Offline Maps (UK) - first try

[polyphenol]

Today I ended up in a place which has such a poor signal that Apple Maps has never worked. Really annoying - they worked to get me there. But when I leave, complete failure.

So this was a good opportunity to see how well offline maps work.

First off - seemed to take a touch longer, but the immediate vicinity map appeared fine and there was a message about offline maps at the top. But then I tried to tell it where I want to go. And it just seemed to get stuck right there. After a few minutes of boredom, set off anyway. (I more or less know the way now.) Stopped up the road, and it was then working OK.

No idea if this will happen every time or just first use. Nor if it was because I had downloaded most of Wales and it had to work through all that.

Then the second issue, no voice. I usually let it use the car speaker (says Siri on the car's own display - haven't got Car Play). Still got Apple Watch alerts. Far better than no maps, but a bit annoying. I simply hadn't thought through how voice works.

IOS 18 - offline voice for offline maps?

Definitely an important improvement.

 

[jschnee21]

Just use google maps. You can select a custom region of map and download it (ahead of time) onto your phone.

 

[polyphenol]

Just use google maps. You can select a custom region of map and download it (ahead of time) onto your phone.

I am probably boring everyone else here.

Google maps (and Waze) don't include the very road I live on! Despite it having existed for more than ten years. But it does include a phantom road that is actually a narrow footpath and children's play area.

I literally can't use it from home. The best I can do is round the corner. (No - I don't need to be told which way to go. But you rather expect it to include most roads and not have to compensate every time you use it.)

Here, Apple maps are spot on.

And reporting to Google - though the reports were acknowledged - has not seen any changes being made.

PS Council maps, based on UK Ordnance Survey, are spot on. OpenStreetMaps are spot on.

 

[ashleykaryl]

I haven't as yet had a chance to try it out, partly because I haven't needed the map in the last week and always been in an area with decent phone reception.

Nevertheless I think it is good news that Apple has done this and long overdue. My guess is that any early glitches will be worked out over the next few months. I seem to recall seeing an option previously that limited use to offline maps only, but cannot find it now. Given the low data usage of Maps and live updates I would see little sense in activating that option.

 

[auxbuss]

First off - seemed to take a touch longer, but the immediate vicinity map appeared fine and there was a message about offline maps at the top. But then I tried to tell it where I want to go. And it just seemed to get stuck right there. After a few minutes of boredom, set off anyway. (I more or less know the way now.) Stopped up the road, and it was then working OK.

I'm in Cumbria – which has huge areas without a signal – and tried the same thing.

I think that the delay is due to having to search through the metadata in the download.

No idea if this will happen every time or just first use. Nor if it was because I had downloaded most of Wales and it had to work through all that.

I unloaded the Maps app and tried again; the delay is repeated, which implies that whatever processing it goes through, it isn't cached.

Then the second issue, no voice. I usually let it use the car speaker (says Siri on the car's own display - haven't got Car Play). Still got Apple Watch alerts. Far better than no maps, but a bit annoying. I simply hadn't thought through how voice works.

Voice worked for me – I was using Only Use Offline Maps mode on my phone.

I'm delighted by this new feature. My fallback is OsmAnd, which is brilliant – and my preference on the hill – but Maps is easier to use in the car.