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by sachleen 3070 days ago
I can't speak on car play, but I switched back from GMaps to Apple.

I hadn't used it since it first came out (when it sucked) but have found it's a lot better now. I especially like that it gives me the speed limit, a feature I wish Google had. I have removed Google Maps from my phone altogether now.

6 comments

I liked Google Maps on my iPhone right up until they started nagging me to sign in before I could get directions. The minute I saw that screen, the app was gone.
(I'm a dev on google maps iOS) We have never required sign-in for directions, you could always just tap the destination field and start typing.

For a long long time that particular screen had no history whatsoever if you weren't signed in, but that's been fixed for a while now as well.

It's possible I misread the screen that popped up when I tried to search that said something along the lines of "Choose an account to sign in" instead of showing me the map I asked for, but if you're looking for product feedback: whatever screen it was, it was enough to get me to stop using the app.
On the flip side, if I weren't able to type "hom" and have it autocomplete to my home address I would be pretty pissed.
I think outside of the US Apple Maps is still super average.
At best! I’ve tried for a long time to use it, but given up. It fails to find even well known locations in densely populated areas, directions are terrible, and in many cases you just get gray blobs where detail is crucial.

I use the web version of google maps more often than not.

The biggest problem with Apple maps is that it is terrible at working out where you want to go. You have to know the correct name that they have in their database. Google tends to have a lot more context, and so can often work out what you want, even if you don't know the exact name, and so can get you there.

Assuming that you can find the address that you want, then Apple Maps if good enough.

In Germany it works well. I actually think the lane indicators for navigation on the Autobahn are superior to Google Maps. If only I found a way to always have north up. I get super confused and lose orientation if my map is not properly aligned with north up.
The last few times I've used it in Europa it's given me the wrong location for an address or missing places. I agree that seems better than it was originally, but it just can't compete in a lot of locations.
It doesn’t even show subway station when unzoomed. And it’s one of the most important way to understand what part of the city you’re looking at. At least where i live.

It’s just catastrophically bad.

To me its not the quality of the maps, but trying to extend their walled garden to my car
I've seen speed limits in Google Maps.
It's only shown in the Bay Area and Brazil. Really.

The API itself has more data, with varying levels of quality around the globe.

I'd see them in Atlanta.
They’ve shown up in Detroit.
Where I live Google Maps is just so much better then Apple maps that never use Apple. Plus Google is just doing so much with maps then Apple is doing.

https://www.justinobeirne.com/google-maps-moat/ Google Maps's Moat - Justin O'Beirne

Waze shows speed limits.