How Apple Maps Fixed Its Hated Navigation App | WSJ Tech News Briefing

Recently vacationed in Rome. Used Apple maps exclusively and wasn't disappointed. Good product.

is ann singing

Interesting!

For me, Apple Maps started to look good here in Australia for navigation. They are not at Google level in terms of information Google wins. But Google sometimes does not give you the best directions. Makes you run around too much. BUT - If you are in other countries - Well it is another story. For example - When I went to Sri Lanka - Apple Maps was a disaster

It will never surpass Google Maps

One of the most basic features needed with maps is being able to measure an as the crow flies distance between 2 points. Being able to measure on maps is completely missing in this system. Apple! FAIL FAIL FAIL.

A feature I like most about Apple Maps is you can change the voice accent. I have it set on British “turn into the car park” fun. One feature Google maps has I wish Apple did is the compass letting you know which direction you’re driving. I still use both, Google mainly for a bit tricky destinations like flag lot streets with the same name as cross street. I was trying to pick up something I bought off FB marketplace in a weird location and Apple Maps only got confused. I had to pull over and switch to Google which pinpointed with correct directions.

I don’t enjoy the traffic layer on Apple Maps. I like to glance at the traffic on my route before leaving. The green/red contrast on Google Maps makes this easy.

Apple Maps is REALLY good if you live in some of the larger cities in the United States. It’s undergone massive improvements in the last 5 years in my own city. Google still is king with its wide net for those who aren’t in a concentrated area or many foreign countries.

Wish there were options like sticking to turning in the right. Living new in LA with this App was a nightmare, nearly half of the time was left turns that either takes extra time to finally cross, had to deal with some lights that gave leeway to the opposite traffic to go straight at the lights waiting a chance to get a clearing to turn after ALL of the cars went through, or the lane was not accessible to turn left yet the App insisted I had to turn left. Meanwhile, sticking to right turn tends to be easier to know you can actually turn when needed.

I also hate the last second announcing to do a major turn when there is no to little warning about all of the steps needed.

Nope I like Google, Apple Maps want you to turn right last minut in LA

There's no serious competition in Map Apps😢😢😢😊

I never understood why ppl hated apple maps . . . . I’ve been using Apple maps since iPhones became a thing and it’s works just fine for me in every city/country I’ve been. Never been lost once. . . I just dont get the hate .
. Just follow the directions

There's a massive usability difference between Apple Maps/Carplay vs Google Maps/Android Auto.

When driving, Apple Maps will say things like "Turn right at the next light", "Turn left at the next stop sign", it uses street signalling and traffic controls to tell you when to turn.
Google Maps will say, "In 100 feet, turn left", "In a mile, turn right". 100 feet and one mile aren't what I'm looking for, my eyes are on traffic controls like stop signs, traffic lights etc... which mean more. 100 feet can come instantly going at 60 miles, or slowly going at say 20 miles. The distance to a turn is dependant on traffic and speed regulations, its not so relevant at least when I drive.

It just feels more natural to have Apple Maps tell you where to go. Its a subtle thing but its made a huge difference and I default to Apple Maps in the US or Canada.

Google jumped the shark when they started pinning ads on my map.

Apple Maps is so much nicer when driving because it gives you a view that looks like an actual map and gives you better context of your surroundings, Google you just have to blindly follow the route. Maybe because I’m used to normal maps, but I feel way more comfortable that way.

Google maps. …poops on Apple Maps.

Well of course they improved it, they couldn't have made it any worse

Terrible for cycling and transit. No thanks!

Ann-Marie turns sentences into questions and her voice is annoying.

One big disadvantage Apple Maps has over Google is regional support. For most countries and territories, Apple Maps is barebones with few features being supported. Look Around and turn-by-turn walking directions are missing in most major cities around the world, features that have been available in Google Maps even in my country.

Apple Maps>Google Maps - for anybody in or out of the Apple ecosystem you have to understand how many improvements Apple Maps has made in the last 18 months. I use it daily and won't use any other map app.

Geez even my drunk daughter is nicer to listen to them Ann-Marie

Still prefer Google maps over Apple Maps

Apple Maps grew on me over the past few years. From walking and cycling to driving in different countries, they definitely improved the app a lot

how? copying from apps made by others

If you live in the US, then Apple maps is 10 times better than Google Maps. If you live in the Gulf countries or the Middle East countries, then it's sooo bad

I really enjoy Zoe‘s podcast but I don’t enjoy when she’s interviewing people who drag out their words like it’s annoyance or it’s so laborious to share a thought. So I shut it off.

I tried switching to Apple Maps and remember it would crash multiple times while en route. Wanted to like it but had a bad first impression.

It’s broken until it’s connected to yelp!

Apple Maps is my “go to” app for walking and public transport instructions because I think that is the best one for that
I find Maps dangerous for the car and not clear at all, the one I use is Google Waze or the GPS (the specific gadget)

Love you, Zoe… but I had to give up halfway through because Anne Maree’s vocal fry, up-talk and poor diction (shtreet, impawdent) made my ears bleed.

Being someone in The Netherlands the most annoying part for now is that they have no knowledge of bike paths. Like fr Apple we’re the bike country😑. Always have to use the walk option but then I have no clue how long it actually takes me.

The smartest thing either one of the companies could do is make truck driver friendly. Adding a feature for truck routes, bridge weight limits, height limits, tunnels, and restricted areas for hazmat loads.

My three main issues with Apple Maps:

Too late of warning for turns, seems to be delay in your actual position compared to Google maps

Yelp as review source, this isn’t the early 2000’s

Too many places that no longer or never existed are present on the map

What? I’ve been using Apple Maps for years and I think it’s far superior to waze and google maps.

GG

Best feature of Apple Maps — they aren’t selling data about where you go. I’d never use Google Maps, even if it were far better. I don’t want to be sold!

Apple Maps all the way. Here in Canada and have used in USA too. Works great.

I still hate it

In the UK, they just need to sort out the traffic information

This sounded like she just asked a couple of her friends.

Apple is not quite very good when it comes to software.Take Apple's office apps as an example,not usable. Safari browser, trash. Google maps is the only decent map option All apple does is make good phones, pcs and tabs and thats all.

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This interviewed woman has such a boring laundry list voice for everything she says that it’s the surest way to cause people to turn off.

I never hated apple maps

Google map has significantly dropped its quality this year 😢

Apple should have bought out Waze to compete with Google on even footing