Apple Maps vs. Google Maps • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#131

Post by WA » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 5:55 PM UTC

FlyingSnake wrote: post #79

komuher wrote: post #18

Google maps >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> apple maps here in Europe especially for medium sized cities (in big cities apple works fine but still a lot worse then google). For me it seems like fair exchange to give some data, for free and very good service that have no real competition :)

OpenStreetMap >>>>>>>>> Google maps pretty much everywhere in EU (and RoW). I had better data in Harz, Bohemian Switzerland, Girona, Laos, Indian jungles etc which was way better than what Google provides. I would rather give my data to the qualitatively better option OSM than a controversial foreign firm that has questionable stance on user privacy.

Map data yes, traffic data no. And the latter is quite important for driving.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#132

Post by extra88 » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 5:55 PM UTC

distances wrote: post #125

extra88 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is a good iOS app for turn-by-turn directions (driving, biking, walking, public transit) that uses OpenStreetMap data?

Organic Maps is IMHO the most usable OSM app for Android. It's available also for iOS, no idea if it's 1-to-1 but worth giving it a try.

It’s in the store. It touts working offline, do you have save map data for an area first or can you use it the same way as other map apps?

I’ve used Google Maps’ offline saving feature when traveling internationally and where cell service is poor or absent.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/organic-maps/id1567437057

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#133

Post by dan-robertson » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 5:57 PM UTC

beefman wrote: post #108

Apple's driving coverage has been improving and is now as good as Google's in the SF Bay area. Google is still better at walking directions (especially involving building access), and I'm sure their coverage is superior globally. Apple doesn't support multi-point itineraries and doesn't have depart at / arrive by functionality, which can be very useful. Apple has generally copied Google's mobile UI approach, which ha…

For an iPad, I find the apple ma-s ui much better. E.g. for search results in portrait, apple give you a column on the side (so you can see the map) but google fill your screen with results which makes more sense on a small phone. Google do the same “better” thing in landscape. I also find Apple’s street view copy much nicer to use but obviously they have the late-mover advantage. Google now have a poor copy of this interface but it’s hidden away.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#134

Post by distances » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 5:59 PM UTC

extra88 wrote: post #132

distances wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organic Maps is IMHO the most usable OSM app for Android. It's available also for iOS, no idea if it's 1-to-1 but worth giving it a try.

It’s in the store. It touts working offline, do you have save map data for an area first or can you use it the same way as other map apps? I’ve used Google Maps’ offline saving feature when traveling internationally and where cell service is poor or absent. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/organic-maps/id1567437057

It works only offline. You download the area before you can zoom in; there's no online tile-on-demand.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#135

Post by r0m4n0 » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 5:59 PM UTC

Apple Maps has a long way to go on biking directions. Today on the Chicago waterfront I selected biking directions and it just said “unavailable”

I do like the contextual directions on Apple Maps they say “at the next signal turn left” but I refuse to use two map apps

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#136

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 6:01 PM UTC

nixy wrote: post #31

But a map app is so much more than street maps and navigation. I have tried to switch to Apple Maps, and it works great for navigation or getting an overview of the streets. But I cannot use Apple Maps to explore! With Google maps, I just fire it up and search “sights” to find places near that are worth a visit. “Public beaches” to find where I can go for a swim. If I try the same with Apple Maps, more often than not…

[deleted]

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#137

Post by acdha » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 6:02 PM UTC

zerocrates wrote: post #69

acdha wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. I stopped using Google Maps years ago because Apple’s estimates are far more accurate and less stressful (mostly DC-Boston corridor). Google would suggest routes which were allegedly faster but that was based on assuming no traffic anywhere so things like unprotected left turns across major roads would be a net time savings. Actual arrival times tended to be about the same as Apple’s original estimates when, say…

Huh. I know for sure here (DC metro area) Google's navigation definitely takes traffic into account both for time estimates and routing. It'd be pretty useless otherwise: traffic is pretty much the major component of travel time for many/most trips.

It seemed to take current conditions into account - route around areas that are already bad but it didn’t seem to account for typical volume at the time you’ll likely be somewhere. We used to get these routes showing normal speeds all the way through NYC, even though it was obvious that conditions would be different by the time we go there.

I’d hope they’ve improved it since then. I mostly stopped using it because I’d get tons of unprotected left turns on major roads or zig-zag routes through neighborhoods and it just wasn’t worth having to deal with that to save a minute.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#138

Post by tppiotrowski » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 6:02 PM UTC

distances wrote: post #125

extra88 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is a good iOS app for turn-by-turn directions (driving, biking, walking, public transit) that uses OpenStreetMap data?

Organic Maps is IMHO the most usable OSM app for Android. It's available also for iOS, no idea if it's 1-to-1 but worth giving it a try.

Organic Maps is amazing. For hiking and climbing it has routes that Google and Apple do not put on their maps. For offline mode you can download entire US states or countries and the search is instant once you've downloaded the data to your phone. I still use Google/Apple Maps for navigation, but mostly because I've never give Organic Maps navigation a try.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#139

Post by tppiotrowski » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 6:05 PM UTC

hellisothers wrote: post #8

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #3

I’m curious - does anyone reading this agree with the notion that Apple maps is becoming comparable to Google maps? I haven’t given it a fair shot in almost a decade I guess, and it was almost unusable then. Does anyone here use it as a daily driver? What are the strong and weak points?

Apple Maps has a different tracking/lag time on your location compared to Google Maps such that every time I try to switch I start missing (a lot of) turns while driving. Maybe it’s time to just get used to the different cursor…

This happens to me too. It's like the turn is very far away and next thing you know you passed it. Apple needs to improve this.

Re: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

#140

Post by tppiotrowski » Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 6:06 PM UTC

brnt wrote: post #10

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #3

I’m curious - does anyone reading this agree with the notion that Apple maps is becoming comparable to Google maps? I haven’t given it a fair shot in almost a decade I guess, and it was almost unusable then. Does anyone here use it as a daily driver? What are the strong and weak points?

Wherever I've been (I hike a lot), I find that OSM is superior to both.

I agree. Organic Maps also has climbing/mountaineering routes that are completely hidden on Google/Apple maps. My friends download GPX files prior to going out, I just open up OSM. :)