Google Maps has become an eyesore • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#281

Post by aembleton » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:21 AM UTC

LimeLimestone wrote: post #193

Is it just me or have you guys also noticed that the routes suggested by Google Maps have gotten worse? It seems that it only takes into account current traffic jams and not the ones which will occur 30mins into the trip. For instance, there's this spot in my city where I know there is a traffic jam at around 3:20 PM every day. I usually set off from home around 2:50 PM, which means I'll hit that congested area by 3:…

Have you tried Waze? I find that better at detecting jams and routing around them.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#282

Post by hsjqllzlfkf » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:21 AM UTC

> The square pins you see in Google Maps are ad pins. They represent a place of business (a hotel, spa, etc.) that is paying Google to make sure it’s displayed on the map, despite the business’s irrelevance to me.

That summarizes what Google is quite well.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#283

Post by ce4 » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:22 AM UTC

not_your_vase wrote: post #2

Every time I use Google Maps, I feel so helpless, and frankly, stupid. On Desktop, I simply can't figure it out how to switch to A-B route mode, nor how to trigger street view. I literally just click randomly in a more and more frustrated way until suddenly the option appears. And on Android I just avoid the app. I hate that I couldn't turn off the automatic compass. Every time I finally manage to orient myself when…

You can type a sentence and Maps will start A-B Routing. Its a thidden shortcut that's been working for ages and is still supported gladly:

E.g. "from Berlin to Rome"

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#284

Post by hsjqllzlfkf » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:26 AM UTC

AlbertCory wrote: post #34

I worked on Google Maps monetization, and then on Maps itself. Monetization was a dismal failure. I don't know how well they're doing now, but Maps was a gigantic money-loser, forever. I'd be a little surprised if it didn't still lose money, but maybe less. I don't what those "pin ads" cost, but I'd bet it's way less than a search ad. If you don't believe that, that's fine. "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Goo…

> "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Google consciously does not want to estimate that, because such a document could be discovered in patent litigation.

Could you tell us more how you came to this conclusion? Did someone high up ever literally tell you "we're not doing that because it could show up in discovery"? And if not, why have you concluded that?

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#285

Post by saiya-jin » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:27 AM UTC

dheera wrote: post #151

jalk wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can click the search icon while in navigation mode, to search along the route. It doesn’t work that great as you have to zoom to an aprox area and it seems somewhat arbitrary what comes up. It will show you how many minutes of detour a location would add, which is quite nice when choosing among a bunch

Sometimes I don't know what I'm searching for, I just want to browse what kind of businesses exist in an area along my route to see if it's worth stopping there and taking a break. Also if I use the search feature it auto-zooms out the map and then I have to fight it within hundreds of milliseconds to get back to where I was on the map. Once it auto-zooms fully I may have trouble remembering where exactly along the r…

Well, first world problems for sure. Its free app, you have some extremely specific use-case (even though I have no doubt 100 HN users can post in response that they do exactly same thing, its still fringe overall) and the app doesn't suit that narrow situation that well...

Not surprised, we can come up with probably thousands of similar scenarios when some popular free tool ain't the smoothest to use for 'when I do this but want also that and while doing something else that isn't so well integrated into the flow something happens/doesn't happen but should' situation.

Maybe take a laptop and a mouse next time, 100x more efficient to use. Or use it in browser in tabs, so you can have 20 different locations/views and switch between them.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#286

Post by johannes1234321 » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:28 AM UTC

tannhaeuser wrote: post #192

AlbertCory wrote: post #34

I worked on Google Maps monetization, and then on Maps itself. Monetization was a dismal failure. I don't know how well they're doing now, but Maps was a gigantic money-loser, forever. I'd be a little surprised if it didn't still lose money, but maybe less. I don't what those "pin ads" cost, but I'd bet it's way less than a search ad. If you don't believe that, that's fine. "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Goo…

Just a couple weeks ago, Google announced they're going to re-photograph Street View in my country, though, which is still running on the initial 2007ish data. How would that be profitable? The idea of virtual ads placed onto pseudo 3D walls was already present when Street View started but apparently didn't deliver economically. Maybe they want to break resistance this time around as they had lots of data protection…

Mind that they don't only take pictures. The cars are full of sensors. From GPS to verify coordinates of roads, over Wifi to scan SSIDs for locating devices without GPS to LIDAR to scan 3D features and probably a lot more ...

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#287

Post by kirushik » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:29 AM UTC

makeitdouble wrote: post #182

friend_and_foe wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only case I can think of where google is the best is traffic updates. I use OSM primarily, osmand particularly for navigation, and I've tried going back to google a few times, every time I try it it's worse than the last time. You may be willing to pay €50 a month for it, but most people can't afford that and wouldn't pay it.

