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Google Maps' Moat

justinobeirne.com

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Re: Google Maps' Moat

#251

Post by peterburkimsher »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #130

A couple of things stand out for me from the article, one is that this sort of aerial image to detailed map was one of the things the US Government was doing with satellite images in the 70's, and with Google's compute resources if it this seems like the kind of 'side' use that would be encouraged. It is certainly a more useful use of compute resources than computing cryptohashes :-). The second thing was that Google…

Detailed maps are certainly valuable. Getting those from satellites is impressive, and requires high-resolution imagery as well as lots of computing power.

We can get some satellite imagery for free from weather satellites, but it's nowhere near the resolution needed for street maps.

https://hackaday.com/2017/12/05/grabbing-raw-images-from-a-n...

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#252

Post by gregmac »

tatersolid wrote: post #200
Splines wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they understood the economics of depending on an external source for a core part of their business. Much like Netflix, they understood that the way forward was to generate their own content.

Then why is Netflix depending on AWS for the core of their business (their delivery platform)? Prime video is their main competitor. It’s like UPS renting its trucks from fedEx.

Along with the other arguments here, there's nothing absolutely unique (in terms of Netflix business/products) that AWS brings. The same service could be built on any cloud platform, or an in-house platform if they wanted. It would be a pain to migrate, sure, but it wouldn't fundamentally change their business.

If AWS kicked them off tomorrow, that would definitely be disruptive, but the chances of that happening are almost nil as Amazon would lose significant revenue, goodwill, and almost certainly face a lawsuit and maybe even an anti-trust investigation.

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#253

Post by gaius »

shubhamjain wrote: post #229
sytelus wrote: post #142

Many people don't realize why Google maps are so much better than anything out there. I would actually give lot of credit to Marissa Mayer who suddenly became in charge of maps from otherwise more higher position. Thanks to her influence in Google SLT and ability to make impressive arguments, she was able to make a case for maps as core pillar in Google's offering and consequently obtain huge investment and large tal…

It's interesting how Google's projects don't spell financial returns immediately but a few years hence, they are the dominant player in that field. Management deserves credit for nurturing these project but it has always been characteristic of Google to support ambitious ideas. Google Maps was more ready than anyone else to ride the smartphone explosion. I guess they will also be more ready than everyone to cash on s…

It's interesting how Google's projects don't spell financial returns immediately but a few years hence, they are the dominant player in that field

Hmmm, wasn't this Microsoft's business strategy too, until the regulators got involved?

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#254

Post by dannyw »

exikyut wrote: post #235

I doubt anybody will see this comment, but I'll leave it here anyway just in case. While using Maps the other day to get bus directions I got pulled up short and had a very big laugh after Maps gave me a route that would have required I walk through my neighbor's living room and backyard, and then jump my back fence in order to get home. :D Maps apparently thinks that the internal roads in the townhouse complex next…

You can actually edit it yourself and make a correction. A local guide community member will review it.

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#255

Post by gaius »

NegativeLatency wrote: post #246
sytelus wrote: post #142

Many people don't realize why Google maps are so much better than anything out there. I would actually give lot of credit to Marissa Mayer who suddenly became in charge of maps from otherwise more higher position. Thanks to her influence in Google SLT and ability to make impressive arguments, she was able to make a case for maps as core pillar in Google's offering and consequently obtain huge investment and large tal…

I prefer apple maps to google maps for most use cases.

Nokia's Here Maps is likewise superior.

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#256

Post by danso »

raz32dust wrote: post #84
thex10 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it a much better view of the transit layer, and I actually enjoy its navigation UX, but that's about it.

Apple Maps automatically tracks my parking location. Have to do that manually in GMaps.

Really? Google Maps used to ask me if it should remember where I was parked (as of last year). Last week I noticed while visiting Google Maps when waiting in line to checkout that GMaps had automatically labeled where I was parked without input from me.

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#257

Post by gaius »

dvt wrote: post #31

I accidentally used Apple Maps once as I was going to a (new) doctor's office. I realized I was using Apple maps halfway through my drive and I joked with myself that it wouldn't bring me to the right place. I was heading to a fairly large medical complex in Orange County (CA) and I sort-of had an idea of where I was going anyway, but boy, was I wrong. According to Apple maps, the doctor's office was literally in the…

This doesn't seem like a hard problem to solve. My guess is that Apple just gave up

Apple under Tim Cook isn't interested in hard problems. But hey, look at their amazing animated poop icon!

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#258

Post by mherrmann »

Now I know why Google's reCAPTCHA is asking me to identify store fronts. Identifying cars, street signs etc is obvious for self-driving cars. But my hunch is that store fronts are to better make sense of Street View imagery.

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#259

Post by marksomnian »

exikyut wrote: post #245
mark-r wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google's not infallible either. I was looking at a map and noticed that it labelled a restaurant called OPH in Chanhassen, MN. The Original Pancake House is one of my favorite restaurants and is sometimes abbreviated OPH, so I was intrigued. Going to the street view you can see that it's a purely residential area with a park and a pool and no restaurant in sight. Try it for yourself.

I just tried it and ended up being sent here: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@44.8508646,-93.4259796,3a,15... Back out of Street View and you'll see I've landed at Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie, MN. Is this right? What's interesting is that if I type "oph chanha" Maps autocompletes "OPH Summerfield Drive, Chanhassen, MN, USA" but then if I hit Enter, it thinks for a fraction of a second then just stops dead. If I h…

Probably an autocomplete cache not being purged properly. There are only two problems in computer science...

Re: Google Maps' Moat

#260

Post by DanBC »

One thing I really struggle with when using Google maps is that I have to zoom in very close to get bus stops to show up.

The use case is that I get on a bus at place A, travel by bus to place F going through places B, C, D, and E. I've never been to F before. I use Google Maps to plan a journey, and chose the public transport option. When I'm on the bus I need to know when to get off, and I can only do this by zooming into the map really close.

Also, the marked bus route often doesn't follow roads, which means the planner can sometimes tell you to get off at the wrong stop.

Here's an image of a bus route that doesn't follow the roads: https://imgur.com/a/TPIph

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