"Is it Apple Maps bad?" --Gavin Belson, Silicon Valley
They had no place to go but up. That first version was absolutely embarrassing. I'm honestly surprised they were allowed to make it this far. To this day, I still do not use Apple Maps. As much as they try to get me to use it with all of the iOS embedding they've done, I still won't use it.
This update may make me switch from Google Maps. The UI in Google Maps has always been confusing and cluttered. There's a search bar, then quick search buttons underneath, then the layers button, "Explore nearby", explore, commute, "For you", and then finally the hamburger menu.
Apple Maps is a lot cleaner but the only thing missing was the quality of the actual maps. Hopefully that has changed now.
There's also the ability to collaborate with people who don't have an iOS device. If someone creates a Collection in Apple Maps I just don't get to participate. If someone creates a shared list in Google Maps I can see it on my phone, a web browser, someone with an iPhone...
Google doesn't give your map collections to advertisers.
It's true that Google gets to see them, but Apple is no better in that regard: they store your collections on their servers too (where else would they store them?).
Maps keeps your personal data in sync across all your devices using end-to-end encryption. Your Significant Locations and collections are encrypted end-to-end so Apple cannot read them. And when you share your ETA with other Maps users, Apple can’t see your location.
Other useful sections on that page worth reading: "Location Fuzzing", "Random Identifiers", and "(on-device) Personalization"
That’s interesting. Can you point to a reference for that?
I would have assumed that shared collections with a group of iCloud accounts would be e2e encrypted like iMessage groups are e2e encrypted. Glad to revisit that assumption.
My favorite feature of Google Maps is how it gets 10x slower when you turn location history off. And then it obnoxiously prompts you to turn it back on for an "improved user experience." I've duplicated this exact experience across several generations of smartphone including a relatively recent Galaxy S7. Turning location history back on makes the slowness go away.
Yeah, whenever my fiance or I try to search for a location, it takes maps several seconds to let us start typing. It only does this when we turn location history off. Honestly one of the things that drove me to stop using my G4 was this issue, because I had thought it was a performance issue with the phone. Then my fiance showed me how slow her S7 was with location history turned off versus on.
Regarding the prompt, it's always on in the search screen but starting a search makes it go away.
I just cold-started the Maps app, and search and keyboard opened instantly. May be try deleting the app data and cache? If not, not sure what's the issue honestly.
Google's treatment of Android users vs. its treatment of iOS users for the same app is insightful: in the former case, the treatment imo borders on the abusive with mandatory and permanent changes required to data collection to be able to do trivial things such as activate a Google Assistant using the Home app.
Google maps used to be fantastic, but in the last year or so it's become so fucking toxic - constantly spamming suggestions and asking questions, even during navigation (in other words, distracting me from driving!).
Apple maps may not be quite as good (the lack of cycling in my neck of the woods is annoying) but at least it's not trying to crash my car.
It is really annoying how it auto-switches to routes that it thinks will be faster.
"We've found you a faster route. Switching in 10 seconds if you don't press 'no thanks'..."
Come on, Google, there's a semi truck braking in front of me and I'm trying to make sure it's safe to change lanes, can this wait?
But the "is [reported hazard] still here?" bubbles don't bother me as much, since they go away after a few seconds. I think all of the cues are intended for passengers who are navigating for someone else, but the developers should keep in mind that some people use their phones as a standalone GPS navigator.
I've tried it several times after various upgrades, but just never has won me over. There's multiple competing products. This particular one has always been behind in usability. There's just always been something that wasn't up to snuff, and I stop using it. I have better things to do than suffer with less usable software.
In the old days of Macromedia Freehand and Adobe Illustrator, each version would add features and updates that would make it slightly better than the other. I would use it until the other came out with their new version. It was a constant ping pong/leapfrog of competing products trying to win until Adobe ultimately won outright. In my testing, not once has Apple Maps leapfrogged to be the leading app.
Anecdotally Apple Maps is still really bad. I have tried using it to drive and walk around major cities in the last two years and it just completely misrepresents where some roads are, it doesn't catch up with construction, etc. etc.
Yes, which means that the person you are responding may have had new data already from the old rollout. Not sure what are you trying to say from this comment.
I interpreted "Doesn't necessarily mean EVERYONE is getting new data TODAY" to mean that they don't have new data at all. My original comment was a reference to the "the last two years" of the GP, suggesting that their experience will be different now than 2 years ago. Perhaps in the last year it was already different and still not good enough, or perhaps it wasn't different yet and now it will be so the two year old data isn't sufficient to judge anymore. Only fjp can say.
I meant this to imply that my experience likely did not include the new data or experience or whatever they updated.
I’m always cheering for a really good G Maps alternative and will give Apple Maps another shot
Anecdotally I have been using it for the last 7 years and it's been perfectly fine around multiple US states and dozens of cities. The only glitch I had was driving out of the Dallas airport, but Google Maps had the exact same glitch.
Don't worry, everyone has problems driving out of DFW airport with or without a maps app. From it's left exits to the merging lanes from cloverleaf ramps/exits, it is amazing there are not more accidents than there are.
They had no place to go but up. That first version was absolutely embarrassing. I'm honestly surprised they were allowed to make it this far. To this day, I still do not use Apple Maps. As much as they try to get me to use it with all of the iOS embedding they've done, I still won't use it.