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Ads on Apple Maps

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Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#4
heh. Could the apple maps team ever be paid a higher compliment? They really, truly, made it. I remember 15 years ago when apple maps was an absolute laughingstock that couldn't hold a candle to the big guys. But look at them now.

They made it genuinely good. It'd been my only map app for years until I downloaded google maps for a road trip and was perplexed by all the squares I didn't ask for telling me about Arby's and Toyota dealers. "People tolerate this?!"

Long enough to be the villain.

Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#5
You know what I do?

I have a second iphone.

main iphone - mostly revolves around phone and messages. lockdown mode. no bluetooth, no wifi, no location services, privacy stuff all restricted. I also do some web browsing. I run adblock which lets you filter lots of stuff. apple id signed out.

and my second iphone - offline iphone.

I install it using ethernet with outside connection (usb->ethernet dongles work for iphone)

I delete MANY apps, like phone, messages, tips, stock, health, news, tv, all happily.

I install some 3rd-party apps.

I sign into the app store only with apple id.

I install adblock and enable it.

I install audible and kindle, add books/audiobooks (adblock prevents some ad connections like kochava.com)

translation (offline). siri (offline). maps (offline).

All of these have offline data that I download.

Then I sign out of icloud (the app store conveniently kind-of-signs-you in)

-> and I disconnect the phone for the last time.

then I turn on:

- bluetooth on.

- location services on.

- camera with location services.

- siri

I don't use wifi, just the ethernet to my (local only) network. I use some apps that talk to my local network - omnifocus, nextcloud.

and I have an offline phone that doesn't phone home.

the maps problem is: apple offline maps last 30 days then disappear. There are lots of complaints online about this. "I was in timbuktu with no internet and couldn't navigate back to the village because the maps expired".

If I need them have I wipe the phone and start over. Jerks.

also audible downloads auto-remove when you get to the end. hard to find settings: Downloads -> settings -> auto remove books: off

Maybe excessive, but it makes me happy.

Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#6
post #5

You know what I do? I have a second iphone. main iphone - mostly revolves around phone and messages. lockdown mode. no bluetooth, no wifi, no location services, privacy stuff all restricted. I also do some web browsing. I run adblock which lets you filter lots of stuff. apple id signed out. and my second iphone - offline iphone. I install it using ethernet with outside connection (usb->ethernet dongles work for iphon…

The best part of computers is the convenience, I think.

Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#8
post #4

heh. Could the apple maps team ever be paid a higher compliment? They really, truly, made it. I remember 15 years ago when apple maps was an absolute laughingstock that couldn't hold a candle to the big guys. But look at them now. They made it genuinely good. It'd been my only map app for years until I downloaded google maps for a road trip and was perplexed by all the squares I didn't ask for telling me about Arby's…

Good for navigation, terrible for up to date business information (opening hours) and reviews.

Google maps’ reviews aren’t great - everything is a 4.3 because they incentivised users to review business interactions they didn’t care about by paying them pennies in Google pay credit - but it will at least tell me reliably if a business is closed today or has shut down.

Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#9
post #5

You know what I do? I have a second iphone. main iphone - mostly revolves around phone and messages. lockdown mode. no bluetooth, no wifi, no location services, privacy stuff all restricted. I also do some web browsing. I run adblock which lets you filter lots of stuff. apple id signed out. and my second iphone - offline iphone. I install it using ethernet with outside connection (usb->ethernet dongles work for iphon…

Why?

Re: Ads on Apple Maps

#10
It used to be that they included a bunch of software to make their hardware more useful. But I guess they couldn't resist squeezing out a bit more revenue through enshittification. The profit motive is ultimately too strong. Ads on the lock screen and in the dock next?
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