Apple Maps - Come a long way!!

Hi guy's, I wasn't really sure where to post this, but since Maps is an Apple App I figured here would be as good a place as any!!

Its been nearly a week since I purchased my 27" iMac now and I have to say that i'm really enjoying the larger, crystal clear screen. Ok, its not the Retina, but in truth I'm not actually complaining. The screens on the standard 27" iMac's are still fantastic.

Anyway, I've been using Apple Maps lately over the last few days for research purposes for a book i'm writing, and I have to say Apple Maps has seriously come a long way!! Aside from not having street view, if I'm on my iMac or Macbook Air, I think i'm going to use Apple Maps for satellite view trawling haha!! Does anyone else feel similar about Apple Maps, as I recall when they first launched it, people viewed it as a bit of a farce.

Happy with the purchase thus far!

Does anyone else feel similar about Apple Maps, as I recall when they first launched it, people viewed it as a bit of a farce.

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Sorry, but I still think it's a bit of a farce. An example: I was trying to navigate my way to a funeral that I needed to attend in Dallas the other day, and Apple Maps on my iPhone had me totally confused. I finally switched over to Google Maps and was at my destination in less than 10 minutes. Of course it might be that I don't know how to use Apple Maps, but I think I'll stick with Google Maps for the time being.

It's better than it was, but at least 50% of the time it takes me on a wild goose chase.

For example, just yesterday I was on my way to a convention center near O'Hare Airport in Chicago and it suggested I go a half mile out of my way and make two u-turns, only to go right back to where I was. Also, it's tried to take me the wrong way down one-way streets several times.

Still needs some work, but it's better than Apple's first attempt.

I was doing an experiment with it lately (as I was trying to see if I could stick with it and the absolutely wonderful Transit app). I was looking at a major street here in Toronto under which runs a subway line. Depending on your zoom level, individual stops fade in and out of view. In fact, once I let go of a pinch to zoom gesture, any temporary presence of a subway stop would magically disappear. Restaurants near the stop? No problem. In fact, a great example is a subway stop that has a McDonalds in it. When you're zoomed in reasonably close, all you see is the McDonalds.

I keep hoping that Apple will add transit directions to the app. One day...

Okay, so, on a whim, I went looking the other day to see what the progress was on the iOS version of Nokia's HERE maps. Much to my delight, Nokia released it two days ago. I downloaded it and, well, it has now become my map application of choice. Not only does it have public transit directions but it works offline. And, when I say offline, I don't mean just static maps; this app has full offline support including directions. It's quick, clean and thoroughly comprehensive. Move over Google Maps.

I have to add, that I'm not a Huge fan of Maps.

I had to be at court in the Big smoke week ½ ago, and when I was home, I was planning my route on my iMac to throw the directions to my iPhone5. WELL, the maps gave me only 2 routes to take, and I know for a fact, that the route I wanted to take to the city, was by far the quicker way, (by 20 mins) and it wouldn't for the life of me, let it drag to that route.
I tried to say Point A to Point B via Freeway A and it still wouldn't route it the way I wanted. I ended up going to NavMii Aust & NZ and it tracked me where I wanted, and gave me, Traffic buildup, and roadworks.

I have to say, that Apple needs to pick there game up, on the small things, like Maps, AND Airport Utility working with Yosemite Grrrr that is another story . . . .

I may give Nokia Maps a try based on Bryan's review of it. No mass transit system (subways) here but lots of city streets and freeways under repair or construction.

Thanks for the tip, @vansmith-- downloading Nokia's Here app now.

chscag said:

I may give Nokia Maps a try based on Bryan's review of it. No mass transit system (subways) here but lots of city streets and freeways under repair or construction.

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It does traffic as well. If you push the layers button in the bottom right, there's a traffic option. From where I sit, it seems to have everything I need in a mapping app.

caribiner23 said:

Thanks for the tip, @vansmith-- downloading Nokia's Here app now.

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It's certainly not perfect (the UI still needs some love) but it's a good start.

I have used Apple Maps pretty much since it came out. I travel all over North America (really, a pretty ridiculous amount) and have used it in many big cities (but not many rural areas) to navigate around. I would say that 95 percent of the time, it gets me where I want to go absolutely correctly. Of the other five percent, four percent is that it will get me where I want to go but not by the most efficient route or will be slightly off (by maybe a couple of houses) of the exact address I want. The other one percent is problems almost exclusively caused by recent changes in the roadways by the local government.

For driving directions, I rate it very highly. Between it and Transit (for transit directions), I have not felt the need to try anything else. The Nokia Here Maps app sounds great, if the voice directions are pleasing like Siri's I will probably give it a try to see if it can be my "one stop shop."

I've been assured that Apple will, eventually, add back in transit directions. No idea when, though.

I had to make a trip from the northwest suburbs of Chicago to Baraboo, Wisconsin on Sunday (we know how to live it up, I tell ya) and I decided to do an unofficial bake-off of Apple Maps, Nokia Here, and Google Maps.
With years of using my Garmin GPS under my belt, I had an idea of the most efficient routes for this trip.

All three performed about the same, knew about various quirks, especially in the state roads. Nokia Here, however, told us we were at our destination when we were exactly one block south of where we actually needed to be. It landed us at the south end of the property instead of at their actual front door-- on the wrong street.

On the way home, Apple Maps tried to take us a longer way back to the interstate than the route I knew to be more efficient. Both Here and Google Maps suggested the shorter route I knew of. There was no traffic to speak of to influence the navigation for any of the apps.

One feature I like about Google Maps is that it will show you alternative routes while you're in transit and tell you which is the fastest. Sometimes it suggests hare-brained routes that seem to defy logic, but at least it provides alternatives.

All that said, I take the navigation apps with a grain of salt. They each have their quirks I suppose. Even my Garmin once tried to take me over a bridge that had been removed 10 years earlier.

Just to note, Apple Maps does in fact also suggest alternate routes, and gives approximate driving times for each.

The biggest problem with all mapping apps is that they cannot be continuously updated -- updates occur only periodically, as those satellites only go round every once in a while, whereas road closures and redirects seem to happen completely spontaneously.

As far as I can tell, Waze is still the king of planning your way around live traffic reports.