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Google Maps for iPhone

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Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#11

Post by Osmium »

FireBeyond wrote: post #6

Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out." Almost like Apple planned it that way is the implication. Except the reality is tha…

>Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out."

But it's true. In iOS 5 I had Google Maps but no vector tiles, no turn-by-turn or voice navigation, and Apple tried to get Google to work with them on that but (regardless of whose fault it was) negotiations failed. Now, here we are, and as an iPhone user I now have a Google Maps that not only has those features but is arguably, currently, better than the Android version(!)

Furthermore, there's now been an explosion of map apps on the app store: Nokia's Here, Waze, etc. Competition is good. In iOS 5, there weren't viable alternatives (or they weren't advertised?), but now I have four good map apps on my phone. And when one of them fails, and it will (even Google, which was useless for me when I visited Japan recently) I now have several alternatives. As a user, for me, it's a win win.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#12

Post by doe88 »

FireBeyond wrote: post #6

Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out." Almost like Apple planned it that way is the implication. Except the reality is tha…

> Except the reality is that his last sentence should end ", no thanks to Apple".

Maybe Apple should have taken more time to make the transition. But the result is Apple is the master of its own destiny, Google is the master of its own destiny and it seems to work out for the better right now. Both apps have features the formerly co-owned app had not. Long term it's healthier I think.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#13

Post by Steko »

FireBeyond wrote: post #6

Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out." Almost like Apple planned it that way is the implication. Except the reality is tha…

"Except the reality is that his last sentence should end ", no thanks to Apple"."

If Apple doesn't build it's own Maps, we still have the old shittier maps app though right?

Gruber in May:

"This is a high-pressure switch for Apple. Regressions will not be acceptable. The purported whiz-bang 3D view stuff might be great, but users are going to have pitchforks and torches in hand if practical stuff like driving and walking directions are less accurate than they were with Google’s data."

Can you almost hear him grit his teeth while he ... accurately predicts the mapping fiasco before the beta had even been released?

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#14

Post by untog »

jonknee wrote: post #7

> ... here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out. Gruber's feats of mental gymnastics are second to none.

Agreed. He talks as if the old Maps app was some kind of immovable object. Obviously, we'll never know the details of the negotiation, but it could have worked out considerably better by upgrading the old Maps app to the current Google Maps app.

Of course, there are many reasons why that might not the case, but the suggestion that somehow everything has worked out the best it could have possibly done is laughable.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#15

Post by untog »

kirinan wrote: post #3

I don't have an issue with signing in with my Google Creds because I get direct benefit. It saves all my searches, and can quickly pull up previous searches (unsure if the App does this already). and can auto fill the fields. When typing on a virtual keyboard (which cripples me compared to a slide out), things that allow me to reduce typing make me happy.

It does seem a little hypocritical when the entire iPhone requires you to sign in with an Apple account. You think they're not tracking search data in the Maps app?

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#16

Post by baddox »

toksaitov wrote: post #4

Google wins, Apple wins, users win (not right after the release of iOS 6, but still). In general, the decision to remove the old Maps app was good.

And everything could have been avoided by Apple choosing to wait a few months (or, more realistically, by working with Google starting much earlier) to make sure a Google Maps app was on the market when iOS 6 was released.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#17

Post by reidmain »

untog wrote: post #14
jonknee wrote: post #7

> ... here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out. Gruber's feats of mental gymnastics are second to none.

Agreed. He talks as if the old Maps app was some kind of immovable object. Obviously, we'll never know the details of the negotiation, but it could have worked out considerably better by upgrading the old Maps app to the current Google Maps app. Of course, there are many reasons why that might not the case, but the suggestion that somehow everything has worked out the best it could have possibly done is laughable.

I'm not sure upgrading was possible. The old maps app was actually made entirely by Apple while this new one is made entirely by Google. I can't imagine Apple would give a third-party a system level app. Just look at YouTube.

The same reasons why Apple wouldn't package Google Maps with iOS are the same reasons Google wouldn't package iTunes with Android. You don't want to concede ground to your competition. Now if they want to fight for it that is a entirely different story.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#18

Post by untog »

Osmium wrote: post #11
FireBeyond wrote: post #6

Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out." Almost like Apple planned it that way is the implication. Except the reality is tha…

>Leave it to Gruber to try to spin this pro-Apple: "This iOS 6 mapping saga has been a source of tremendous controversy, but here we are three months after iOS 6 was released and iPhone users now have a better Google Maps experience than they did when Google was providing the back-end data for the built-in Maps app. It all worked out." But it's true. In iOS 5 I had Google Maps but no vector tiles, no turn-by-turn or…

and Apple tried to get Google to work with them on that but (regardless of whose fault it was) negotiations failed

But that's then letting Apple off the hook. Obviously we don't know the details of the negotiation but the facts are that Apple left a deal on the table, and gave their users a significantly sub-par experience as a result. That blow has been considerably softened by Google releasing their own app, but treating "negotiations failed" as some sort of "it's no-one's fault" result is letting everyone involved get away with a negative result.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#19

Post by untog »

reidmain wrote: post #17
untog wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. He talks as if the old Maps app was some kind of immovable object. Obviously, we'll never know the details of the negotiation, but it could have worked out considerably better by upgrading the old Maps app to the current Google Maps app. Of course, there are many reasons why that might not the case, but the suggestion that somehow everything has worked out the best it could have possibly done is laughable.

I'm not sure upgrading was possible. The old maps app was actually made entirely by Apple while this new one is made entirely by Google. I can't imagine Apple would give a third-party a system level app. Just look at YouTube. The same reasons why Apple wouldn't package Google Maps with iOS are the same reasons Google wouldn't package iTunes with Android. You don't want to concede ground to your competition. Now if th…

Right. It wasn't possible for one single reason: Apple wouldn't allow it. So, yes, I think it's right to blame Apple.

Re: Google Maps for iPhone

#20

Post by czhiddy »

untog wrote: post #15
kirinan wrote: post #3

I don't have an issue with signing in with my Google Creds because I get direct benefit. It saves all my searches, and can quickly pull up previous searches (unsure if the App does this already). and can auto fill the fields. When typing on a virtual keyboard (which cripples me compared to a slide out), things that allow me to reduce typing make me happy.

It does seem a little hypocritical when the entire iPhone requires you to sign in with an Apple account. You think they're not tracking search data in the Maps app?

How so? You can use the phone just fine without an Apple account - you just won't be able to download any apps. Bookmarks in Maps works without having to sign into anything.
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