And the iOS Maps bashing saga continues… Wanna know how it ends? Go past the fold for the remaining three tables. Joy of Tech also has another funny take on Mapgate, by the way… Read More
Google’s iLost ad uses a phony street address to exaggerate Apple Maps flaws
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 27, 2012
Remember an ad Google’s subsidiary Motorola recently published to highlight Apple Maps flaws? “Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan?”, Google’s advertisement read. “Google Maps on Droid Razr M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn”, it went on to suggest that iOS 6 Maps will direct users to a wrong road name in the wrong city. Well, guess what? That address doesn’t even exist!
That’s right, 315 E 15th Street is not an actual address in Manhattan. This whole maps thing is really getting blown out of proportion. Why would Google fake an ad and make folks search for an incorrect, ambiguous street address other than make Apple Maps look bad. Apple of course also isn’t one to shy away from deceptive advertising. Remember this? Read More
Street View coming to Google Maps mobile web app in two weeks
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 26, 2012
I just read through David Pogue’s freshly published article on the Mapgate situation and noticed a couple interesting revelations. The New York Times technology columnist says that in two weeks, you’ll be able to get Street View in the Google Maps mobile web on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Right now, you can use Safari on your iOS device to navigate to maps.google.com and use Google’s maps on the web, though without spoken directions (you’ll get written directions instead). More tidbits right below… Read More
Voice navigation was a deal-breaker in the Apple-Google maps talks
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 26, 2012
The Verge reported yesterday that Apple could have kept Google Maps until iOS 7 as Google’s contract to keep the maps app on the iPhone had more time remaining. A new report sheds more light on the matter, with sources claiming that talks between the two Silicon Valley technology giants crashed over voice-assisted navigation.
Long story short, Google fought hard to bomb the deal as it wouldn’t hand over the data needed to bring voice-guided navigation to a competing platform. Instead, the search Goliath continued to offer advanced location and navigation features on Android, widening the gap as it differentiated its platform from Apple… Read More
Apple could have kept Google Maps until iOS 7
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 26, 2012
Apple could have kept the stock iOS Google Maps for another year, if it wanted, a new report alleges. When Apple publicly announced in June it would drop the native Google Maps app in favor of its own solution, Google was shocked as its contract with Apple to keep the maps app on the iPhone “had more time remaining”, the New York Times reports.
Luckily, if the paper’s sources are to be believed, Google is working on a standalone Google Maps app though it won’t be released immediately because Google wants to do it right and incorporate 3D view as it wants the program to be comparable to Apple Maps, namely its three-dimensional Flyover views of major cities… Read More
Mapgate gets Der Führer treatment
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 25, 2012
I’m tellin’ ya, this thing has gone mainstream and it’s pretty obvious it needed a Hitler meme. I’m guessing Team Coco will wanna take a look into Mapgate as well. In the meantime, Apple Maps haters needn’t worry: Garmin has you covered. More on amazing iOS 6 Maps right here… Read More
Eric Schmidt: a Google Maps app is up to Apple
By Cody Lee on Sep 25, 2012
As Apple continues to take heat over its new mapping software, the question on everyone’s mind seems to be: will Google release a standalone Maps app for iOS? It’s a fair question, considering it recently published a YouTube app for the platform.
But a report that surfaced last week claiming Google had already submitted a Maps app to Apple and was awaiting approval was quickly debunked. And Eric Schmidt himself confirmed yesterday that his company hasn’t made a move yet… Read More
Apple said to be “aggressively” recruiting ex-Google Maps staff
By Cody Lee on Sep 24, 2012
Apple publicly commented on the ongoing criticism of its new Maps application last week, essentially asking users to be patient, as the service would get better over time.
But patience is a hard thing to ask for in a space as competitive as the smartphone market. So it looks like Apple is going to help speed up the process with some ex-Googlers… Read More
Ryan Petrich gets Google Maps working on iOS 6
By Cody Lee on Sep 23, 2012
Apple’s new Maps application, which replaces Google Maps in iOS 6, has caused quite a stir in the tech community over the past few days. It’s been described as “inaccurate,” and “glitchy,” and many feel that it’s extremely inferior to its predecessor.
But the good news is, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. At least for jailbreakers anyway. Well-known jailbreak developer Ryan Petrich announced earlier today the he was able to get Google Maps working on iOS 6. And here’s the video… Read More
Motorola spotlights iOS 6 Map flaws in new “iLost” ad
By Cody Lee on Sep 22, 2012
Apple has been taking a lot of heat over the past few days regarding its new Maps application. The company released iOS 6, the latest update to its mobile OS, to the public on Wednesday, which features the new Google Maps replacement.
Inaccuracies and missing features in the app have spawned a parody Tumblr and Twitter account, in addition to quite the uproar in the tech world. And it looks like Motorola is looking to capitalize on the criticism, with its new “iLost” ad… Read More
And here comes Mapgate
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 21, 2012
Here, in case you’ve been wondering why Apple shipped buggy iOS Maps… Come on, you knew this was coming. I’d bet my shirt that Conan O’Brien will be next to diss Apple’s crappy maps. Can you say Mapgate? Read More
Limited manpower blamed for crappy Apple Maps
By Christian Zibreg on Sep 21, 2012
In case you haven’t already known this yet, the Apple-designed iOS 6 Maps app is off to a slow start amid reports of inaccurate data sets, missing or incorrect places, lack of built-in transit data and lacking navigational features in general. Simply put, Apple Maps have a long way to go before taking Google Maps head on.
