I use both Apple maps and google maps.
Only think I use google for is street view and new areas that mostly on Google but not on Apple.
Other think is google normally faster.
If Apple could fix these problems I would no longer use Google.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How is Apple Maps these days?
- Thread starter xxray
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I use both Apple maps and google maps.
Only think I use google for is street view and new areas that mostly on Google but not on Apple.
Other think is google normally faster.
If Apple could fix these problems I would no longer use Google.
Like others, I use Waze as my primary nav app. I used Apple maps the other day, after clicking to get directions in Yelp. While it managed to get me to where I was going, it was off by more than a block and I had to actually turn around and backtrack to find the restaurant we were going to. Waze unerringly takes me to the front door of most businesses. Apple Maps needs some serious improvement.
It's better, but so is Google Maps. Apple won't catch up unless Google stops developing or Apple leapfrogs them with some unforeseen tech.
The real issue is Apple not letting us choose Google as our default mapping service
The real issue is Apple not letting us choose Google as our default mapping service
First off let me say, that for anything behind the wheel Waze is the undisputed king!!! It can't get any better than crowd sourced real time information, I mean seriously.
I will admit, when I ubered a couple weeks ago, the driver was using Google maps and the maps looked so much more detailed than Waze. I didn't even know what lane guidance was until I saw it up on his phone. Waze needs that badly, and I can't wait for it to come. I still maintain that it was a huge oversight for Apple not to purchase Waze when they had the chance. I mean they were already behind, and I think this would have given Apple maps more depth.
With all that said, I've never used Apple maps at all, not once. Heck, I don't even know the last time I even opened the app. If I need walking directions, or a detailed map then it's Google Maps for me.
I can't see a future where I use Apple maps in any capacity. Just being honest.
I will admit, when I ubered a couple weeks ago, the driver was using Google maps and the maps looked so much more detailed than Waze. I didn't even know what lane guidance was until I saw it up on his phone. Waze needs that badly, and I can't wait for it to come. I still maintain that it was a huge oversight for Apple not to purchase Waze when they had the chance. I mean they were already behind, and I think this would have given Apple maps more depth.
With all that said, I've never used Apple maps at all, not once. Heck, I don't even know the last time I even opened the app. If I need walking directions, or a detailed map then it's Google Maps for me.
I can't see a future where I use Apple maps in any capacity. Just being honest.
How can you say this without even having tried it?
Sorry, but that is a terrible excuse. I get that you like Waze, but without personal experience using the other apps, your opinion on them is worthless.I've kept up vicariously, through others and keynotes.
To see speed limits just added after having them so long on Waze, is indicative of what I'm not missing.
I'll continue to monitor from afar.
I frequently use the big three, and I find that in the north east US, Apple and Google are so close to being on par for me, that I rarely take notice of which I am using at a given time. They provide nearly identical routes and have comparable POI. Lane guidance and speed are nice, but a clear view of your route is more important. From personal preference I like the Apple UI, though the road colors can be hard to see. I’ll give the nod to Google due to lane guidance, but only just slightly. Apple may take the lead for me with ios11.
Waze is my least favorite of the big three. It is very competent at what it does, but once it started popping up ads for restaurants, I jumped ship. I’ve also never liked the way it tries to gamify driving.
The gamify aspect does feel sketchy; and I'm the type who finds it hard to resist tapping the little button to confirm if an accident is still there (or whatever), so that's needlessly dangerous. But at least here in L.A., the other two apps are simply no substitute when it comes to traffic-aware alternative routing. Now, you gotta know what you're doing -- Waze has screwed me over, big time, more than once -- sometimes you have to just ignore its guidance, and go with your gut (obviously, you have to know the roads to do this). The app's biggest (and much-maligned) pitfall is urging you to turn left, onto a busy road with no signal, at rush hour. WTF!
But I also happen to prefer Waze's nav UI more than the other two. The "next turn" bar at the top is a little smaller; the arrival time and other info at the bottom a little easier to read... and Google and Apple Maps both have certain pitfalls unique to their own designs. Waze ain't so good at searching for POIs and displaying them in map view, though... if traffic isn't a factor, I default to Apple Maps (and Google only if I need to rely on its superior search database; as the iOS app seems to eat battery).
If you're using iOS 10 on a thread about Apple Maps in iOS 11, then you're not making a fair comparison either. Just saying.
