How is Apple Maps these days?

[576316]

I’ve always just used Google Maps as a Sat Nav. I get what you mean about Apple Maps being more integrated, but I think they lost all trust the first time round. I’d rather trust a company who has been doing Maps for a very long time over someone only really just getting started.

I dunno. Maybe I’ll attempt to use Apple Maps at some point, but I don’t think they’ll ever make any meaningful gain over Google Maps. I don’t know anybody who would choose AM over GM either.

 

[Rorosbutt]

It's better! (That's all I can say lol) I use Apple Maps for 2 things: 1) See who accepts Apple Pay 2) 3D map layer. For everything else I use google maps or Waze.

 

[EJ8]

Google Maps recently added "Share Location" and "Share Route", although Share Route is still being rolled out. This makes it untouchable in features and quality.

 

[sarc]

Google Maps recently added "Share Location" and "Share Route", although Share Route is still being rolled out. This makes it untouchable in features and quality.

Not sure why you say its untouchable? Apple have let you send your location from the Messages app for years and you can also keep track of someone via find my friends.
[doublepost=1499040074][/doublepost]I use Apple maps in Sydney all the time. I think it's great. It shows transportation for train, bus & ferry and I've not had anything go wrong so far.
Yes when it first came out it was not all that great but now after only a few years it works great.

 

[Feenician]

Google Maps recently added "Share Location" and "Share Route", although Share Route is still being rolled out. This makes it untouchable in features and quality.

“Google added features Apple already has. UNTOUCHABLE!!11!one!”

 

[EJ8]

“Google added features Apple already has. UNTOUCHABLE!!11!one!”

Roll your eyes all you want you are wrong. Apple Maps only shares a static location. Like dropping pin. And in no way are you able to share your route. At all. To make it all worse you can't and never will be able to do either of those things with someone that doesn't have an Apple product.

 

[Strelok]

Roll your eyes all you want you are wrong. Apple Maps only shares a static location. Like dropping pin. And in no way are you able to share your route. At all. To make it all worse you can't and never will be able to do either of those things with someone that doesn't have an Apple product.

Non-issue for me since most of the people I care about have iPhones/Apple products. If something like what you mention were an issue to me, I could always use something else. But it’s not.

 

[Feenician]

And in no way are you able to share your route.

I chose the destination, especially for you. You’ll be needing to stock up now

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

After the launch debacle of Apple Maps, I immediately standardised on using Google Maps.

It's never let me down and new features have been regularly added, so I see no reason to change.

Like many other customers, I just wish Apple would allow us the freedom to choose our own default apps, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Arni99]

I use Apple maps since Google Maps is really slow at implementing closed roads compared to apple and dynamic rerouting is excellent recently with Apple maps at least in my area...Austria/Southern Germany.
In my car I tested both Android Auto and Carplay extensively - Carplay won for me.

 

[romaninsh]

I'm in the UK. Apple maps. More battery efficient, clean screen.

When the battery is not an issue I use TomTom Go (because it shows speed limits and lane guidance).

Waze routes contain more turns and use secondary, single-lane roads just to save few minutes. Waze and Google are both more distracting with not-so-useless information.

For cycling, Komoot for sure (based open cycle maps). Walking in London - CityMapper.

 

[Bcarraher]

I'm in the UK. Apple maps. More battery efficient, clean screen.

When the battery is not an issue I use TomTom Go (because it shows speed limits and lane guidance).

Apple Maps in Northern California not only shows speed limit but the implementation of lane guidance is here now as well.

 

[uhaas]

I'm in the UK. Apple maps. More battery efficient, clean screen.

When the battery is not an issue I use TomTom Go (because it shows speed limits and lane guidance).

Waze routes contain more turns and use secondary, single-lane roads just to save few minutes. Waze and Google are both more distracting with not-so-useless information.

For cycling, Komoot for sure (based open cycle maps). Walking in London - CityMapper.

So have you send the lane guidance and speed limits features in Apple Maps on iOS 11 yet?

 

[EJ8]

I chose the destination, especially for you. You’ll be needing to stock up now

View attachment 707021

What??? No that doesn't share your route. It seems like you don't understand what route sharing is. All that "Share" button that you screenshot does is share your destination. Any app can share the location of some place you want to go. Route Sharing is something that Waze has been doing for years. Google just added it. And on Apple there is no mention or hint of it. When you share your route with someone that person can track your route, where you are coming from, where you are going, where you currently are along that route, how much time is left, etc.

You keep making yourself look silly. Not sure what "destination" you chose for me - "Wrong Store"? Perhaps you should have chosen "Wrong Feature" for yourself.
[doublepost=1499097994][/doublepost]

Non-issue for me since most of the people I care about have iPhones/Apple products. If something like what you mention were an issue to me, I could always use something else. But it’s not.