According to one cartography expert, much of the woes with Apple Maps could be traced back to Apple’s lack of qualified engineers and spatial data teams. The company should also look into acquiring major mapping data providers and be more active in crowdsourcing via a dedicated service to allow people to more easily improve the quality of data, akin to TomTom’s MapShare service… Read More
How you can help make the new Maps app better
By Cody Lee on Sep 21, 2012
As you’ve probably noticed, Apple has been taking a lot of criticism over the new Maps application in iOS 6. Google Maps has been replaced in the software, in favor of Apple’s own in-house mapping solution. And for most people it’s just not up to snuff.
The company commented on the criticism yesterday, telling AllThingsD that because it’s a cloud-based solution, Maps will get better as more people use it. But if you aren’t buying that, or just want to speed the process along, here’s what to do… Read More
Apple responds to criticism regarding new Maps app
By Cody Lee on Sep 20, 2012
Since iOS 6 went live yesterday morning, there has been a lot of commotion regarding Apple’s new Maps application. As most of you know, Apple replaced Google’s mapping software with its own in-house solution this year.
And people hate it. Reports over the last 24 hours have berated the app for not having transit information, being inaccurate, and just flat out not being as good as its predecessor. Well, Apple responded to the criticism this afternoon… Read More
Apple Maps to integrate Russian Yandex’s data in iOS 6, report says
By Ed Sutherland on Sep 17, 2012
Google’s relationship with Apple may be on borrowed time. Apple Maps, set to appear soon in iOS 6, will reportedly use a local company’s data Yandex to provide location-search details in Russia. A developer version of iOS 6 will send users to Yandex.Maps for further information regarding locations.
A search of Vladimir Lenin’s Mausoleum, for instance, gets “more details on Yandex.Maps application or offers to download Yandex.Maps from App Store if the user doesn’t have it installed,” a Russian developer now using iOS 6 tells Bloomberg. Read More
Apple’s 3D maps look much better than Google’s
By Jeff Benjamin on Aug 9, 2012
Google, in an attempt to outshine one of the worst kept secrets in the industry at the time — Apple’s 3D Maps announcement at WWDC 2012 — hastily put together its own presser 5 days in advance, to announce their entry into the “next dimension” of maps.
That’s all water under the bridge now (see what I did there?), and both companies have 3D technology incorporated in their apps — Google, with Google Earth, and Apple, with Maps for iOS 6.
Obviously Apple’s maps update is still in beta, and Google just recently released their Google Earth upgrade, but which 3D building implementation looks better up to this point? The answer might surprise you… Read More
Google Earth, now with 3D cities on iPhone 4S and iPad 2 or later
By Christian Zibreg on Jul 26, 2012
Google on June 6 held a hastily organized presser to announce “the next dimension in Maps”, in an effort to beat Apple’s in-house mapping solution unveiling which came five days later at the company’s annual developers conference in Sam Francisco.
While Apple Maps won’t launch before fall, when the company is set to release iOS 6 alongside the next iPhone and possibly a smaller iPad, the Internet giant is set to beat Apple by updating its Google Earth app for the iPhone with a new 3D view later today.
UPDATE: the new version just went live on the App Store... Read More
Apple to bring iOS 6 Maps to Macs?
By Christian Zibreg on Jul 9, 2012
Having ditched Google Maps in favor of its in-house mapping solution in iOS 6, Apple could now be extending iOS 6 Maps to Macs running OS X Mountain Lion. This would seem logical and inevitable given Apple recently confirmed the use of OpenStreetMap data in iPhoto for both iOS and Mac. Apple conceivably has the maps.apple.com subdomain set up, which currently redirects to the iOS 6 section on its website… Read More
Apple said to tap AutoNavi to offer iOS 6 mapping services in China
By Christian Zibreg on Jul 5, 2012
Bloomberg just reported that Apple likely chose AutoNavi to offer mapping services in China. Citing “two people with knowledge of the matter”, the publication claims that Apple chose AutoNavi, a Chinese maker of electronic navigation tools, to offer map services for “users of future iPhones and iPads in China” (what they meant is iOS 6-enabled devices)… Read More
Amazon takes on Apple and Google, snaps up 3D mapping startup UpNext
By Christian Zibreg on Jul 2, 2012
While you were away: not to be outclassed by Apple or Google, online retailer Amazon has just entered the mapping business by allegedly acquiring a mapping startup UpNext, according to an exclusive GigaOM report. The New York-based company is behind an interesting three-dimensional mapping app for iOS devices, UpNext Maps for iPhone and UpNext HD Maps for iPad (Android and Kindle versions are also available).
Both free downloads, these programs offer both the traditional map view, but also have built-in deals and social features and offline mode. There’s also a three-dimensional view with models of more than 50 cities in the United States. Something tells me the apps will soon be gone from the App Store as Amazon makes these exclusive to its own tablet… Read More
