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Google Maps has become an eyesore

fastcompany.com

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Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#271

Post by bunga-bunga »

h1fra wrote: post #264

I understand the ads and everything else, I don't not enjoy it but I understand. What I really don't get is the product is hiding a lot of stuff for no reason. Whenever I zoom in my neighbourhood: it doesn't display all the streets, some shops are missing even at maximum zoom, search is removing some results that should match my query, etc... I have slowly lost trust in the products (except for navigation), it's stil…

That’s what you get when you fire the last actual mappers and just leave developers to keep it running. Google thrives on data quantity, not on quality.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#272

Post by Fnoord »

aembleton wrote: post #234
ClumsyPilot wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Peole forget that millions of people submit data to Google Maps for free. I placed all the local postboxes on google maps, people sibmit information about their businesss, opening hours, etc. This is hugely valuable. Also google grew laxy. Not tskes them a year to add a royal mail postbox

Worth adding that information to open street maps so that it available for other maps too.

For sure, but for many people there's only Google Maps, and maybe Apple Maps. On the short term, catering to Google Maps makes sense. They'd add to another project if it were to be popular enough, and the network effect keeps Google Maps popular. Hence they get away with enshittification.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#273

Post by aembleton »

2-718-281-828 wrote: post #221
xcdzvyn wrote: post #9

It's inflammatory, but this website is worse. There's some video playing of a stranger eating mustard skittles taking up the bottom quarter of the screen.

I just had to check on my iPhone with Firefox and ProtonVPN (doing what it can at) filtering ads. and yes, I saw it, too. that's so fucked up. time to go back to some custom Android ROM with Firefox + uBlock.

Can you use reader mode on iPhone Firefox? I found that let me read the article without the ad.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#274

Post by pmontra »

friend_and_foe wrote: post #154
makeitdouble wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What kills me is I'd easily pay 50~100 eur a month if Maps had to be non ad subsidized. This is to me Google's most everyday impacting product, and what makes the difference between me being stranded/lost or making it in time. The stories of people ending in a lake for blindly following directions are cheeky, but decent maps are just that important, and Google Maps, how flawed it can be, is currently the best for so…

The only case I can think of where google is the best is traffic updates. I use OSM primarily, osmand particularly for navigation, and I've tried going back to google a few times, every time I try it it's worse than the last time. You may be willing to pay €50 a month for it, but most people can't afford that and wouldn't pay it.

I don't know about "most" but many people can pay 50 Euros per month for a service they care about. The problem here is that very few people would pay a monthly fee for a maps service that was free for almost 20 years.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#275

Post by jacobgorm »

pests wrote: post #85
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…

I recently watched this show on netflix called "The Billion Dollar Code" that went into the details about maps beginnings and other companies claim to the idea. It was pretty interesting.

Brilliant show, though it is about Google Earth. Made me uninstall Google Earth from my phone though, the picture it paints of Google and their legal people is not pretty.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#278

Post by saiya-jin »

ClumsyPilot wrote: post #232
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…

Peole forget that millions of people submit data to Google Maps for free. I placed all the local postboxes on google maps, people sibmit information about their businesss, opening hours, etc. This is hugely valuable. Also google grew laxy. Not tskes them a year to add a royal mail postbox

Also, everybody by default shares their location when using it, no? So they get live feedback on traffic relatively for free (till some lawsuit will ban it). I can see it often changing and recalculating as I drive, albeit with some lag.

I don't think you can estimate overall worth of Maps to Google directly and easily. Its still #1 driving solution I use, its not perfect in dense traffic in cities but otherwise OK and for free, plus their estimates are pretty accurate.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#279

Post by aembleton »

baz00 wrote: post #260
LimeLimestone wrote: post #193

Is it just me or have you guys also noticed that the routes suggested by Google Maps have gotten worse? It seems that it only takes into account current traffic jams and not the ones which will occur 30mins into the trip. For instance, there's this spot in my city where I know there is a traffic jam at around 3:20 PM every day. I usually set off from home around 2:50 PM, which means I'll hit that congested area by 3:…

It's even worse for us cyclists. Regularly tries to kill me in the routes it picks.

Try https://cycle.travel/ for cycle routes. I find it much better at finding quieter routes.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#280

Post by runiq »

tlocke wrote: post #230
mdp2021 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting to know that OSM lists businesses, but GMaps contains more information, which can sometimes be crucial. (E.g. opening days and hours.)

OpenStreetMap does hold opening hours of businesses. Here are the details (including opening hours) of my local cafe https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/485163917 I go round entering OSM data using the StreetComplete app. It's slightly awkward if a shop doesn't display their opening hours, because then you have to go in, and I feel I need to buy something and then ask their opening hours.

I do that too (in Germany), and I just… ask them if I may enter their opening hours into OSM. I've never been refused. Sometimes an employee takes an interest and then I take the chance to explain a bit. It's a win-win for both sides, after all—the map users and the shop owners.
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