Maps

Google Maps app now includes Waze incident reports

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 20, 2013

Putting its June acquisition of the popular social mapping and location startup Waze to good use, the Internet giant Google today announced that crowd-sourced incident reports from Wazers will be soon available through the Google Maps mobile apps for iOS and Android.

This means when Wazers report accidents, construction, road closures and more on Waze, their updates will also appear in real-time on the Google Maps mobile apps in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, UK and the US...

Norwegian government blocking Apple from capturing 3D map data for Oslo

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It appears that the Norwegian government is blocking Apple from capturing 3D Flyover footage of Oslo, its capital. The news comes from a report out of Norway-based newspaper Aftenposten.

A Norway government official has confirmed this to be the case, saying the country's National Security Authority is intentionally blocking Apple from grabbing the aerial data it needs for its Maps app because it doesn't want the company accidentally mapping out confidential buildings within Oslo...

Google starts injecting ‘relevant ads’ in Google Maps app search results

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 8, 2013

In another showing of the key differences between Google and Apple, the Internet giant on Thursday announced that relevant advertising will now start appearing in the native Google Maps app for iOS and Android devices.

Relevant advertising will appear at the bottom of the screen after you perform a search, Google said, adding that ads may include a title, ad text and a link to get directions.

Great, Google, just great! You can go ahead and sell me at a premium to advertisers all you want, but I hate ads and am switching over to Apple Maps as we speak...

In another major Maps push, Apple seeking dozens of Ground Truth specialists

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

A bunch of job ads surfaced earlier today on Apple's website, advertising positions on the company's Maps team. The iPhone maker is seeking so-called ground truth specialists around the world to help correct address and landmark inaccuracies.

Apple is looking for people "with a passion for mapping, great testing skills, and deep regional knowledge to help us build better and better maps".

Ideal candidates will be responsible for the quality assessment of Apple's Maps in their region, including both data and map services...

HopStop adds real-time incident reporting and more in first update since Apple acquisition

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

Earlier this month, Apple confirmed that it had acquired yet another mapping software company. Its name is HopStop, and it's behind the highly popular smartphone app of the same name that provides subway schedules, maps, and a slew of other useful transit data.

And this weekend, the app gets even better with its first update since word got out about Apple's acquisition. The update brings the app to version 2.6, and includes a handful of new features and improvements such as real time delay and incident reporting, and more...

Google+ Local app shutting down next month following Google Maps integration

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 4, 2013

Google+ Local for iOS, the reincarnation of Google Places, will be pulled from the App Store on August 7th, according to an email from the Mountain View company. The move comes just over one year after the app first launched for iPhones and iPads.

For those who aren't familiar with the software, it allows users to voice search for nearby restaurants and businesses, as well as read and post reviews. But now that it's been fully integrated into Google Maps, Google says the standalone app needs to go...

In the aftermath of the Apple deal, HopStop for Windows Phone gets discontinued

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

Last Friday, Apple confirmed it had snapped up HopStop, the brains behind a transit-navigation app which provides detailed subway, bus, train, taxi, walking and biking directions. The move should complement Apple's troubled mapping solution as the company works toward folding HopStop's high-quality public transit data into its in-house Maps app.

Though an important capability, Apple initially felt content with third-parties tackling the transit navigation puzzle. Be that as it may, it's now come to our attention that the Windows Phone app has rather unceremoniously been pulled following the HopStop acquisition.

File this one under the 'business as usual' drawer: Apple similarly pulled Chomp for Android after acquiring the app discovery engine back in February 2012...

Apple buys HopStop transit app to beef up Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

As pointed out by multiple outlets and tweeted by several reporters, Apple has acquired an online navigation startup HopStop.com to improve its troubled Maps offering, Bloomberg just reported. HopStop makes a free iPhone and Android transit app that features detailed subway, bus, train, taxi, walking and even biking directions.

This is exactly the kind of data Apple's Maps need in order to become a viable alternative to Google Maps. The HopStop software also features real-time transit information via the HopStop Live service, the official transit maps, nearby station search and station-to-station schedules in over 600 cities throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, including 140 major metropolitan areas...

Apple acquires location-based data startup Locationary

Cody Lee ∙ July 19, 2013

According to a new report, Apple has acquired Toronto-based Locationary, a Canadian startup that provides crowdsourced location data, for an unknown amount. The deal, which has already closed, includes both the company's tech and team.

Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has even confirmed the new acquisition, offering up the usual boiler plate response 'Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

Google’s new Maps SDK brings Street View and Indoor Maps to iOS apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 31, 2023

Google yesterday pushed a major 2.0 update to its native Maps iOS app.

The software has brought native iPad support, offline maps, a much cleaner interface, improved navigation, indoor maps of building floors and other enhancements.

By the way, today's Chrome iOS update lets you open map links in the Google Maps app instead of the browser.

To go along with the new Maps app, Google yesterday issued a version 1.4 of its Google Maps SDK for iOS. The new frameworks make it easy for Apple's registered iOS developers to write apps that incorporate such new features as Street View, Indoor Maps, and a new look and feel...

Google shows off new Google Maps features, coming soon to iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 10, 2013

As announced on Google's official Lat Long blog yesterday, the company has begun rolling out a major update to Google Maps that was first showcased at Google I/O 2013 in May. The company has issued a promotional clip to detail some of the new features, now available to Android 4.0.3+ users as a free download on the Play store. Although the new build hasn't hit the App Store yet, Google said it will be soon available for iOS 6+ devices...

How to view a map via the Spotlight search page

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 12, 2018

Mappr is a recently released jailbreak tweak that replaces the traditional Spotlight search with that of a map. The map can be configured in the Settings app to track your location or to change the map type.

Although the idea of Mappr sounds interesting, its execution leaves a bit to be desired. Check out our video walkthrough to see what I mean.