Apple Maps

Apple shows off standalone Maps Mac app

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 10, 2013

During the OS X Mavericks segment here at WWDC 2013, Apple's OS X head Craig Federighi announced a new native Maps app for the Mac. The standalone program takes advantage of core system enhancements in OS X Mavericks. The resulting experince is much more fluid, pleasing and responsive compared to what you had in Safari. One of the interesting features is the ability to send any location or route right from the Maps Mac app right to your iDevice’s Lock screen...

Apple bolsters Maps Flyover support in California

Cody Lee ∙ May 24, 2013

Apple billed 3D Flyover as one of the headlining features of its Maps app, when it replaced Google Maps in iOS last fall with its own in-house software. Unfortunately, at the time, the feature was only available for a handful of cities.

But the Maps team has been awfully busy in recent months, adding Flyover support to a number of new areas. Earlier this month, it expanded Flyover coverage in Paris, France, and this week it's bolstered support in greater California...

Apple expands Maps Flyover coverage in France

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

3D Flyover, a headline feature of Apple's in-house mapping service available on compatible iOS 6 devices, initially included only a handful of U.S. cities. The last major expansion was in March, when Apple added 3D Flyovers in twelve new cities - including such venues as Tokyo Station, Japan Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower - and expanded Flyover coverage in more than a dozen U.S. cities.

Today, the company added 3D buildings for Paris, France and surrounding areas. I have a feeling iDB's own Sebastien Page will have lots of fun playing with Maps on his iPad...

iOS 7 said to feature optimized in-car Maps and Siri integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 30, 2013

Hot on the heels of a pair of yesterday's reports which asserted that Apple's upcoming iOS 7 will have a "very flat" user interface akin to Windows Phone's 'Metro' visual style - along with Mac OS X 10.9 borrowing core multitasking features from iOS 7 - 9to5Mac writer Mark Gurman is back at it again with another exclusive. Today's story details an alleged integration of Apple's Siri digital personal assistant and in-house built Maps service in iOS 7 with your car's dashboard...

Waze CEO discusses the state of iOS 6 Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 16, 2013

Waze, a free social GPS application developed by the Israeli start-up Waze Mobile, at point was supposedly going to be acquired by Apple in order to improve iOS 6 Maps data, though later reports dismissed the rumor as wishful thinking.

Its CEO Noam Bardin was interviewed at AllThingsD's Dive Into Mobile conference yesterday.

Among the topics discussed, Barding shared his observations concerning Apple's Maps service which debuted as part of iOS 6 in September 2012, here's what he said...

Apple patent hints at Street View-like mapping

Ed Sutherland ∙ April 5, 2013

Is Apple preparing to take another chunk out of Google's mapping franchise? A patent filed in 2011 and entitled "3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Navigation," discovered Thursday, suggests the iPhone maker is considering adding street level navigation to its own iOS 6 Maps technology.

By virtue of the description, the invention suggests using movement sensors built into the iPhone and iPad to make it easier for mobile users to move within virtual maps. Currently, Google's Street View feature makes use of mouse movements and touchscreen input for navigation. A key difference between Apple Maps and Google Maps may also include the ability to navigate within structures...

Apple looking to beef up Maps team with ‘Ground Truth’ managers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 26, 2017

When Apple released iOS 6 last year, it replaced the long-running Google Maps app with its own in-house mapping software. And, as most of you know, it took a lot of criticism over the move due to its inaccurate map data, missing features and other issues.

It was so bad, in fact, that Tim Cook wrote an open letter to iOS users, promising Apple would work non-stop to make it better. And it has been. It's already made several improvements to the app, and is in the middle of a big hiring push for its Maps team...

Apple acquires indoor GPS company WiFiSLAM for $20 million

Cody Lee ∙ March 23, 2013

Big news out of Cupertino this evening. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has acquired indoor mobile location positioning firm WiFiSLAM, in a deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million.

Apple has confirmed the acquisition of the company, which possesses proprietary technology that allows mobile apps to detect a smartphone user's location inside of buildings using preexisting ambient Wi-Fi signals...

Apple adds Flyover and 3D buildings to several new cities in Maps

Cody Lee ∙ March 13, 2013

When Tim Cook wrote his open letter last September, apologizing for the quality of the new Maps app, he said that Apple would work on it non-stop until it lived up to its incredibly high standards. And it has been.

Though it hasn't garnered much media attention, Apple has made a number of improvements to its Maps app over the past six months, including adding Flyover support and 3D building images to several new cities...

Apple updates iOS Maps in Japan with bug fixes and other improvements

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Back in February, Apple seeded a beta version of iOS 6.1.1 to developers. The update featured a lengthy change log of some much needed fixes and improvements for its iOS Maps application in Japan.

Of course, Apple forewent that release in order to push out bug fixes for the iPhone 4S, and later Exchange. But it looks like Japan users finally got their new Map data that they've been waiting for today...

Australian authorities again warn of inaccuracies in Apple Maps

Cody Lee ∙ February 13, 2013

Last December, Police in Victoria, Australia issued a warning regarding Apple's new Maps app in iOS 6, after several travelers became lost and stranded in a National Park due to poor directions. The advisory added insult to injury after Apple had taken months of criticism over the service.

Well, they're back at it today. Officials in Victoria, Australia are again warning users of Maps' inaccuracies, claiming that problems with the software are making it difficult to determine where fires are located in the city's Country Fire Authority bushfire information app 'FireReady...'

Apple making big hiring push for iOS Maps team

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

It seems like criticism for Apple's Maps app has died down in recent months. What was once the favorite topic of critics and naysayers has been replaced with talk of iPhone 5 part order cuts and the company's floundering stock.

But that doesn't mean that the Maps app is up to snuff yet, and Apple knows it. That's why it's been working hard to improve the software and, according to new job listings, is making a major hiring push for its Maps team...