Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#261

Post by klodolph » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:34 PM UTC

graeme wrote: post #194

ed312 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any idea why they haven't / are there plans to add cycle routes in the future? It seems like a glaring hole in functionality (more than "street view")

I suspect it may be california-centrism. Bikes are a vital mode in Europe and many other parts of the road. In california car is king, bikes are either recreational or for hardcore commutes. You can see similar assumptions in how Siri is designed. (“Users only speak one language at a time”) or the effectiveness of multilanguage support in autocorrect. Most people outside north america use their own language + english…

Sure, there’s plenty of California-centrism, but from where I’m sitting, a multilingual Siri sounds like a massive technical challenge. I also remember how long it took Google to roll out bike directions, and just how awful it was at first, when it was rolling out.

Bicycle directions are more challenging than directions for cars, public transit, and walking. I’m just speaking from my own personal experience, here. In every city I’ve lived in, I’ve had to test out different bicycle commuting routes until I found one which I liked. Walking and driving I will just take the fastest route and be done with it. Everyone has different preferences for bicycling for how much elevation climb they can handle, how much traffic they tolerate, etc.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#262

Post by cptskippy » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:34 PM UTC

pgm8705 wrote: post #3

Apple Maps has come a long way since its disastrous initial release. For about a year now, I have rarely used Google Maps. I typically find Apple Map's routing to be just as effective, even for avoiding traffic, accidents, etc.

> its disastrous initial release.

I'm no fan of Apple but I'd hardly call it's release disastrous.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#263

Post by forty » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:35 PM UTC

CPLX wrote: post #237

pauljonas wrote: post #196

I'd been using Waze for a couple of years, and initially it was far superior to Apple Maps. But a few months back, I got really frustrated with it because it led me down some closed roads & ended up doubling my commute time home from work that day. I'd also been noting how off it was on its estimates on when I'd get to my destination. And I was also perturbed by it not knowing the back street entrance to my work site…

I love the idea of switching from Waze, which is increasingly frustrating and wrong. The problem is that having the speed traps and radar sites on there is just too crucial to give up. I've never found a replacement that does that.

Maybe it's a good opportunity for you to start following speed limits and stop risking everyone's life :)

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#264

Post by mrfusion » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:36 PM UTC

I wish they’d fix the issue where if I click on reviews it prompts me to install the yelp app. I don’t want that nonsense.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#265

Post by wolco » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:37 PM UTC

theboat wrote: post #251

krrrh wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's worse for consumers in the end though? One profession missing in the parent comment are the researchers innovating on differential privacy. Apple has taken great pains to figure out ways to improve their maps without storing massive amounts of private user data, to the extent that they split routes in half, fuzz addresses, and analyze the start and end of trips independently. There's an argument that Google ha…

While I sympathize with your viewpoint, you're imposing your personal values on consumers who demonstrate their willingness to exchange personal data for free services every day. You and many HN users may balk at this, but most people are ok with trading privacy for real-time traffic predictions. Apple shouldn't receive an unfair market advantage because they embody the values you hold dear. Sidenote: I disagree that…

iPhones are not the market leader and do not have to follow molopoly based rules. They can allow apple maps only and all is legal.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#266

Post by what_ever » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:40 PM UTC

jschwartzi wrote: post #167

mcbutterbunz wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This update may make me switch from Google Maps. The UI in Google Maps has always been confusing and cluttered. There's a search bar, then quick search buttons underneath, then the layers button, "Explore nearby", explore, commute, "For you", and then finally the hamburger menu. Apple Maps is a lot cleaner but the only thing missing was the quality of the actual maps. Hopefully that has changed now.

My favorite feature of Google Maps is how it gets 10x slower when you turn location history off. And then it obnoxiously prompts you to turn it back on for an "improved user experience." I've duplicated this exact experience across several generations of smartphone including a relatively recent Galaxy S7. Turning location history back on makes the slowness go away.

I don't have this experience on Pixel 3. I also have location history off and have never gotten the prompt. Does that come up in a specific usecase?

Disc: Googler but nowhere close to Maps.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#267

Post by flyingfences » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:40 PM UTC

forty wrote: post #263

CPLX wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the idea of switching from Waze, which is increasingly frustrating and wrong. The problem is that having the speed traps and radar sites on there is just too crucial to give up. I've never found a replacement that does that.

Maybe it's a good opportunity for you to start following speed limits and stop risking everyone's life :)

Driving over the posted limit is not dangerous on most roads.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#268

Post by krrrh » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:40 PM UTC

theboat wrote: post #251

krrrh wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's worse for consumers in the end though? One profession missing in the parent comment are the researchers innovating on differential privacy. Apple has taken great pains to figure out ways to improve their maps without storing massive amounts of private user data, to the extent that they split routes in half, fuzz addresses, and analyze the start and end of trips independently. There's an argument that Google ha…

While I sympathize with your viewpoint, you're imposing your personal values on consumers who demonstrate their willingness to exchange personal data for free services every day. You and many HN users may balk at this, but most people are ok with trading privacy for real-time traffic predictions. Apple shouldn't receive an unfair market advantage because they embody the values you hold dear. Sidenote: I disagree that…

Press release from google, 2019-10-02:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.google/technology/safety-s...

* Added incognito mode to maps

* Expands auto deletion of old data to include locations, and location searches

Now... this might not be due solely to competitive pressures from Apple, but it was a topic of conversations I had with pro-privacy Android users I know who have been warming up to iOS. Feature introductions like this definitely take the edge off.

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#269

Post by what_ever » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:41 PM UTC

azinman2 wrote: post #220

fjp wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally Apple Maps is still really bad. I have tried using it to drive and walk around major cities in the last two years and it just completely misrepresents where some roads are, it doesn't catch up with construction, etc. etc.

This announcement today was about the release of entirely new rebuilt maps data for the entire US, from the ground up.

Wasn't the rollout happening by region all through 2019? Doesn't necessarily mean EVERYONE is getting new data TODAY.

Look at the previous coverage on this blog - https://www.justinobeirne.com/

Re: Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for users in the United States

#270

Post by kazinator » Thu, Jan 30, 2020, 9:42 PM UTC

flyingfences wrote: post #267

forty wrote: post #263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it's a good opportunity for you to start following speed limits and stop risking everyone's life :)

Driving over the posted limit is not dangerous on most roads.

For any value of "over"? Strapping on a rocket engine and going 900 mph meets the logical definition of "over the limit".

Driving within a reasonable margin above the limit is safe on most roads, under good surface and visibility conditions.