Apple Maps Still Not Improved

NBC Bay Area ^

[nickcarraway]

After releasing a lackluster Maps app to compete with Google Maps, Apple found that its wasn't so easy to eclipse Google's long-used app. In fact, Apple Maps was a failure.

It would seem that after such a failure Apple would try to update and improve the Maps app, but the Worldwide Developers Conference showed that the app was far from perfected. Instead, it seemed ignored.

“There were multiple improvements that didn’t make it into iOS 8,” an unnamed source told TechCrunch. Unfortunately, Apple still hasn't made a good Map app.

Previous reports said that app would be more reliable, have better labels, accurate points of interest and locations and all with a slicker interface. There were rumors there would be public transit information and "augmented reality", according to TechCrunch. But those didn't show up. The reason? Apparently a lot of the Apple developers left the company and Apple wasn't able to complete their plans. Another unnamed source said, "I would say that planning, project management and internal politics issues were a much more significant contributor to the failure to complete projects than developers leaving the group."

It's unfortunate that the one thing that has crystallized as Apple's most abject failure, Apple Maps, still hasn't had an overhaul in the last two years. We think that Apple should make it a priority to improve that app instead of letting its users rely on the superior Google Maps.

[Swordmaker]

Sword, Sometimes the directions are good, sometimes bad. I almost died laughing yesterday when I asked it to direct me to the nearest starbucks. According the the directions, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Granted, it managed to get me there in only 5 miles. The kicker, our local starbucks is a really direct route of less than half a mile. I walk when it isn't too hot. I really should have taken a picture of it.

Talk about overloading it with data. . . there were probably too may to choose from! I once was in an area in San Francisco where Maps showed about twenty Starbucks within six blocks. . . and there were! There were four where I could see them when I walked outside, one literally on each corner. . . or close to the corners. No one had to cross a street for a Grande Latté. LOL

[johngrace]

I just went to Atlanta using the Apple map GPS it was awesome. Love it.

[zeugma]

Nah, It wasn’t data overload. It just didn’t see that you could make a left turn to get into the parking lot from this direction. That meant I had to go a hell of a lot further to turn around to make the entrance a right hand turn. It was pretty funny, because it was obviously really confused. I’ve had all map programs do really weird things like that though. Computers will make mistakes a person would never make. People generally make other mistakes. :-)