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Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

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Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#11

Post by jser »

Bing Maps was the one of the first alternative maps I downloaded after the install of iOS 6. Unfortunately, the application is not ready for prime time -- the tiles are not retina, the UI is a mashup of formerly-known-as-Metro elements, and swoosh/zoom animations are overused, like a bad PowerPoint deck.

If Bing released it with retina tiles and a native iOS UI, I think they could win significant market share. It could create a halo product that might make me more inclined to use and think positively of other Bing services.

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#13

Post by rogerbinns »

jser wrote: post #11

Bing Maps was the one of the first alternative maps I downloaded after the install of iOS 6. Unfortunately, the application is not ready for prime time -- the tiles are not retina, the UI is a mashup of formerly-known-as-Metro elements, and swoosh/zoom animations are overused, like a bad PowerPoint deck. If Bing released it with retina tiles and a native iOS UI, I think they could win significant market share. It cou…

Bing is also available on Android. I don't know how they implemented the UI but it also has a "glitchy" feel to it with lots of animation. I tried the routing and often to had to click on things twice for them to have an effect.

But it did fundamentally work.

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#16

Post by songgao »

I really love the satellite view in Bing maps. Clearly shows details, and the color is just right. But it seems outside US it lacks road information. If you look at China, even for a provincial capital city with over 10 M population, there doesn't seem to be many roads on the map:

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9Lld1aGFuJTI1MmMlMmJDaGluYSU3ZX...

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#17

Post by w1ntermute »

vaultboy21 wrote: post #4

Bing Maps have been rapidly improving over the past year and no one seems to have picked-up on it. via their deal with Nokia, Microsoft is slowly updating the backend data, incorporating Navteq's over 20+ years of mapping tech. its not quite up to parity with Nokia Maps (or Google) internationally yet, but it's come a long way and (i'm guessing) easily beats-out Apple's quickly-built homegrown implementation. for tho…

I've never used Bing Maps before, but it does look pretty nice. Anybody else seeing weird graphical glitches when panning around (in Chrome on Windows 7)?

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#18

Post by mitchty »

rogerbinns wrote: post #13
jser wrote: post #11

Bing Maps was the one of the first alternative maps I downloaded after the install of iOS 6. Unfortunately, the application is not ready for prime time -- the tiles are not retina, the UI is a mashup of formerly-known-as-Metro elements, and swoosh/zoom animations are overused, like a bad PowerPoint deck. If Bing released it with retina tiles and a native iOS UI, I think they could win significant market share. It cou…

Bing is also available on Android. I don't know how they implemented the UI but it also has a "glitchy" feel to it with lots of animation. I tried the routing and often to had to click on things twice for them to have an effect. But it did fundamentally work.

> But it did fundamentally work.

That is about all I can say on iOS too. It is... definitely a Microsoft product. That said it has way more POIs/businesses than Maps, and a few that Google doesn't include. Though to be honest knowing where comcast has an academy in my city is less than useful its rather complete and doesn't have bars listed that have been out of business for years.

A for effort and data contained. C+ for execution. Would like to see what Google comes up with on iOS.

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#19

Post by kpozin »

joe_the_user wrote: post #5

I'm using Bing for the Palm Pre and it is garbage (can't figure out to search at my location at all). Maybe it's better for the iPhone.

I had to use Bing Maps on the Palm Pre for a few months this year after they updated the app (and partially blocked the Google Maps mobile site). Bing couldn't find anything without an exact address.

Re: Microsoft: Hey, Apple Maps haters, Use Bing for iPhone instead

#20

Post by ftwinnovations »

Like most others with iOS6 maps I've had my share of troubles and was excited to try this out when I saw the post. My wife gave birth a few days ago and so the first thing that came to my mind was the name of the hospital - a major hospital in LA. Unfortunately, bing failed utterly. "No results found. Pan to a different area and try again". At this point I'm zoomed to all of LA. I tried again, no dice. Apple maps not only found it without a problem, but I only needed to type the first word of hospital name and the rest was suggested as I typed.

Yeah, I only tested one search but it was hardly some tiny dive restaurant or other obscure landmark. App deleted.

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