iOS 7 and Maps still sucks

[VulchR]

Just upgraded to iOS 7 and Maps still sucks. There are errors in road names. There are stores shown that closed 7-8 years ago. Stores that do exist are shown a block away from their actual location. In short it is virtually unusable, and it looks wholly amateurish compared to Google's maps. If Apple's maps is meant to be a fallback if Google ever pulled the plug on their map app, then Apple's is failing miserably. If Apple's maps was meant to replace Google's, then Apple's efforts are laughable.

I know what you're thinking: The OP lives in a small town in Scotland, and the focus should be the US first and then metropolitan areas outside the US. Perhaps, but part of Apple's tax minimization scheme is that Apple US uses Apple Ireland to pay for R&D. It seems odd to me that Apple Ireland would be more concerned about the US than Europe. Moreover, I pay more for my iProducts than people in the US do, as I suspect many people in Europe do. Apple has a wad of cash - why is it not spending it on providing services outside the US? Google certainly is....

If Apple can't get better data, then perhaps they had better start collaborating with Google to improve the experience of their customers.

 

[Todd B.]

Maps is fine, honestly.

You think Google Maps was perfect the first two years?

 

[0000757]

Maps has always been fine for me. I'm not denying that Maps has had issues, it certainly has, but it hasn't gotten anything wrong for me before.

 

[TheRainKing]

Apple maps still can't find the college 5 minutes from my house. So yeah..

 

[Steve121178]

You think Google Maps was perfect the first two years?

It was pretty good from the very start actually. At least the map data was accurate.

 

[bbfc]

Just upgraded to iOS 7 and Maps still sucks. There are errors in road names. There are stores shown that closed 7-8 years ago. Stores that do exist are shown a block away from their actual location. In short it is virtually unusable, and it looks wholly amateurish compared to Google's maps. If Apple's maps is meant to be a fallback if Google ever pulled the plug on their map app, then Apple's is failing miserably. If Apple's maps was meant to replace Google's, then Apple's efforts are laughable.

I know what you're thinking: The OP lives in a small town in Scotland, and the focus should be the US first and then metropolitan areas outside the US. Perhaps, but part of Apple's tax minimization scheme is that Apple US uses Apple Ireland to pay for R&D. It seems odd to me that Apple Ireland would be more concerned about the US than Europe. Moreover, I pay more for my iProducts than people in the US do, as I suspect many people in Europe do. Apple has a wad of cash - why is it not spending it on providing services outside the US? Google certainly is....

If Apple can't get better data, then perhaps they had better start collaborating with Google to improve the experience of their customers.

Maps has been steadily getting better over time. Upgrading to iOS 7 will not some how make Maps perfect. It's all server side.

Google Maps isn't perfect either but it's been out much longer.

 

[OllyW]

I like the app but the map data is still as poor as it was when it launched last year.

 

[maflynn]

I'm fine with Maps, it works just as well as my turn by turn app.

 

[Daveoc64]

Just upgraded to iOS 7 and Maps still sucks.

The problem has never really been about the App. The App itself is pretty stable and although it might not have some of the features that Google Maps has, the ones it does have work as you expect.

The problems are all down to the map data they're using. In a lot of places, that data is out of date, and they have not done a very good job of integrating different sources of data to provide things like POIs and details like road names.

 

[iAmirul]

Maps have been great! Even on iOS 6, it always give me the right directions!

 

[cyks]

Maps is fine, honestly.

You think Google Maps was perfect the first two years?

Just because you think it's fine doesn't make it so. Many of us continue to have issues with it and numerous problems I reported a year ago still haven't been fixed.

The Google argument is irrelevant since we were never forced to use it.

 

[Todd B.]

It was pretty good from the very start actually. At least the map data was accurate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-23331456

And that was just from this year. I highly doubt it was "pretty good" from the "very start".

Just because you think it's fine doesn't make it so. Many of us continue to have issues with it and numerous problems I reported a year ago still haven't been fixed.

The Google argument is irrelevant since we were never forced to use it.

