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Apple Maps still stinks
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mindwaves
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Apr 24, 2017, 04:25 AM
 
Similar to the post of "Siri still stinks," Apple Maps still stinks.

1) Doesn't have public transit across many HUGE cities across the world.
2) Doesn't have building footprints in many cities across the world. In fact, lacks the such in the US also.
3) Super slow on my Mac. GM loads maps much, much faster.
4) Still lacks which lane to be in when driving. Very helpful when driving and need to know which lane to be in, especially on a freeway.
4.5) When driving, I find AM telling me to turn right or left 1 second slower than GM. Needs to be faster otherwise too late to change.
5) Lacks sufficient detail. I can be zoomed in all of the way on a map and still lack the same amount of detail as GM even at a moderate zoom. This detail is very useful.
6) Doesn't seem to care about feedback. I left some feedback and it still remains unchanged.
7) The new Google Earth (just launched today) runs circles around AM and has much, much better 3D also, and across more cities than AM. Also, updated more frequently than AM. I'm looking at an example now, and AM hasn't updated the same map in over a year. GM has the freshest data.
8) When viewing overseas maps, AM only has the street names in English or in the local language, but not both.

Seems AMs only has 2 engineers working on it since inception. How many years is it now? Unacceptable. Try the new Google Earth.

The only updates from AM is featuring new cities with the 3D view which people will only try once and forget (and not even a wow factor).

I do admit that AM on mobile has a better interface that GM, but that is about all.
( Last edited by mindwaves; Apr 24, 2017 at 04:47 AM. )
     
Doc HM
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Apr 24, 2017, 12:59 PM
 
also here to there via would be super useful.
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Laminar
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Apr 24, 2017, 03:28 PM
 
4.5) When driving, I find AM telling me to turn right or left 1 second slower than GM. Needs to be faster otherwise too late to change.
There have been quite few times when I'm mid-turn and AM finally tells me "turn here," and I'm glad I looked at the map before waiting for the voice prompt.
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Apr 24, 2017, 08:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
There have been quite few times when I'm mid-turn and AM finally tells me "turn here," and I'm glad I looked at the map before waiting for the voice prompt.
Yeah, that is what I wanted to say. The voice prompt should prompt me 1 second before it actually prompts me, otherwise it would be too late. I need to look at my phone's screen more often than using GM, which isn't as safe.
     
The Evener
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Apr 24, 2017, 09:40 PM
 
Yes, I couldn't agree more. I guess it underlines the amount of work it took to actually get Google Maps up to snuff; Apple's product unfortunately isn't there yet.

"Psssst..."
     
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Apr 25, 2017, 04:04 AM
 
The main benefit of Apple Maps is that it pushed Google to release its improvements for iOS. They kept the best stuff (vectorized maps and some of the transit areas) back for Android until Apple made their own app, and I think turn-by-turn also came to Google maps after Apple added it.
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OreoCookie
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Apr 25, 2017, 04:58 AM
 
Apple Maps is often behind Google Maps, but even Google Maps can be atrocious if you are not living in one of the huge metropolis or want to do something that doesn't involve a car. I use four maps applications concurrently, my default is Apple Maps, Google Maps is the backup for public transport and locations, and two more for biking and hiking (as soon as you are off road (Strava for tracking, and MotionX-GPS for offline and hiking maps). My default is Apple Maps because I vastly prefer its UI over Google Maps, where I often confuse swiping down and swiping left. Also, since I don't have a gmail account, Google Maps is a bit ham stringed in terms of what data it (is allowed to) remembers.
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Laminar
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Apr 25, 2017, 10:19 AM
 
I typically use Waze for road hazard () alerts, but I don't trust Waze's directions at all. I get the feeling that Waze sends me on a route because it wants data on that route, not because it's actually a good route.
     
The Final Shortcut
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Apr 25, 2017, 08:00 PM
 
Google Maps is far superior. It does not integrate live updates well at all - a big accident closed a few highway onramps a while ago, and goddamn Maps kept constantly re-routing me to get back to the same on-ramp. I was furious.

Of course, I was only using Maps because Apple will not allow GM with CarPlay, since that would destroy Maps on that platform. So I ended up having to disconnect from CarPlay and use GM in the old-fashioned dangerous fashion just to find the nearest open on-ramp, since Google actually includes live accident/incident updates.

And don't get me started on CarPlay. The concept is incredible, but in practice it crashes all. the. damn. time. At first I thought it was the integration in my Honda, but other people who own VWs and Hyundais have also said that it crashes constantly. It's brutal and a absolutely terrible customer experience.

In contrast I've heard that Android Auto is extremely stable and, at least, has Google Maps available. So after almost 30 years of primarily Apple fandom I may go elsewhere when my iP6 needs replacement - it's that bad.
     
Atheist
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Apr 26, 2017, 01:48 PM
 
Does anyone know why Apple Maps doesn't show the current speed limit? Or how about the name of the road and city I'm in? I find myself more and more fed up with Apple's minimalistic mindset such that they display virtually no useful information in their apps.

As far as CarPlay is concerned, I can't say I've ever once had it crash on my Ford Focus.
     
imitchellg5
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Apr 27, 2017, 12:05 AM
 
CarPlay crashes all the time in my VW. It's simply useless. I rely on the built in maps instead. I wish Google Maps was available via CarPlay though. I'm sure at some point CarPlay will be improved. It just feels like a beta.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Apr 27, 2017, 02:39 AM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Shortcut View Post
Of course, I was only using Maps because Apple will not allow GM with CarPlay, since that would destroy Maps on that platform.
Are you sure it's Apple blocking Google Maps, and not Google refusing to support CarPlay?
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Apr 27, 2017, 05:29 AM
 
The minimalism in all applications (including AM) is annoying. I commonly have to move windows around and I do it by top part of the window. But because applications now don't have a title bar, I have to find a blank space of the window that is not covered by the search bar or various buttons to move the window. Highly annoying.
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 27, 2017, 11:58 AM
 
Mapquest forever.
     