Google Maps has its pitfalls, but it's by far the most up to date in the cities I've used it. OSM lacks a lot of details that completely change how you'd move from point A to point B (I was missing overpass bridges and crossable paths in residential neighboorhoods), and point to point navigation is also not great. Then it completely lacks all the more commercial features Google has built on top of Maps (store details…

I'm curious if that's US vs Europe thing?

For me in Europe, Google Maps coverage quality can be best described by this personal anecdote. I used to live in Nürnberg, which is in top 10 German cities by population, and where are some major and well-recognized international companies are headquartered. Nürnberg has a subway system (U-Bahn) since 1980s, and it's significant enough: a few dozen stations over three lines (one is fully driverless, btw).

Google didn't have any representation of U-Banh in Nürnberg till at least 2017. I don't mean "wasn't supporting it in navigation and routing", I mean " stations weren't even marked and labelled on the general overview maps. And it's not like they didn't have the into: there was a widely-used user layer which added at least station labels. They just simply didn't care enough, and had other priorities.

In the meanwhile, the level of detail on OSM covered details as minor as every mailbox not only in Nürnberg, but in every small town around Frankonia (I used to participate in postcrossing and used this a lot from random places).

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#288

Post by l33tman » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:32 AM UTC

nielsole wrote: post #266

AlbertCory wrote: post #34

I worked on Google Maps monetization, and then on Maps itself. Monetization was a dismal failure. I don't know how well they're doing now, but Maps was a gigantic money-loser, forever. I'd be a little surprised if it didn't still lose money, but maybe less. I don't what those "pin ads" cost, but I'd bet it's way less than a search ad. If you don't believe that, that's fine. "What about indirect revenue?" you ask? Goo…

Google Maps design is becoming less detailed over the years. It's really apparent when compared to OSM. It is necessary to search for a lot of things in Google maps as they are otherwise not visible. You can't really navigate off Google maps without turn-by-turn navigation. I wonder whether this is a strategic drive from Google to make maps more like search to enable advertising or whether they truly think this is th…

Yeah it's weird, very often a venue on a street is simply not visible unless zoomed in TO THE MAX. And then it's not any weird obscure thing, it's a restaurant or coffeeshop that's been there for years.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#289

Post by ChrisMarshallNY » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:34 AM UTC

ohgodplsno wrote: post #213

DeathArrow wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Monetization was a dismal failure. Aren't they charging big money for the API?

Depends. Basically, the API is free if all you do is display a map, keep the Google branding at the bottom, and add a few of those pins. Make one of those pins move because it's actually a car, and suddenly your cheeks are getting clapped with 6+-figure bills.

I wrote a system that incorporates Google Maps.

It’s an open-source system that is used worldwide, by a few thousand loosely-organized nonprofits.

When Google Maps suddenly required associated credit cards, it caused a great deal of trouble. It still causes problems.

That’s because most of these entities are not 501(c)(3) orgs, with bank accounts and debit/credit cards. In fact, the organization enforces deliberate poverty, amongst its chapters.

Someone needs to add their personal card to the Google Maps API. Since the maintenance people are constantly rotating, this is an issue.

Also, the API has a dashboard like a Space Shuttle cockpit. Most regular schlubs have a difficult time with it.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#290

Post by devnullbrain » Mon, Aug 07, 2023, 9:35 AM UTC

jalk wrote: post #143

dheera wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also been downright unusable. While navigating it hides all the business names from me so I can't browse the stores are along my way. I constantly have to exit navigation, approximately remember the route, browse the stores, and then re-enter navigation mode. This is only one of many pain points. Its assistant is also useless. "OK Google, zoom in the map by a factor of 1.5" "OK Google, stop hiding the businesses…

You can click the search icon while in navigation mode, to search along the route. It doesn’t work that great as you have to zoom to an aprox area and it seems somewhat arbitrary what comes up. It will show you how many minutes of detour a location would add, which is quite nice when choosing among a bunch

The search-along-route is more of a 'search-around-my-current position'. If you e.g. need fuel, it lists options for busy towns in the wrong direction rather than the easiest path along your current route. If you need a given RON or niche fuel, you just have to memorise which suppliers sell it & hope that it shows up in the list. The utopian vision that it could figure out the range of the car it's connected to and use this information to decide where would be most efficient to fill up is a pipe dream.

Using Maps while driving for anything other than A-B navigation is generally poor. It seems designed by people who are accustomed to every destination having plentiful dedicated parking. If you want to go to B, then find local parking, you need to invoke dark voodoo.

The worst part is that the Apple & Google duopoly in maps supported by Android Auto and Apple Carplay means there's no way for a superior alternative to succeed in the market. Google even contributed to this by buying Waze. So Maps only needs to be just good enough.