If the Google argument is irrelevant because you're not forced to use it then the Apple Maps argument is irrelevant too, since you're not forced to use it either.

The problems are all down to the map data they're using. In a lot of places, that data is out of date, and they have not done a very good job of integrating different sources of data to provide things like POIs and details like road names.

You think that's strictly an Apple Maps thing? The data on Google Maps from my town is just as outdated - heck, there's still a missing bridge when it's been fixed for nearly five years now.

 

[Steve121178]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-23331456

And that was just from this year. I highly doubt it was "pretty good" from the "very start".

That's west Scotland though. There's nothing there apart from sheep and a few drunk men in parks clutching whisky bottles.

 

[MozMan68]

If the Google argument is irrelevant because you're not forced to use it then the Apple Maps argument is irrelevant too, since you're not forced to use it either.

He means that he is forced to use it as the default on a bunch of third party apps.

Try tracking your running or cycling on a third party app that can't use Google maps as a default.

Has always worked fine for me in the U.S. in a ton of cities....and for those who say it hasn't improved, the poi and search database has improved dramatically in the U.S. where I have used it. Not everywhere, but no one can say they have been sitting around and doing nothing about it.

 

[darngooddesign]

...The Google argument is irrelevant since we were never forced to use it.

You were forced to use it for the first year, and it was the default maps app for the next five years. The moment there was an alternative map app in the App Store, you were no longer forced to use it as an app, and you could always pull up a map system in the browser.

To sum up, Apple is not forcing you to use anything.

 

[byke]

Maps is fine, honestly.

You think Google Maps was perfect the first two years?

Thats not a reason or justification.
The guy has PAID for a functionality, as part of his device.

 

[Doublea6]

This one time google maps told me to do a u turn on the middle of the free way.

 

[Todd B.]

Thats not a reason or justification.
The guy has PAID for a functionality, as part of his device.

The minor issues with Maps don't prevent anyone from using it (unless you're the type that clings to the sensationalism of the tech blogs every word).

 

[darngooddesign]

Thats not a reason or justification.
The guy has PAID for a functionality, as part of his device.

That's true.

I use Maps for directions and Google maps for POI.

 

[VulchR]

Maps has been steadily getting better over time. Upgrading to iOS 7 will not some how make Maps perfect. It's all server side...

How long am I supposed to wait - until iOS 17? I know the issue is about the quality of the data they have, but it's a solvable problem.

The problem has never really been about the App.
...
The problems are all down to the map data they're using. In a lot of places, that data is out of date, and they have not done a very good job of integrating different sources of data to provide things like POIs and details like road names.

Agreed. However I am losing patience, having reported several corrections on which no action has been taken (by the way, there appears to be no way to correct road names). If Apple were smart they would allow the GPS/camera to be used to document crowd-sourced corrections, but have they even thought of that? No. Instead they were thinking about narrow, hard-to-read fonts.

...Not everywhere, but no one can say they have been sitting around and doing nothing about it.

Actually, where I am, I can. As I said, I paid just as much, if not more, for my iDevices as anybody in the US. Does Apple offer a discount or apology for its maps outside the US? No.

 

[eclipse01]

I just use Waze

 

[MozMan68]

Actually, where I am, I can. As I said, I paid just as much, if not more, for my iDevices as anybody in the US. Does Apple offer a discount or apology for its maps outside the US? No.

Was the apology they gave U.S. specific??

Outside of the issue with Apple Map integration in some third party apps, what's wrong with the many other map apps that more than make up for the deficiencies present in some areas of the world with Apple Maps?

 

[sixstrings03]

Maps may be great now but after it took me way off course the first month it was out, I've just automatically gone to Google Maps as a habit.

I don't think there's a compelling reason for me to switch back to using the Apple Maps app yet.... Google has never gotten me lost so I trust it.

 

[matttye]

I like the app but the map data is still as poor as it was when it launched last year.

Agreed. Love the app itself and love navigation but it's wholly inaccurate and not well stocked with POIs.

It IS improving though, slowly, thank god.

 

[TroyBoy30]

i find apple maps to be more accurate than google maps