Apple Maps... Houston we have a problem

R

radeon962

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
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Hope you don't get lost with your new iPhone 5. Growing pains are always to be expected with anything new, but this one might just be bigger than usual:

"This is Apple, of course, a company that likes to iterate until it gets a product right. So I have absolutely no doubt that Maps is going to get better. I can’t wait to see how it looks in a few updates’ time. It’s just that the problems are so numerous, Maps may never have a chance to prove itself before Google comes back strong. The search giant will soon release its iOS version, probably after just enough time has passed for us all to try Apple’s Maps and pronounce it DOA".

"Over the next year or two, Apple’s maps should become as good as Google’s for most people, said Scott Rafer, chief executive of Lumatic, a company that has developed a transit app for iPhones".

"It's a tremendous step backwards and something that cripples iOS for Apple's customers.

Among the user complaints regarding Apple's maps sent to the BBC were:

* Users have complained about the quality of satellite images in the new software (bottom)

* Some towns appear to be missing, such as Stratford-upon-Avon and Solihull.

* Others, like Uckfield in East Sussex, are in the wrong location.

* Satellite images of various locations, particularly in Scotland, are obscured by cloud.

* A search for Manchester United Football Club directs users to Sale United Football Club, a community team for ages five and above.

* Users also reported missing local places, such as schools, or strange locations. Another screenshot showed a furniture museum that was apparently located in a river.

I'm sure there are others that will pop up, but a few I have seen on other sites:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/technology/apple-ios-6-leaves-out-googles-maps.html

http://mashable.com/2012/09/20/apple-maps-app/

http://dashes.com/anil/2012/09/who-benefits-from-ios6s-crappy-maps.html

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/09/20/apple_fans_slam_ios_6_map_app/

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19659736

http://www.bgr.com/2012/09/20/apples-ios-6-maps-criticism

http://www.japanmobiletech.com/2012/09/ios-6-maps-fail-in-japan.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0920/breaking20.html
 
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I'm a little surprised that Apple decided to launch Maps with iOS6. It's clear that it still needs some work. MS and Google maps, for the most part, have been fixed of issues like these for years at this point.

IMHO, they probably should of launched it via the Appstore (or web) as a beta application and allow users to help refine it before jumping in head first. I do like, however, that they give users the ability to report errors and such from within the app itself. Should make improving it easier on their end.
 
You know there's a problem when pro Apple sites like BGR and Gizmodo start calling it awful.
 
So nice to see this yet again on teh interwebz.

It was a very non-Apple move, but it's very much like any beta release. Get over it people, for the love of god.
 
I'm not touching ios 6 with 10ft barge pole until this is sorted out. I'm not feeling the new feature love of ios 6 on my iphone 4 anyway =/
 
Whach said:
I'm not touching ios 6 with 10ft barge pole until this is sorted out. I'm not feeling the new feature love of ios 6 on my iphone 4 anyway =/
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Same here. iOS5 is fine as far as I'm concerned.

I really don't care one way or the other that they cut out YouTube and Google maps as they're still avalible as 3rd party native and webapps, but theres no real compelling reason to upgrade either (even with newer hardware).

I'll likely go to iOS6 when I pickup an iPhone 5
 
dr.stevil said:
I'll likely go to iOS6 when I pickup an iPhone 5
Click to expand...

I'm waiting to see what the IP5 is like in person. To be honest, I'm also going to wait and see what the new nexus phone will be like, if there is going to be one this winter. After having the Gnexus for month after testing it out for my fiance, I'm kind of tempted by the big screen. Didn't notice the resolution as much as I did with the screen size & Jelly Bean UI.
 
I think he meant he will make the move to ios6 when he gets his iPhone 5 as it the default os on that phone. As far as I know, dont think the new hardware is supported by iOS 5, so no downgrade option. But you never know.
 
Whach said:
I think he meant he will make the move to ios6 when he gets his iPhone 5 as it the default os on that phone. As far as I know, dont think the new hardware is supported by iOS 5, so no downgrade option. But you never know.
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You are correct :)
 
teh_chem said:
So nice to see this yet again on teh interwebz.

It was a very non-Apple move, but it's very much like any beta release. Get over it people, for the love of god.
Click to expand...

The thing is, it being a very non-Apple move needs to raise the fact that the stupid "it just works" thing from Apple needs to GTFO from the internet.

Also, people are a bit peeved that the entire move from Apple seems more to d!ck over Google than to provide customers the best experience possible which was always their MO. Maybe people can put those stupid claims to rest now
 
This will really push down iPhone 5 adoption in the rest of the world where the maps coverage is even worse if possible. I mean, parts of Tokyo are missing ffs!
 
A lot of the small tweaks in IOS6 are actually really nice.

The Apple maps suck for sure though. The new software itself kicks serious ass, but the maps database is indeed horrid.

That being said, at least where I live, the maps are mostly correct. Not to mention I rarely use maps as it is. About the only time I use the maps app is when i'm drunk and trying to find my way to an underground station.

Users can still use maps.google.com as it anyways.

IMO Apple should have just bit the bullet and stuck with google, and updated the maps app to be google maps with vectorized graphics.
 
But Apple is suppose to be perfect! Celebs use them in ads on TV flawlessly which means they work exactly as depicted in real life right?

Wait , could this mean that Apple has lied about functionality on its products? And this isn't the first time??

WORLD SHATTERED.....
 
ZerazaX said:
The thing is, it being a very non-Apple move needs to raise the fact that the stupid "it just works" thing from Apple needs to GTFO from the internet.

Also, people are a bit peeved that the entire move from Apple seems more to d!ck over Google than to provide customers the best experience possible which was always their MO. Maybe people can put those stupid claims to rest now
Click to expand...
No arguments that Apple's release of maps is crap. But this shit is already littered all over the net.
 
Hopefully since it's the database that sucks they can get that fixed pretty quick but it's pretty terrible that it was released like this.
 
Not a deal breaker for me - easy workaround. Access Google maps in browser! I've been doing it for a while since the old Google Maps OEM app hasn't been updated in years.
 
Psych2l said:
This will really push down iPhone 5 adoption in the rest of the world where the maps coverage is even worse if possible. I mean, parts of Tokyo are missing ffs!
Click to expand...

I highly doubt that. There are plenty of alternatives to the Apple Maps application on both the appstore and via the web. It's not optimal, but it's hardly a deal breaker.

The thing that most people are going to miss, IMO, is street view. I can't count the amount of times that I've used it to scope out a shop/resturant/etc that I wasn't familiar with before leaving. Although, supposidly 3D maps will eventually fill that void.


I suspect that this issue will largely be a non-issue in a year or so. I'm sure Apple is going to be spending a lot of time and money in improving the service (if they want it to be successful at least)
 
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