Sure I understand. Many of the people I care about do also. I'm not some Apple hater here. I have had every iPhone and will never have something different. But Google Maps is more feature packed and more accurate than Apple Maps. It's really not debatable. And that was my point.

 

[PeLaNo]

They can I just buy HERE maps from Nokia and ✅.

 

[stulaw11]

Route Sharing is something that Waze has been doing for years. Google just added it. And on Apple there is no mention or hint of it. When you share your route with someone that person can track your route, where you are coming from, where you are going, where you currently are along that route, how much time is left, etc.

Huh? Apple has had this via their Find My Friends app, since 2011 before Waze and Google did it. Not as robust and a separate app (there was no Apple Maps then to integrate them) but shows location and location based reminders like leave and arrive.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-friends/id466122094?mt=8

 

[CTHarrryH]

I think Google is better for some things but Apple is fine for 99% of what I do.
The only real issue I have is that when I open maps it wants to direct me to a frequent location (the gym 1 mile away) or home - worse with carplay. I just open to see someplace I don't know about not one I go to daily. Just open the maps please.

I can't believe people would ever turn on features that would allow people to see continuously current location or route. Do you like to get blanketed by ads. Or to let the world know - hey he is 1 hour away from home so I have plenty of time to rob his place.

 

[campyguy]

They can I just buy HERE maps from Nokia and ✅.

Just an FYI, Nokia parted with HERE/Navteq last year - Daimler/BMW/Audi are the new owners.

Bad for me as they don't offer an iPad app (which I like to use for navigation) and last year was the last year my '07 Benz will get Teleatlas-based nav DVDs. Good for us as the new consortium is pushing updates now every 2-3 weeks and they've added a new map editor/creator (HERE Map Creator) for personalized input/updates. Bad if you want decent aerial imagery - HERE Maps' low resolution gives me headaches:

 

[naasrd]

I find Google Maps more reliable, however when driving I’ll switch to Apple because the watch directions are impeccable and easy to view.

 

[PeLaNo]

Google advantages is their information that they collected from user. They even have amount of time that people usually spend at places.

 

[ryxn]

Google advantages is their information that they collected from user. They even have amount of time that people usually spend at places.

Exactly this. Yes, Google may have an advantage when it comes to navigation and some other things. But you are forgoing your privacy and data for ease of use. Many people don't mind, but I do, and it's a big reason why I'm an Apple customer.

It's actually quite remarkable that Apple has accomplished so many things while prioritizing the user's privacy. That being said, Apple Maps could use some features and tweaking that I feel like doesn't require user data. But for what it's worth, Apple Maps does the job just fine.

 

[PeLaNo]

Exactly this. Yes, Google may have an advantage when it comes to navigation and some other things. But you are forgoing your privacy and data for ease of use. Many people don't mind, but I do, and it's a big reason why I'm an Apple customer.

It's actually quite remarkable that Apple has accomplished so many things while prioritizing the user's privacy. That being said, Apple Maps could use some features and tweaking that I feel like doesn't require user data. But for what it's worth, Apple Maps does the job just fine.

Apple can use differencial Privacy like they presentfor some thing like how long people spend time in places,so they can use information and have privacy for each individuals at the same time.

 

[one more]

I use Apple maps since Google Maps is really slow at implementing closed roads compared to apple and dynamic rerouting is excellent recently with Apple maps at least in my area...Austria/Southern Germany.
In my car I tested both Android Auto and Carplay extensively - Carplay won for me.

Have you tried Waze?

 

[t0mat0]

Ok but be wary as a satnav. In the UK it will miss junctions where you give way/stop etc, and sometimes get thrown by eg hamburger roundabouts (where can go through the middle) and give incorrect exit number to turn off. Speed limits can be out of date.
New estates and new roads can be missing.

Places like London with roadworks diversions etc it can get thrown (especially with high building its gps location glitches which is jarring when doing city driving!).
Their detouring and updates to quickest route is good.
Have found the beta seems to be pushing much more complicated rural A/B road routes in full or part of the journey just for being a minute or two quicker. Bit annoying if you don’t check the whole route it’s decided. (And worse for fuel economy - a few miles on motorway gives better MPG for me than A/B country roads.)

It’s not as good as Google’s navigation to be honest. Getting lane guidance will help.
Main thing that gets me is the lack of a quick efficient way to report issues - id be happy to help improve the local area if they had a system to do so. Reporting issues is like a black hole for me.

Lots of other good bits being added - I could see ARKit connecting to their indoor mapping pretty soon which will be awesome.

 

[gwhizkids]

Generally, I really like Apple Maps, especially when I'm in a CarPlay enabled vehicle. Yesterday, though, it took me on a couple of bad routings, one of which put me in a bad spot (had to back up on a narrow, one lane discontinued road with a very steep, dangerous slope at night to extricate myself). I've reported the issue to Apple and we'll see if I get a response.

That aside, I'm very happy with the iOS 11 improvements and agree with the person above who opined that we may still see more features as the betas get released.