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Google Decides to Monetize Maps

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Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#211

Post by twothamendment »

openbasic wrote: post #118
twothamendment wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are correct. The reverse is true too, why should contribute data to their maps service for free? I've done lot of work to add and correct roads, update business info and addresses in my area. If they want to fill the map with ads they have that right - but when they drive me (and people like me) away, their product will suffer.

Why didn't you contribute to OpenStreetMap?

It has been years since I gave them a try. Their interface was horrible, but this is a good reason to try them again.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#212

Post by thsowers »

samirm wrote: post #157
joshfraser wrote: post #107

Google tracks your exact location every few seconds. They know which stores you visit, which restaurants you frequent, which friends you spend the most time with, how often you go to the gym, who you're sleeping with and much more. The targeted advertising and surveillance capabilities that are possible as a result of this level of data collection are absolutely terrifying.

Is this assuming you have GPS on all the time or are you saying they're actively tracking everyone's locations using other means as well?

Previous discussion on companies tracking location using abilities outside of software permissions: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17081684

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#213

Post by areyousure »

will_brown wrote: post #207
dininski wrote: post #4

I can't stress enough how much of a bad idea this is. I was stunned when a few days ago I was looking up something on Google Maps and started seeing advertised locations/suggestions. Even though I love the product and have been a fan of Google products for the longest time, their current strategy of monetizing everything they can is very off putting. The direction Chrome is taking is also concerning. Don't know what…

>But to invest in what? Maybe now that they changed OpenAI from a non-profit, to what they dub a new type of legal entity : a non-profit that pays out “profits” to investors - and they further claim this will be the most valuable company in history by orders of magnitude - maybe they want to milk google users which they can write off by investing in the non-profit they control effectively own (even though legally non…

Who is "they" in your comment? What relationship does OpenAI have to Google?

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#214

Post by mailslot »

alasdair_ wrote: post #154
twothamendment wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are correct. The reverse is true too, why should contribute data to their maps service for free? I've done lot of work to add and correct roads, update business info and addresses in my area. If they want to fill the map with ads they have that right - but when they drive me (and people like me) away, their product will suffer.

I’d strongly recommended putting future efforts into Open Streetmap instead - they have a fantastic set of data and tools and are usually (in my experience) more accurate and updated more quickly than Google.

Open Streetmap doesn’t build laser scanning drones, or fleets of connected 360 camera vehicles, or the tech and infrastructure to do the mapping. SOMEONE has to build all of that. It can’t be free. If it’s govt funded, then there WILL be corruption, scams, and it’ll be run as well as the DMV.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#215

Post by soulofmischief »

manigandham wrote: post #114
soulofmischief wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Forced to close by economic forces, not legislative or political pressure. That isn't terrible at all, that's the basis of the capitalist, quasi-competitive economy which these companies champion so much. The most viable service wins. Nothing authoritarian about that. > There's nothing stopping a non-profit group from creating maps today if they wanted to. Apple and Google probably feel very differently. We've alread…

"Forced to close by economic forces" is not what the other poster was saying. Competition is good. And yes, Apple and Google will put up a fight because that's how competition works. >> I put advancement of Earth and its people as my top priority. Great. Are you working on a mapping service?

If a government or government-sanctioned non-profit receives enough tax credits and funding to create a viable alternative to Google Maps which puts the service out of business, it's still just market competition. We do this all of the time with banks, large American industries, oil companies, etc. You can't have one and turn away the other.

> Great. Are you working on a mapping service?

That's fallacious. I don't have a giant pile of money sitting around. But I support initiatives like OpenStreetMap even if I see room for improvement.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#216

Post by stordoff »

puzzle wrote: post #52
flukus wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember reading a pop-sci article many years ago about a study that found women were better at navigating by landmark and men were better at more abstract directions like maps and compass directions, with gay men being good at both. So while this is annoying for me it could be great for the other 50% of the population, would be nice if it was optional.

I found in my own amateur UX studies that there are drivers who hear "in a quarter mile, turn right" and don't know how far that is, even after having heard that prompt thousands of times. You'd think that after a while they'd build a mental model of the distance. Instead, they seem to just tune out the "in a quarter mile". This is one of the classes of users for which products need to be designed. (I have similar pr…

> Also, as a passenger it's fairly easy to say "turn in five blocks" and track how many blocks are left

Which is of course region specific. Using it in the UK would be confusing as (often) the roads just aren't laid out like that, and "in X blocks" is almost never used.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#217

Post by johnchristopher »

hedora wrote: post #101
johnchristopher wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not free and installed by default on every android devices ? You mean, I can buy a subscription and not rent the service with my search history ? Where's the sign-up button ?

There are tons of viable competitors to google maps, even on Android, last time I checked. They all have different monetization strategies, and all provide good enough turn by turn directions. I regularly use Here WeGo for its offline support. Sygic is probably still fine. I think Sygic moved to a freemium model, and I get the impression Here is subsidized by luxury car manufacturers. Yelp crushes google maps on sear…

I don't see the differences between google maps and the alternative you suggest regarding their price or their money making strategies.

> I really don’t understand why google maps is so popular.

Because it's bundled on billions of devices ? And it's a product that was/is working really well for the vast majority ?

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#218

Post by goda90 »

ashishmalik wrote: post #5

Think about those who wish to start new business? Why? Because of money! Google is doing the same thing, growing Growing, utilizing every small space that Google occupies, earning money from it. Why Not!

I'd say the problem arises in market share. Google almost has a monopoly on digital map data. With any monopoly, there should be limitations on their ability to profit, as there can be lots of pricing abuse due to lack of competition.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#219

Post by stordoff »

cdubzzz wrote: post #16
clydethefrog wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish there was an app using OSM that had at least some usability and design. I tried some but had to quit out frustration.

Not OSM, but I have been using HERE[0] with success for a while (if only to diversify off of Google products). Curious to know if anyone has done more research/has an opinion on their platform. [0] https://wego.here.com/

I used it for a while as it was the maps provider on my Windows Phone, and it was fine. Not always as up-to-date as Google, but it was competitive.

Re: Google Decides to Monetize Maps

#220

Post by mncharity »

cageface wrote: post #17

Google is really leaving the door open here for Apple to step in and offer a services bundle with a monthly fee that doesn’t involve stuffing advertising into every nook and cranny of the user experience. I generally prefer Google’s services to Apple’s but there might be a tipping point soon where I’m willing to sacrifice some features in exchange for a generally less creepy product.

> Google is really leaving the door open here for Apple [...] tipping point

It's 202X, and you are offered AR glasses from Apple, Amazon, AT&T, Comcast, Disney, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. With almost-always-on mics, 180-degree cameras, gaze tracking, centimeter-resolution indoor position, and hybrid local/cloud infrastructure.

Who do you trust?

What is the net present value of that trust?

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