Apple ditching Google's Maps for in-house Maps with iOS 6

[Red Storm]

http://9to5mac.com/2012/05/11/ios-6...debuts-in-house-maps-with-incredible-3d-mode/

I can't decide if this is good or bad. I guess it all depends on how their in-house solution compares to Google Maps. And does this mean Google is going to make an app for iOS or will they abandon it entirely for Android?

 

[AstroManLuca]

It's pretty but kinda useless. Traditional 2D maps (without any aerial/satellite overlay) are the most useful kind and are the fastest to load on a potentially slow or unreliable mobile data connection.

The real question isn't which flashy features are going to be added, but whether turn-by-turn navigation will be included. If not, none of the other features will really matter. I don't really see how they can improve on the existing app just by not using Google for maps anymore - they still write the Maps app on their own.

 

[VashHT]

It's pretty but kinda useless. Traditional 2D maps (without any aerial/satellite overlay) are the most useful kind and are the fastest to load on a potentially slow or unreliable mobile data connection.

The real question isn't which flashy features are going to be added, but whether turn-by-turn navigation will be included. If not, none of the other features will really matter. I don't really see how they can improve on the existing app just by not using Google for maps anymore - they still write the Maps app on their own.

Yeah that's what I thought about this too, 3D maps are cool but I think they have limited uses. I really hope they do add native turn by turn navigation, I don't really like anyof the third party ones I've tried.

 

[Oyeve]

Good. Finally google can dump apple. I always hated the googlemap for apple. Its so useless on idevices.

 

[Red Storm]

Good. Finally google can dump apple. I always hated the googlemap for apple. Its so useless on idevices.

Actually it's the other way around. Apple designed the maps app on iOS, Google is just in the back end.

 

[runawayprisoner]

I don't see how they can best Google Maps with this. Unless they were somehow able to scan the entire planet structure by structure, it's obviously not going to be 3D everywhere. At most, I think it'll just be about comparable to Google Earth, or perhaps even worse.

That and if Apple has no way to update it, it'll be horribly outdated as soon as someone builds a new building or demolishes an older one.

And if it brings nothing new to the table, why would Apple bring it out?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Actually it's the other way around. Apple designed the maps app on iOS, Google is just in the back end.

Which is why this doesn't really change anything unless they add a navigation feature. The article in your OP says it's "much cleaner, faster, and more reliable," but if they were already writing the actual app in house the whole time, how does changing the map provider change anything?

I mean, maybe they're just rewriting the software from the ground up to be better and ALSO switching to a different map provider at the same time, but I don't see how simply switching from Google to someone else actually changes anything.

 

[Binky]

Now they're going to advertise the iPhone 5 proclaiming that they invented mapping, just like they made voice commands before others.

I've been tinkering with WP7 and I'm having a very difficult time finding a decent mapping app on that platform. Google maps is very good on android and its hard to compete with that.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't see how they can best Google Maps with this. Unless they were somehow able to scan the entire planet structure by structure, it's obviously not going to be 3D everywhere. At most, I think it'll just be about comparable to Google Earth, or perhaps even worse.

That and if Apple has no way to update it, it'll be horribly outdated as soon as someone builds a new building or demolishes an older one.

And if it brings nothing new to the table, why would Apple bring it out?

My guess is to cash in on the data mining from map related searches.

Edit: It just occurred to me that this is probably why Apple has done jack squat with the maps app all this time. They need to be able to show off the new maps app having all these features compared to the current iOS maps, which is way behind Android's Google Maps.

 

[TuxDave]

http://9to5mac.com/2012/05/11/ios-6...debuts-in-house-maps-with-incredible-3d-mode/

I can't decide if this is good or bad. I guess it all depends on how their in-house solution compares to Google Maps. And does this mean Google is going to make an app for iOS or will they abandon it entirely for Android?

Google maps for iOS is terribad. It serves great as a simple "look at a map, figure out where I am" but it lacks so many other features that other navigation software has. I'm willing to take anything over iOS Google maps as long as it's more feature rich.