The lane guidence is nice and the look of the maps is improved in iOS 11, IMHO.
You are right, I have not installed iOS 11 on my primary phone, so I have limited exposure to the new maps app. That said many people seem more worried about the backend data. I doubt we will see any really difference in PIO or routing with iOS 11. In general I think Apples data has gotten to be very good. At least in the areas where I travel. But I am looking forward to the UI improvements.
Yes. Can do that in iOS 10 as well. While in a route, ask Siri for “gas stations along route”.
Perfect timing for me to provide my insight after using Apple Maps for nearly 1,800 miles of driving over the past 5 days.
The navgation, choice of routes, updtaes to faster routing while driving...all flawless. I knew where I was going most of the time, so I know it was giving the best info. I also double checked against Google and Waze when I could. Waze is kind of ridiculous for long drives as it only picls the fastest route and doesn't give you much of a choice to change. I didn't want to pay $40 in tolls yesterday and only Apple and Google gae me a choice of routes...and Apple's were actually better in this case.
My biggest issue....last week while driving on both the Ohio and Pennsylvania turnpikes (toll roads), I needed gas and knew that more than one service area was in my range. No need to get off the toll road. When I slected the fuel icon on Apple Maps, it always wanted me to go to a fuel stop off the higway...even when I was less than 2 miles from the service area. The service area did show on the map, but the parsing did not recognize that there was a gas station there...only the fact that Starbucks was. I also didn't like that when I would pick the "breakfast" icon, it seemed to limit itself to typical "breakfast" spots like a diner or Panera Bread. Why not list McDonald's, Burger King, Chick Fil A??? Everywhere that serves breakfast (and actually preferred by most people....)
Coming home yesterday, was very low on fuel and Apple Maps was directing me to the "closest" stop...a couple of miles off the road. When I got the the exit, there were two service stations within 100 feet. WTF? I didn't have a chance to check Google, but assume it would have picked the closer options and restaurants when asked. Has been better about that in the past. Waze on the other hand? I always have a "time out error" when searching for POI's tos top at. When it does work, it's fine, but it is rare.
Anyway....outside of the fuel icon and "restaurant" icon picking what I wanted, the iOS11 version was awesome. And when I did search for something either by name or address, it did find it every time...and was fast. They really just need to work on their parsing as the gas stations I stopped at were obviously on there, just not selected as standard by Apple.
Next time try asking Siri for "gas stations along the route" or "restaurants along the route". Not intuitive perhaps but might get the result you're looking for.
But...shouldn't Apple Maps give me the same response when I hit the fuel icon provided right in the app?? Why would it be different?
And even though it didn't provide the closest and best answer, I was happy with the info that was provided (how far off the route, etc.)
You would think it should, yep. Next time I'm doing a trip up north I'll try both and see if there's a difference.
Agree it's improved in leaps and bounds otherwise though. It's very reactive on rerouting around traffic, it knew about roadworks that had sprung up overnight this weekend and the estimates seem absolutely spot on.
It caches the route and a large swathe around it when you start navigation. Still an issue starting new navigation in an area with no connectivity though.
Yes, but it doesn't cache a 7 hour road trip ... and from past experience, Apple Maps failed to cache my route and it was just a mess. I download the areas I'm going to be traveling through in Google Maps before I drive. I'm able to do this beforehand so I don't have any issues. I also have the TomTom app as a back up, although that app's interface is barf.
It cached Phoenix to Vegas for me 2 years ago on a 5s. I hadn't realized I'd lost connection and never established it again (needed a reboot). Still, the point is well taken. It would be good for it to have better offline access.
I try to have Google's offline cache updated before any road trips. Even though I use Apples maps primarily, the offline piece of mind is nice to have.
Data has gotten to be very reliable, but I did have issues recently where my phone wanted to connect to a tower in Canada, even though I was still in the US. Effectively I was offline unless I wanted to pay ridiculous roaming fees.
Another thing I noticed...happened two or three times on a long 650 mile drive last week...when I was coming up on a major "intersection", maybe two miles before, Maps offered up a better route. It was like it does a last minute check before making the next major route change and adjusts if there is a better route. Actually gave me more confidence that it was a better route. And in the case of these two changes, it noted the time improvement and they both were spot on.