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Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

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Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#111

Post by vvhn »

kjackson2012 wrote: post #56
bstar77 wrote: post #50

Edit: somehow I screwed up my response, should be a response to @kjackson2012. Apple's main issues are with their location information from TomTom. If apple is able to partner with a company with better data, these types of problems should not be nearly as bad. Here's where Apple's maps product is better... The maps are vector based so there is not such a huge dependence on a data connection. I live near the pine bar…

No, you're wrong. It's not with the data. It's with Apple's ability to search. Like I said below, look up "Pier 39 San Francisco". This is a dead simple query, extremely specific, and they point you to a really bad area of SF. This isn't Tom Tom data, it's how Apple resolves this query to something useful. Search is Google's domain expertise. Apple needs to basically start from scratch and figure out how to create a…

funnily enough when typed pier 39, the first auto suggestion was "pier 39" ( the right one) - the second one was "pier 39 san francisco" which i what i thought was the correct one and tapped on , but turned out to a restaurant named 39 pier.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#112

Post by BryantD »

kjackson2012 wrote: post #56
bstar77 wrote: post #50

Edit: somehow I screwed up my response, should be a response to @kjackson2012. Apple's main issues are with their location information from TomTom. If apple is able to partner with a company with better data, these types of problems should not be nearly as bad. Here's where Apple's maps product is better... The maps are vector based so there is not such a huge dependence on a data connection. I live near the pine bar…

No, you're wrong. It's not with the data. It's with Apple's ability to search. Like I said below, look up "Pier 39 San Francisco". This is a dead simple query, extremely specific, and they point you to a really bad area of SF. This isn't Tom Tom data, it's how Apple resolves this query to something useful. Search is Google's domain expertise. Apple needs to basically start from scratch and figure out how to create a…

"why would someone go ahead and use Apple's terrible search engine to help them improve their search?"

Because at the end of the day I want to make choices that result in more flexibility down the line. I do not want to live in a world where Apple is the only OS provider for mobile devices. Likewise, I don't want to live in a world in which Google is the only reasonable choice for map searches.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#115

Post by ionforce »

kjackson2012 wrote: post #33

Frankly, Tim Cook should shut down the entire Apple Maps division. Who in their right mind is going to use Apple Maps at this point? Try searching "Pier 39 San Francisco". The query can't be any more specific, and it's the most iconic location for tourists, and Apple Maps will bring you to a pretty shady area of town, only a mile or two away from Hunter's Point, one of the more violent areas of SF.

Apple Maps is the native mapping framework. So for developers who don't want to wander very far, Apple will be their first choice. And Apple will be Apple's first choice for Apple apps.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#116

Post by mbudde »

ihuman wrote: post #106
Kerrick wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps optimizes bike directions for bikers using bike paths, roads with lower speed limits, roads with dedicated bike lanes, and even bike trails through public parks.

Cool, I didn't know that. Does the Android version of Google Maps have this?

Yes, it has both biking and walking directions.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#118

Post by jonknee »

sharth wrote: post #83
kjackson2012 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you're wrong. It's not with the data. It's with Apple's ability to search. Like I said below, look up "Pier 39 San Francisco". This is a dead simple query, extremely specific, and they point you to a really bad area of SF. This isn't Tom Tom data, it's how Apple resolves this query to something useful. Search is Google's domain expertise. Apple needs to basically start from scratch and figure out how to create a…

Apple Maps also doesn't handle small spelling mistakes (transposed letters) well. That's been one of the most annoying things.

Apple Maps doesn't know what you mean when everything is spelled perfectly, they have a lot to do before worrying about typos.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#119

Post by jonknee »

recursive wrote: post #64
lawdawg wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps are vector based as well...

Not on my cell phone.

Perhaps you need to install the App we're all talking about then. It's most definitely vector based.

Re: Google Maps becomes the App Store’s most popular free app in 7 hours

#120

Post by darrenkopp »

hiddenstage wrote: post #99
tharris0101 wrote: post #91

Sort of off-topic and I've harped on this before, but when I search "google maps" in the app store, it's the fifth search result! As a developer in the App Store, I really hope they do something to fix the abysmal searches in it.

Maybe Google will come to the rescue.

Their search on the Google Play store isn't that great, though they now have a feature where what they auto-suggest when typing your query is usually what you want (for larger apps like netflix, ebay, etc)
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