 

[Red Storm]

Google maps for iOS is terribad. It serves great as a simple "look at a map, figure out where I am" but it lacks so many other features that other navigation software has. I'm willing to take anything over iOS Google maps as long as it's more feature rich.

Which is odd because Apple is the one who designed and controls the built in maps app on iOS, not Google as I had originally thought. I think Apple has been holding back features to make their new maps app look better in comparison.

 

[gsaldivar]

Is there no 3D feature on iOS Google Maps app?

 

[Oyeve]

Actually it's the other way around. Apple designed the maps app on iOS, Google is just in the back end.

Thats what I mean. The design is horribly useless. Im no apple fan but anything has GOT to be better than the built-in map app on ios devices. So apple getting and designing their own app can only be good.

 

[WelshBloke]

Thats what I mean. The design is horribly useless. Im no apple fan but anything has GOT to be better than the built-in map app on ios devices. So apple getting and designing their own app can only be good.

Letting Google actually design Google maps on iOS would probably be better.

 

[gsaldivar]

Letting Google actually design Google maps on iOS would probably be better.

:thumbsup:

 

[bearxor]

The Maps app on iOS isn't great, but I don't think it's terrible. It's just terribly simple and hasn't been updated to catch up with the Maps app Google makes for iOS.

But I think the Maps app has been neglected on purpose. Apple's been showing their hand that they want to move away from Google services for around three years now. Theyve been publicly hiring mapping experts and buying mapping companies for at least two. Apple hasn't put any work in to maps since iOS 4 because they've written it off. Why spend time and resources working on it when you know you're going to dump it in a couple of years. That's clearly what has happened.

I suspect that Google has been working on their own iOS Maps application and will probably have it ready to launch this fall.

 

[sygyzy]

The Maps experience on iOS is terrible. Anything else has to be better.

 

[Ns1]

google maps has been sooooooo inaccurate for me lately. gotten lost more than once cuz the it routed me to the wrong address.

 

[sygyzy]

Are you talking about on a desktop/laptop? Or phone? Android? iOS? Such a random comment.

 

[Ns1]

Are you talking to me?

If so, Gmaps on iPhone4s.

Address will be correct (ie 3801 default street is actually Ralphs), but 3801 default street on gmaps ends up being a few blocks down from the actual 3801 default street.

 

[alent1234]

Apple is now using open street map which is open source unlike google maps

Foursquare, yelp, Microsoft and others are also backing it. The reason is google wants to charge for maPs and compete with its customers. As more people use the open solution it will become better than google maps

 

[mavere]

I don't think this "updated" Maps app will be tangibly worse than the old one. Maps is an integral feature of day-to-day iPhone usage and, corporate war or not, Apple won't sacrifice usability in its next OS and phone.

However, with Apple being Apple, I see this new Maps service as being holistically better than the old version, but it'll be missing a handful of features that Apple deemed irrelevant for the service's introduction. That alone should be fodder for some popcorn-worthy flame threads.

In the end, though, the current app couldn't continue simply because the Android version of Google Maps will always be superior. Apple couldn't and shouldn't allow one of the main parts of iOS to be literally a stripped down version of a competitor's offering.

As far as things I want iOS 6 to have, I'm expecting some crazy Siri-Maps integration. Siri's best use case is still for driving, and Apple would be insane not to capitalize on this exceedingly obvious connection between its previous marquee feature and its next marquee feature.

 

[MrX8503]

Integrating Siri into google maps is a smart idea. It would be really useful when changing directions mid trip. I don't really care about 3D maps just as long the 2D version is easy to use. Apple recently did a minor update allowing you to choose a route, but it's still lacking.

 

[Binky]

Integrating Siri into google maps is a smart idea. It would be really useful when changing directions mid trip. I don't really care about 3D maps just as long the 2D version is easy to use. Apple recently did a minor update allowing you to choose a route, but it's still lacking.

Right...just like android has now, and has had for a while.

"Navigate blah blah blah main street"
Done.

But, lets not take that away from Apple. They will claim to have invented it, right?

 

[mavere]

Entirely irrelevant to whether Apple should include the feature. The answer is still yes.