The Final Shortcut
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Apr 29, 2017, 10:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
As far as CarPlay is concerned, I can't say I've ever once had it crash on my Ford Focus.
Originally Posted by imitchellg5 View Post
CarPlay crashes all the time in my VW. It's simply useless. I rely on the built in maps instead. I wish Google Maps was available via CarPlay though. I'm sure at some point CarPlay will be improved. It just feels like a beta.
Yeah, interesting - it definitely has a reputation for constant crashing on Honda, VW, Hyundai....seems like it could be implementation, or perhaps the phone? What iPhones do you folks have? I've got the 6.

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
Are you sure it's Apple blocking Google Maps, and not Google refusing to support CarPlay?
I'm definitely not sure, but everything I've seen makes me suspect it's the former - it's the one area Apple has left to force users to use Maps, which is simply an inferior product. Unless Google just wants to convince everyone to switch to an Android phone to work with their cars - which admittedly may be working - why wouldn't they want to dominate this segment too, and get a lot more driving data?
     
Spheric Harlot
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Apr 29, 2017, 10:10 AM
 
Apple doesn't need to "force" their users to do anything. The vast majority use Apple Maps by default, because everything defaults to it, and it takes conscious effort to use something different.

Apart from that, the last few times I attempted to use Google Maps (last year), it was the inferior product, in terms of content but above all, because of the terrible user interface.
     
subego
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Apr 29, 2017, 10:51 AM
 
Not in my experience.

I'm zoomed into a radius of about two blocks and the ****ing bike share gets a pin instead of the train station with three rail lines running through it.



Hint: train station is the pair of block long strips in the center.
( Last edited by subego; Apr 29, 2017 at 11:54 AM. )
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Apr 29, 2017, 08:33 PM
 
That's funny, can you post the equivalent GM for us to see?
     
subego
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Apr 29, 2017, 08:47 PM
 
I can, but I thought this may be more useful...

There does seem to be something odd about this station in that it disappears off both sets of maps quicker than it should (it's a really important station), but one can zoom out much farther on the Google version before it disappears. This is the zoom level right before it drops out on Google.



I'll whip up one of equivalent scale.
     
subego
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Apr 29, 2017, 09:00 PM
 
Here's the A/B.





The "additional streets" in the Apple version are known in the parlance as alleys.
     
subego
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Apr 29, 2017, 09:03 PM
 
And, in case someone drops by, Cheesie's is meh. It's XTREME grilled cheese when a regular grilled cheese will do.

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mindwaves  (op)
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Jun 29, 2018, 07:15 PM
 
Apple is finally providing a remedy.

https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/29/ap...the-ground-up/

Now, next for Siri.
     
Atheist
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Jul 4, 2018, 01:46 PM
 
I certainly hope it's better than what we've got now. My biggest complaint with Apple Maps is that it frequently just can find places I'm looking for. Recent example, I was in Northern VA running errands and wanted to find the nearest Costco. I opened maps and searched for "Costco" and it completely missed the nearest one in Leesburg. I can repeat this behavior time and again. If I ask Siri for the Costco in Leesburg it finds it. But what if I don't know the exact city?
     
andi*pandi
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Jul 4, 2018, 10:32 PM
 
Sometimes even with the city:

"Find the LandsEnd in Natick."
"here's the nearest landsend in Quincy."
Natick.
Quincy.

Argh.
     
subego
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Jul 4, 2018, 10:35 PM
 
From the Siri thread...

Originally Posted by subego View Post
A test suggested on Reddit. There’s one literally three blocks from where I am.



     
mindwaves  (op)
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Jul 4, 2018, 11:16 PM
 
I live in a city with subway lines. I personally rarely use the subway but I use the subway lines as a means of guidance of where am I exactly on the map. On Google Maps, the subway lines are there showing me where I am, but on Apple Maps, I have to go into transit to see the subway lines, but that also displays me all of the bus stations, which aren't needed. And, the subway lines on Apple maps are only show in a faint, thin line, whereas Google Maps shows them in darker, thicker lines, making it much easier to see. I just want the subway lines to be shown, not because I will be using the subway, but it helps me tremendously to locate myself or a particular location easily.
     
subego
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Jul 4, 2018, 11:42 PM
 
In Chicago, Maps somehow has the edge over Google on that for the moment.





The tracks are clearer on Maps, though neither is great. Also, Google is missing the Belmont station at this zoom, even though it’s a hub for three lines. The stations it is showing only serve one.
     
Doc HM
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Jul 5, 2018, 03:49 AM
 
From A to B when A is not here would be about the best thing to add.
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Jul 5, 2018, 07:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by Doc HM View Post
From A to B when A is not here would be about the best thing to add.
That is there already. Search for where you want to go. Right at the last point before you start the route guidance, it says "From: Current location" (or something similar, my phone is set to Swedish) and "To: (whatever you searched for)". "Current location" is in blue, indicating that it is a link. If you tap it, you can change that starting point to whatever.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Doc HM
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Jul 5, 2018, 08:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
That is there already. Search for where you want to go. Right at the last point before you start the route guidance, it says "From: Current location" (or something similar, my phone is set to Swedish) and "To: (whatever you searched for)". "Current location" is in blue, indicating that it is a link. If you tap it, you can change that starting point to whatever.
Thanks

I should have looked harder. I never realised they had enabled it.
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