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Apple's New Map

justinobeirne.com

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Re: Apple's New Map

#371

Post by bjtitus »

bluntfang wrote: post #324
reaperducer wrote: post #104

It absolutely blows my mind that map products ship without street names clearly visible at all times. I agree. The place where Google Maps and, to a slightly lesser extent, Apple Maps fall down is in labeling roads. I can't count the number of times I've zoomed in on a map and it shows every little sushi joint in the neighborhood, but no street names. And no amount of zooming in or out will fix it. It's similarly fru…

>Sometimes I fantasize about having a full-time job driving around the country fixing all of Apple Maps' faults. But somehow I suspect the pay would be terrible. I've thought about doing this too, but for hiking trails. I'm sure the pay would be abysmal, but hiking and updating online maps sounds like a blast as a job. I think it could be done fairly well with a simple GPS recorder and serialization, but the biggest…

Natural Atlas is trying to do this type of thing by pulling together data from USGS, USFS, etc: https://naturalatlas.com

Re: Apple's New Map

#372

Post by systoll »

Crespyl wrote: post #334
dpkonofa wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>we are talking about maps that don't show road names here Can you provide a use case where that would be necessary for a situation where you're not using the navigation? A lot of people seem to think this is a requirement for a map but when are you ever using a map to find a specific street where navigation wouldn't be far easier?

Any time you're looking at a locally saved/cached copy of the map but don't have the network connection to make navigation requests? Or are just trying to find your own (or your friends) position in a situation where you have spotty or unavailable GPS. Do Google or Apple let you use navigation offline? I know it can continue an existing route if the connection drops, but I've never tried to start navigation somewhere…

Google Maps can initiate driving [but only driving] directions while offline.

In any case, it seems reasonable to want a 'navigation' map without a specific path, just as you can get a 'discovery' map without a specific search.

Re: Apple's New Map

#373

Post by salvar »

logicallee wrote: post #308
salvar wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What UX study did you do? All I saw was a mockup. Maybe I misunderstood.

>What UX study did you do? I looked at the mockup and imagined it on my screen as I navigated, imagining this from a few different points, and imagining further pinching to zoom and scrolling around. I thought it was great. Especially if I imagined zooming in further to deal with an exact corner I was going to. I didn't get the result I expected, that it would look awful. It looks great, fantastic, tremendous, amazin…

That's not a UX study. That's a UX anecdote.

Re: Apple's New Map

#374

Post by muddi900 »

The post touches on one of the most important aspects of Apple Maps; it is not a service, no matter what Apple tells its investors. It is a feature for Apple Devices. There in lies the issue. It is not competing with Mapbox, OpenStreetMaps, etc. because those are commercial service providers. It is competing with Google Maps, because that is the default Maps 'feature' for most phones sold in the world. However, Google Maps is in fact a service. Its purpose is to generate local Ads-based revenue for Alphabet. There is no way Apple will be able to catch up to Google, no matter how many Mechanical Turks it throws at them.

Apple management can not make the case spending resources on a mere bullet-point for the sale sheet of the Mac.

Re: Apple's New Map

#375

Post by ethbro »

dpkonofa wrote: post #349
ethbro wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm exploring a new area and would like to know the relevant streets as I transit them on foot or bike.

If I'm in walking mode, my phone displays the street names. Have you attempted that? The example given was in a car.

How is your phone in walking mode if you're exploring an area before you go there?

Re: Apple's New Map

#376

Post by egypturnash »

dexterdog wrote: post #274
egypturnash wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This really really sounds like an argument for adding a “name density” slider somewhere in the corners of the main UI. Just admit that no one setting works for all people in all places and stop even trying to find it.

That violates the "it just works" directive that designers and developers are working under. If it has to be configurable they view it as a design problem so instead they force you to use it the way they want it to look.

There is configuration though. Pretty much any map app has a place you can switch between map/satellite/other views. And toggle overlays for traffic and other things. Stick a slider in there if you must hide your shame at not being able to make your tool all things to all people, this is where you’ve already admitted that people have different needs.

Re: Apple's New Map

#377

Post by [deleted] »

lvs wrote: post #92
mastazi wrote: post #11

Another great article from this blog! Last year's article from the same author [1] about Goggle Maps' use of photogrammetry and other building scanning techiques was, in my opinion, one of the most interesting HN submissions ever (its comment section[2] is also worth a read). [1] https://www.justinobeirne.com/google-maps-moat [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15965653

Just to be clear, as far as I can tell from Google, the author actually works for Apple [1] on Apple Maps, at least at some point. So this blog may serve as an advertisement of his own work, despite the fact that it seems to be written in the voice of an observer. "Justin O'Beirne designed and led the development of Apple’s cartography effort, and is the author of Maps for the Masses, an upcoming book about digital c…

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