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Google Maps has become an eyesore

fastcompany.com

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Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#111

Post by rconti »

I've felt that Apple Maps has been better than Google Maps in many ways for years now (although I still switch back and forth between them, seemingly at random, for no real reason, using each for about 50% of my map browsing).

Finding street names seems to be a massive issue across all maps -- not just mobile, not just Apple and Google. One of the most important things to me when looking at a map can simply not exist at most zoom levels. Zoom way in, checking at each step? No labels. Zoom way out, checking at each step? No labels. WTF

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#112

Post by DoingIsLearning »

khazhoux wrote: post #41

> Why won't you show me the street name? I've been running into this a lot lately. No matter how much I zoom -- no street name. This is Mapping 101.

No, mapping 101 is showing me a scale. Without a scale it is a drawing not a map.

A for everyone telling me I can enable it always in settings, I will answer that it still gets removed when you start navigation with 'Directions'.

But I still agree street omission is pretty bad.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#113

Post by feday »

What a weird article, first it complains for a long time about PoI information being in the way and then concludes that the author is stuck with google maps because it is the only one with PoI information.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#114

Post by remus »

dietr1ch wrote: post #89
AlbertCory wrote: post #34

I worked on Google Maps monetization, and then on Maps itself. Monetization was a dismal failure. I don't know how well they're doing now, but Maps was a gigantic money-loser, forever. I'd be a little surprised if it didn't still lose money, but maybe less. I don't what those "pin ads" cost, but I'd bet it's way less than a search ad. If you don't believe that, that's fine. "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Goo…

If google can't make money with maps, why isn't Maps taken out of google into a charity/non-profit backed thing. There's OpenStreetMap, and Wikipedia wouldn't mind having a Map I guess. That way it'd help a bit with the monopoly heat and maintaining it could be slightly cheaper. I don't know the legal stuff, but I'd rather have a company supporting a non-profit than burning money internally, so I hope the incentives…

> If google can't make money with maps, why isn't map taken out of google into a charity/non-profit backed thing. There's OpenStreetMap, and Wikipedia wouldn't mind having a Map I guess.

Assuming maps still loses a good chunk of money, how would it survive as a charity or non-profit? Where would the money come from? Who would donate to the charity?

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#115

Post by resolutebat »

sentientslug wrote: post #29
resolutebat wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's happening, it just took a while. https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/06/waze-googles-other-ma...

I’m not sure you read that article. The separate Waze division has been rolled into the Geo (maps) team but the apps are not merging.

Yes, the apps have not been merged yet, but the article notes that Waze no longer exists as an independent entity internally and just had major layoffs, so it certainly sounds like the writing is on the wall.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#116

Post by CydeWeys »

dietr1ch wrote: post #89
AlbertCory wrote: post #34

I worked on Google Maps monetization, and then on Maps itself. Monetization was a dismal failure. I don't know how well they're doing now, but Maps was a gigantic money-loser, forever. I'd be a little surprised if it didn't still lose money, but maybe less. I don't what those "pin ads" cost, but I'd bet it's way less than a search ad. If you don't believe that, that's fine. "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Goo…

If google can't make money with maps, why isn't Maps taken out of google into a charity/non-profit backed thing. There's OpenStreetMap, and Wikipedia wouldn't mind having a Map I guess. That way it'd help a bit with the monopoly heat and maintaining it could be slightly cheaper. I don't know the legal stuff, but I'd rather have a company supporting a non-profit than burning money internally, so I hope the incentives…

It takes serious funding to make an excellent mapping app that contains worldwide business info, and a whole hell of a lot of paid review staff. A non-profit/charity can't really tackle this well. And since having a good mapping app is so important to the use of a smartphone generally, it makes sense for the two major smartphone OS vendors to each have a platform-standard mapping app.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#117

Post by rconti »

duped wrote: post #54
zbrozek wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife and I prefer navigating with Apple maps after Google Maps stagnated for years and years. Apple's voice instructions are incomparably better.

The 3D view is a hilariously bad anti feature imo. Like the demo screenshot showing the Golden Gate Bridge and obscuring the actual road on the map is kind of funny. I also hate not being able to keep north fixed on the screen unless I'm in CarPlay. That just doesn't make sense.

I generally like the 3d view, but I had a hilarious experience up in Marin where I was cresting a hill and planning to take an exit, with a turn I didn't know coming right after the exit.

The entirety of the next 3 steps, precisely what I cared about the most, was totally obscured by the hill in the 3d view.

The exact same hill I was seeing out my windshield. The hill in my windshield was the reason I was glancing at my mapping app for further guidance. facepalm

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#118

Post by aib »

"Google Maps" is a misnomer. Call it "Google Business Search" or something similar, and the perceived problems disappear.

Google Maps provides a small fraction of the functions of a real map. And this fraction does not even cover the fundamentals: Street names, landmarks/points of interest, being able to draw or create marks on the map, and perhaps making basic measurements. Its main view has marginally more information than the "share location" screen of a messenger app.

It's a car-driving always-online consumer's guide to spending money. Extremely useful, but not a map.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#119

Post by nologic01 »

Like all community and crowdsourced open source projects openstreetmap is taking its time but boy is it beautiful when it crosses a threshold! When outdoors hiking or looking for cultural points of interest in a city trip OSM is the tool to use.

Commercial stuff, as expected, not as well served, which is in a sense a pity. The best way to assist people with their commercial activity is to provide objective information that is not biased by advertising.

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