I was all excited to introduce you to the wonderful
Transit app but then I saw that they don't support any transit authorities in Australia. If they ever do, download it as soon as you can. I thought Google Maps was good at transit and then I got that app (my unrealistic wish is that Apple simply buys them out and bakes their app into iOS and OS X but I don't see that happening).
Thats one of the biggest issues with ANY Map App coming into the App Store, they all have very little Australian support. There is one I have found that I have used since day dot, is the
Navmii GPS Australia & NZ: Navigation, which includes a off line mode too. This is a exceptional App, and has been from the start, and will admit, that I do use this more than Maps, and Google Maps. The off line mode is great because here in Western Australia, there are HUGE backstops of NO Signal, and for my regular trips to Perth, I can drive 150+ Kms without a Signal.
Its not that I need to know where I'm going, its just nice to know here I am.
When on my iPad, I use the Australian Mud Maps, and a dedicated
Bad Elf GPS Hand Held unit, that is accurate too a couple of feet. I've had it for 2 yrs now, and never charged it after the initial charge, and I use it to go 4wding and bush bashing all the time, and it only dropped a single bar. It works well with ANY Map App, but I'm getting off the point here
I should mention for the benefit of the thread in general that Apple has made it clear that it will eventually add transit options to Apple Maps. They have posted ads for transit engineers, they have bought transit-app companies, they have done everything but hang a banner from 1 Infinite Loop that transit is coming.
Nothing has ever jumped out at me. BUT, doing a google, I found
this from Business Insider saying in March 2014, Apple will be doing something this Year (talking about 2014). Then there is the original from
9to5 Mac quoting
Transit:
In addition to the mapping data changes, Apple will add one of the most important mobile features to Maps this year: public transit directions. Late last year, sources said that Apple had been planning to release transit support in iOS 8, and now the same sources are indicating that the plan is on track to be executed. Using data acquired via acquisitions and various partnerships, transit will be deeply integrated into the new maps application.
Now I have found a few listings about Transit
maybe coming to iOS and that only because of the "
Job Listing seen by AppleInsider" and then others that link back to Ai.
Heck, most of the articles, go back to early 2014.
Its the most requested feature, but to put a advert for a job for a member of the Routing team,
"As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps," the listing states. In requirements, the company directly asks for someone with "in-depth knowledge about public transit," both as a rider and on a technical level.
won't guarantee that it will be with us in October.
I suppose we will have a idea on
June the 8th . . . .