, I'm heading to a meeting shortly in Portland and routinely use Oregon's system (Tripcheck) - it's not perfect as one needs to drill/zoom in and look for events (generally accidents); there's a wreck on one of the two main routes between where I'm at and where I need to go, and the map has "clickable" events. A screenshot, showing the attribution to Waze:
Also, a travel/traffic resource that is IMHO vastly underutilized by "consumers" (as opposed to agency personnel and those who drive for a living is the "511" map network - some states publish events like construction data to accidents to closures to roadway temperatures. More often, agencies are also utilizing Waze for real-time reporting. I've got a short-term project in Quebec soon and need to drive there and I'm plotting my route, and I've got all of the 511 map sites bookmarked, and some of them are directly offering a subset of Waze reporting - Iowa here:
Finding mapping information like this across Canada is a bit more difficult IMHO, but my driving trips in Canada are generally limited to Nelson and Yoho/Banff and there's no way I'm driving across Saskatchewan and Manitoba again, besides the issue that I'm only permitted to bring my equipment into Quebec for a few days. I haven't seen Waze integration widely used in your country's mapping, but I'll be checking again before I leave. Cheers!
Except that Apple gets (and sends) it's traffic info to Waze, right?
Not saying that a lot of iPhones don't help, but it is basically pulling traffic info and accident info from Waze.
EDIT - Sorry...looks like they're not using Waze anymore according to the data provider info. Must just be iPhones/iPads providing real time data. But you're right...it has been accurate for me as well.
It was always going to take Apple a few years to catch up. They had no choice but to create their own mapping solution and brave the growing pains. They couldn't allow such a critical smartphone feature be controlled by their main competitor.
I think the bet paid off. Most iOS users today are perfectly happy with Apple Maps that comes with their iPhone and works with Siri. There's no need to install Google Maps other than tastes.
Now that Apple has a stable and reliable Maps app, they can start innovating. I'd like to see an expanded Flyover that seamlessly transitions into a street view. Given the sightings of Apple owned cars mapping cities from the road, it looks like that's exactly what's coming.
I think the bet paid off. Most iOS users today are perfectly happy with Apple Maps that comes with their iPhone and works with Siri. There's no need to install Google Maps other than tastes.
Now that Apple has a stable and reliable Maps app, they can start innovating. I'd like to see an expanded Flyover that seamlessly transitions into a street view. Given the sightings of Apple owned cars mapping cities from the road, it looks like that's exactly what's coming.
The ARKit Powered Flyover Mode In iOS 11 Maps Is Absolutely Stunning, Take A Look - WCCFtech
https://apple.news/AiTzFhtUIOmGa7IXL-HiYqA
Didn't know this was new.
You don't have to go into any mode, just search for a city and hit the flyover button in the results.
https://apple.news/AiTzFhtUIOmGa7IXL-HiYqA
Didn't know this was new.
You don't have to go into any mode, just search for a city and hit the flyover button in the results.
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I ran into that same bug. It's a beta.
When I get into my car to go home after work Apple Maps tells me my commute will take X minutes by going a certain route. Then I open Waze and it tells me a better (faster) way to go.
Stick with Waze.
Stick with Waze.