Google maps to IOS

[TuxDave]

Congrats iphone fans, now you won't die in the middle of nowhere because you used ios maps

Nope. You can still die.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/technology...ice-warn-of-safety-concerns-from-google-maps/

 

[Red Storm]

This is good news for the iPhone 4 owners who got shafted with no voice nav in Apple maps.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

It doesn't require Siri so it should work on 3GS and up. I believe it requires iOS 5.1.1, which must be the lowest version that gives them the ability to push turn by turn directions. I tried it this morning, and with the app suspended and even the phone off, it continues to use the local notification system to update you on your turns. The only downside is that you don't get the map as the background on your lock screen.

I think I still like Apple's iOS map app more, but if I do, it's just barely. If this the caliber app tht Google could have developed for mapping then Apple should have stopped development on the iOS Maps app years ago and just let Google do their own thing.

You must be the only one in the world then. I know dozens of iphone users and maps is their biggest complaint. It's gotten plenty of my friends lost, but u go ahead and keep on supporting them no matter how big and obvious apples flaws are.
I'm not an apple hater, but I have no issue calling out the apologists.

 

[silverpig]

I moved the apple maps app to the "junk" folder

 

[bearxor]

You must be the only one in the world then. I know dozens of iphone users and maps is their biggest complaint. It's gotten plenty of my friends lost, but u go ahead and keep on supporting them no matter how big and obvious apples flaws are.
I'm not an apple hater, but I have no issue calling out the apologists.

I'm not an apologist. The Apple Maps application was a big step up from the previous version in terms of UI and usability (which is strictly what I was talking about) which makes sense because Apple stopped working on the Maps app years ago in anticipation of switching to a different solution. The new Google Maps app at least matches it and with Google's impressive mapping database, will no doubt completely surpass the built-in Maps app in very short time, especially if Apple keeps sitting on their hands.

But it's never provided me wrong directions. It is possible for 20% of it to be wrong but the other 80% to be just fine...

 

[Red Storm]

Read that Google also released the SDK so app devs can have their apps check for and then default to Google Maps? If so this is good news for our company.

 

[MrX8503]

Apple maps always saves a bunch of recent directions. You have to click on that icon that looks like a book.

Book icon? Not sure I follow.

I know that it saves searches but when you click on a history it takes you to map directions immediately. I want it to stop clearing and stop committing immediately so I can change the direction or do reverse direction.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Read that Google also released the SDK so app devs can have their apps check for and then default to Google Maps? If so this is good news for our company.

https://developers.google.com/maps/licensing

Requests per day are limited for certain services.

It's actually been available for a while now, but it's not feasible as a large-scale project. Unless you just want the map data, then in which case, yeah, it's good news.

 

[pm]

I used it this morning driving in to work. The new Google Maps on iOS seem pretty good - although if you are playing music from the phone the notifications are a bit hard to hear. But overall, it works really well... and I've been burned enough by Apple Maps that I'm happy Google is back. I stuck Apple's "Maps" icon in my Junk folder too... along with the Game Center, Compass, and Passbook.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Yeah, I agree. Google Maps on iOS is very good.

The only thing I don't like about the app is the logo. But everything else is a blessing to see and use.

Transit directions are back. Not sure how I could get by without it for so many months.

 

[zerocool84]

What's funny is that its design is better than on Android. Google did a great job with this app.

It looks better but I like having more options at your fingertips quickly, just my preference. I'm telling everyone I know to download this and I'll try it out tonight on my gf's 4s. It does look really clean though. I'm sure Google will probably make the Android version the same in an update.

 

[Red Storm]

What's funny is that its design is better than on Android. Google did a great job with this app.

I'm going to have to disagree with that. I have them both side by side right now (Nexus 4 and iPhone 5), and on Android everything is down low, which to me is better organized and easier to reach rather than having half your options on top and the other half below or to the side. Both look clean to me, and I definitely think the iOS Google Maps looks better than the Apple Maps.

 

[s44]

and on Android everything is down low, which to me is better organized and easier to reach rather than having half your options on top and the other half below or to the side

It's also better adapted to one-handing with huge screens.

 

[swanysto]

There are a lot of varying experiences with the new Apple maps. My wife has it on her iPhone 5 and we have never had an issue. Some of my friends in other cities have it and don't have issues, but then again, some them have it and they hate it.

I haven't ever heard my android owning friends complain about maps, and I have never had issues. I can probably attribute that to a few things. 1. I don't use it a ton, so I give maps very little opportunity to fail. The other thing would be that it was pretty much the first good map/gps on a phone, so most people really had nothing to compare it against, and probably got used to any quirks.

 

[s44]

So is it just the mapping/navigation, or is the Google Local (ratings, Zagat, etc.) stuff integrated as well?

 

[JAG87]

There are a lot of varying experiences with the new Apple maps. My wife has it on her iPhone 5 and we have never had an issue. Some of my friends in other cities have it and don't have issues, but then again, some them have it and they hate it.

I haven't ever heard my android owning friends complain about maps, and I have never had issues. I can probably attribute that to a few things. 1. I don't use it a ton, so I give maps very little opportunity to fail. The other thing would be that it was pretty much the first good map/gps on a phone, so most people really had nothing to compare it against, and probably got used to any quirks.

Fundamentally there is nothing wrong with it, except the few rare cases where the mapping data is completely wrong. That's acceptable for a new product.

Where it fails hard is the absence of transit information, and the very limited information on business locations.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

Clean, simple, and easy. Great job Google. This is exactly what I've been looking for on iOS.

 

[TuxDave]

So is it just the mapping/navigation, or is the Google Local (ratings, Zagat, etc.) stuff integrated as well?

I just looked up some random places that I eat around here. After getting the restaurant, you can swipe up to get additional information. So it's integrated with Zagat ratings along with something called viewmenu.com.

 

[Sheep]

I'm sure Google will probably make the Android version the same in an update.

Agreed. They seem to be moving all their apps to a common visual style if the Google Now and Currents apps are any indication.

 

[Anonemous]

I like how you can view the inside of some of the restaurants in google maps.

 

[WelshBloke]

Agreed. They seem to be moving all their apps to a common visual style if the Google Now and Currents apps are any indication.

The new Currents is really nice. :thumbsup:

 

[swanysto]

Fundamentally there is nothing wrong with it, except the few rare cases where the mapping data is completely wrong. That's acceptable for a new product.

Where it fails hard is the absence of transit information, and the very limited information on business locations.

Yeah, now that you mention it, Apple maps sometimes tells me/wife the destination is on the wrong side of the road. No biggie, but can be irritating in tough areas to turn around. I guess it just never irritated me enough.

 

[gar655]

The app is Ok except when searching from Google Now or Local when you get directions or want to see it on the map it defaults to the maps.google.com version and NOT the on phone app.

That's pretty fucking useless then. What's the point of the app if it isn't tied into the other google apps?

 

[WelshBloke]

The app is Ok except when searching from Google Now or Local when you get directions or want to see it on the map it defaults to the maps.google.com version and NOT the on phone app.

That's pretty fucking useless then. What's the point of the app if it isn't tied into the other google apps?

I didnt know Google Now was on iOS as well. Google really are going for a land grab.

 

[runawayprisoner]

The app is Ok except when searching from Google Now or Local when you get directions or want to see it on the map it defaults to the maps.google.com version and NOT the on phone app.

That's pretty fucking useless then. What's the point of the app if it isn't tied into the other google apps?

I think the other Google apps will be updated eventually to integrate with Google Maps.

They were probably created before Google even thought of the Google Maps app, so they didn't plan any integration.