The only technical advantage that Google maps retains in any way is having good imagery. The rest of it (and by that I mean not only maps but the entirety of Google) is built on a fundamentally broken social contract between the products and the users.
Google Maps has become an eyesore
531–540 of 705 posts
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#532I 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…
But is Maps actually a net loss for Google, or are they using Hollywood-style accounting techniques to make it appear unprofitable as an additional disincentive to the lawsuits that AlbertCory mentioned?
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#533I 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…
I'm always so annoyed at Google Maps for not displaying street names. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you zoom or pan, it just won't show it. I know it knows them because it announces them just fine during navigation. Why? What's the point? It's a map. Street names are pretty much the #1 most important thing.
I don't want to say it's always true, but every time I see that (or rather don't see a street name) and investigate it, the name is there, just not on-screen. It's still idiotic design, but if you traverse along the length of a road the name is visible, just elsewhere.
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#534I 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…
Wow, this is crazy insight.
From my perspective as an advertiser, mobile/local PPC has taken over, be it Local Service Ads or regular search ads listings that show up in maps.
SMART ads that use your GMB profile instead of your website go GANGBUSTERS for brick and mortar clients, who love them.
I wonder how long you have been gone, and if it's possible that they have taken over so much since you left that your statements here are no longer true.
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#535Earlier quoted context omitted.
GeForce experience tracks every single window you have open, sending the title and window information, along with every single spot that you click on your screen to Nvidia, tied to your now mandatory account. That was a couple years back. Who knows how much more invasive it’s gotten since. Oh. And this data is considered to be “valuable debugging information”, so is not prevented by opting out of analytics.
There is absolutely no benefit to me the user to force me to create an account. What a deeply frustrating user experience (especially when I have to dig around for my password just to update a graphics driver?!) I hope someone wakes up at Nvidia and removes the account requirement. Why do they even do it?
The one thing that I like about mandatory accounts like this is that they're a strong indication that the company is abusive and you should remove any of their software immediately. It makes the problem obvious.
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#536Criticize Google Maps all you want, but it is easily one of the most useful apps to me, especially as someone who's been been living nomadically the last 5 years. It's kind of scary how dependent I am on this app. Anytime I need to find a restaurant, dentist, electronics store, etc. - I'm looking first on Google Maps and my life is basically dictated by the results. I have lists like "Places to Work" which is a list…
I have a similar experience. The addition of all the places details and reviews that are accessible inside of Google Maps has actually expanded its usefulness. Google Maps has grown to be more than just navigation software for me. I live in the US but was in Berlin recently. It seems that Google reviews have supplanted Yelp as the main platform for reviews over there. It honestly made things simpler and easier and I can see in the US it looks to be trending in the same direction.
I actually have more of an issue with the busyness of google.com and the search in Youtube than I do with the changes in Google Maps.
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#537Earlier quoted context omitted.
There was some articles on here about how maps have been changing over the years (also other map apps). The gist is that why would you need to show street names anymore? On printed maps that's the only thing you have, but that's not how most people navigate anymore. They search for a place or POIs and then use navigation. So the things most people care about have changed, streets are less important now and things lik…
Unlike a physical map, we can't go back and access old google maps, so those changing preferences in style leave a memory hole.
If you haven't read 1984, this is really confusing, but a "memory hole" is a hole into which you place something you don't want to have any memory of, destroying it forever. The ironic name is an example of "doublethink."
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#538Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a real issue, but it has nothing to do with Google specifically. You’re basically saying that information on road networks should be obscured or restricted so governments can indirectly control the flow of traffic. Japan actually has some soft regulations in this space about routing and road visibility (e.g. residential roads are hidden when you’re on thoroughfares). But they’re just suggestions so only domes…
No, I am saying that by diverting drivers to regional roads without taking into account local population, this is directly Google fault. Why? Before Google started messing with information about congestion, there was no issue. Regional roads swallowed without any problem those few adventurous tourists that decided to use them. Now you find an average Joe everywhere. Wanna se another interesting example (use google tr…
I wonder if it would be possible to get a bunch of old phones and put them by the side of the road with Google maps on, simulating a traffic jam. Or something like that.
Edit:
https://www.wired.com/story/99-phones-fake-google-maps-traff...
Somebody did it.
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#539> TOO MANY ADS CLUTTER THE MAP ...he complained, in an article on a website where 30% of vertical space is used by an autoplay video ad featuring an idiot asking me whether I'd eat "mustard Skittles". Ironic.
Curious. I don't see any ads ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore
#540> TOO MANY ADS CLUTTER THE MAP ...he complained, in an article on a website where 30% of vertical space is used by an autoplay video ad featuring an idiot asking me whether I'd eat "mustard Skittles". Ironic.
If you're not using an adblocker in this day and age in 2023, you're doing it wrong.