“It had its share of problems, but Apple Maps is back with a vengeance,” David Braue reports for ZDNet. “Powered by some jaw-dropping 3D graphics and enjoying an aggressive multi-platform strategy, Apple is finally set to redefine our geospatial expectations – and take Google down a few notches.”
“Some questioned whether including Maps in the operating system was a simply gratuitous nod to the increasing incursion of iOS user-interface tropes into the desktop Mac OS X environment,” Braue reports. “Anyone so inclined should run up a full-screen instance of Maps on their 27-inch iMac, using Apple’s Magic Trackpad to spin, zoom and fly through 3D renderings of cities around the world. It’s a novelty on an iPhone, but on a 27-inch screen it’s literally an adventure.”
“Maps is uniquely important in markets such as education, where maps are an everyday part of learning (and not just in geography) and the ability to pull up and zoom through the maps students are discussing is invaluable,” Braue reports. “As today’s iPad and MacBook-wielding students become more and more accustomed to Apple Maps, they will come to believe that it is how all maps should look – and will question anything else they encounter. That’s where Apple’s vision will have really paid off – as it has already done by seeding iPads in schools to win over tablet users early in their lives.”
Much more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Google Maps usage on iPhones plummets 70% in UK – November 26, 2013
Apple Maps makes killer comeback as Google Maps loses access to world’s most desirable mobile customers – November 12, 2013
Apple Maps puts the hurt on Google Maps – November 11, 2013
WIth iOS 7, Apple’s Maps has arrived; it’s now better than Google Maps – September 25, 2013
Maps on my 27 inch iMac is just amazing love going to old neighborhoods and just flying by its just a must.
Maybe just the US view is better… Apple still hasn’t updated any of the multiple errors I’ve submitted for Edmonton, Canada. And it’s still using satellite photo’s that are maybe 4 years old.
Same is true for much of America. It has the name of my street wrong even though I’ve reported it numerous times.
Apple Chic is … don’t give a $hit about what customers want.
Look at iOS 7, the official gay pride OS with matching pink vibrator.
Since I started fre+lancing I’ve been bringing in $90 /h… I sit at home and i am doing my work from my laptop. Th℮ best thing is that i get more time to spent with my family and with my kids and in the same time i can earn enough to support them… You can do it too. Start here——— x.co/3CLvS
I loathe all things google, but when I had google earth on me iPad, I could see a new deck board I replaced on my house in Japan! I just looked at it last week on Apple Maps, and still can’t see as good. I’ll go check it out right now…
Nope, canno’.
Ahh, another deal breaker eh cuz you can’t see your new deck?
No.
Apple’s vector lines are much better, as is how they display POIs. But Google has it all over them when it comes to imagery. My house is sharp in Google’s satellite imagery, Apple not so great. The 3D flyover is entertaining in the few places it exists but street view is far more usefull. I hope to be able to keep both on my devices.
I’ll keep both for a while yet. I travel a good deal to less populated places in the world. Apple Maps isn’t always very good.
I dumped Google already. I dumped Samsung from the house and urged family members to do the same.
I’ve used Apple Maps pretty extensively in my travels around the US and never had any problems. This week, though, I had to go to a state government office and (my bad for not checking the route completely) Apple Maps told me I had reached my destination half way around a traffic roundabout! 🙂
If Apple had something similar to Street View, then that would be good. That is one of the features I like about Google Maps.
I have to admit Street View is the only reason Google Maps has a place on my Springboard… for those rare occasions I need to see an unfamiliar final destination.
Once I’ve got the route in my head, though, even Apple Maps is adequate, and sometimes superfluous, except for the ETA, which I find very useful.
It’s about time for Apple to get its own search engine in place and stop relying on Google or Microsoft. It can’t be that hard for Apple to manage a decent search engine.
I hope Apple does not get into the search engine business. That’s better left to other companies. It’s a very complex undertaking to do right. Using Siri as a front-end for various other search engines.. now that would be a smart thing to continue.
Maps as entertainment is no substitute for maps as a a tool. Mult-destination route planning with optimization, maps onboard the computer, no internet connection required, those are tools. Flying through the old neighborhood like Peter Pan is just entertainment, no matter how well done.
Agreed! I think if the conversation is reframed to consider road changes and map innaccuracies like we do computer viruses, with a frequent patching system in place, maps could become real tools that people could rely upon.
Apple does not want to get into the search game. Search is good for companies like Google, because their $ comes ads. Apple’s money comes from hardware and associated services.
My first test of Maps on a 27 inch iMac has been to look at my own property. In any of the views on offer, it is disappointing. There are no details at all in the “Standard” view beyond road names, for 6 km around; zooming out to about 15 km, names of Provincial Parks and faint lines for ferry routes are added, that’s all (and then road details are lost). The Satellite view is years out of date, plus it is very dark, making it impossible to pick out any structures or roads, and my property is half obscured by fog. Yes, years out of date and recorded in the depths of winter. I won’t be using it on any device.
Apple Maps getting better every day, search is next.
I noticed this too!
I have a Mac Mini that is connected to a 40″ HDTV and when I tried the map, I accidentally zoomed out too far and I was amazed what I saw! A globe with day and night effect(I think real-time) plus they have a picture of cities with lights.
I wish they could make the 3D images more polish though.
The other day I needed to be guided to an adress.
Navigon couldn’t find it, but Apple maps did sorta find the right location.
I got the coordinates from another app and opened those in Navigon. Google maps didn’t even cross my mind.
I have the google search app still on my phone, but every time I have to use it I forceclose it just to make sure.
Not sure when I used it last, maybe a year ago?
Time to delete it and make my phone completely google free I guess 🙂
that Office 365 ad at the bottom is so effing annoying. it comes up if you are too close to it. Once it comes up i can’t get it to close. no response at all! i have to reload the MDN page again. i am using a Macbook. anyone else having this problem?
Funny. they replaced it with one (different ad) that works….meaning it can be closed. Thanks MDN.
Use the epic browser
No ad at the bottom, no ads at all!
For the longest time, Maps could not find my address in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. It would direct me to somewhere in Illinois. Now – ta da! – it’s there, along with a number of new business listings in the ‘hood. Finally!
Now if they’ll just work the kinks out of Aperture, I’ll be able to upgrade to Mavericks.
At last they’ve fixed the location of Australian towns! My home town is no longer in a swamp 60 kms north of where it really is. The sat view is still patchy but no longer in b/w. Nearly there…
can anyone please if it’s possible to know what day and time the next satellite image will be taken for my neighborhood. i want to be sunbathing on my roof sans bikini. a nude me just about make my apple maps.
You praise flyby 3D views but I have never seen them. 😢
They are empty promises until available globally.
And my several error corrections remain unfixed still… 😣
Maps represents a work in progress that Apple should have introduced with proper caveats. Apple fans have come to expect Apple software to always be better than the competition. But Maps certainly wasn’t when it launched. It continues to improve, but once again, Apple failed to set appropriate expectations.
Why does Cook & Co continue to roll out software that is half-baked, followed by short press releases that we should all be patient, and improvements will follow?