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> And both are in a race to become the world’s first Universal Map — that is, the first map used by a majority of the global population This is a very US centr

• dvcrn 10y ago
  This. Both map apps are very good in the states but suck in other countries. For example, Google maps can't even show directions in South Korea while Apple maps can due to government restrictions.
• dschep 10y ago
  > And not talking about the fact that Apple Maps are supported in just one platform and the market share in USA is very different than globally. Agreed, Apple disqualifies themselves from the race to make the Universal Map.
• Theodores 10y ago
  It is not a race to become the universal map. When Steve Jobs was breathing, there were a few fierce words about 'Android'. Having Google Maps or a Google browser on the phone was to be avoided at all costs so Apple shopped for maps and put something together so they would not be at the mercy of Google deciding to discontinue their maps app on iOS/Safari. So the Apple maps were never born out of vision, just spiteful thinking and a perceived need to have indigenous maps that were not supplied by the old sparring partner (Microsoft) or the evil Google. I think that the Apple map product was designed in that era of skuomorphic thinking that went on until recently in iOS. So the maps are designed to be a familiar map, much like the atlas you had as a kid when it comes to typography. The Google Maps evolved from looking like paper maps a long time ago and are about showing you the information you want, not everything that can be crammed on screen. This challenges us to think about how we see the world, for a long time 'A-Z' maps were the thing and you had page numbers and 'square' numbers, e.g. B7, page 126 instead of 'hyperlinks'. Apple maps are more in line with that 'old persons' way of dealing with cartography issues, the Google maps are pioneering a better UX for visualising the world.
  • eridius 10y ago
    It wasn't spite. Google introduced a large new feature as Android-only (turn-by-turn directions) and refused to put it on iOS. So this wasn't just a fear that Google would use its position to screw over Apple, Google was actually actively doing that.
    • Oletros 10y ago
      No, they didn't refused, Apple and Google didn't agree in the terms to put the feature in iOs. The maps apps was developed by Apple
      • eridius 10y ago
        Where are you getting your information? Because that's wrong. Google introduced turn-by-turn on Android and deliberately kept it out of iOS because they were trying to make Android more attractive. Google and Apple had an existing contract at that time, there were no terms to negotiate. And so when the contract did expire, Apple dropped Google Maps and introduced their own Apple Maps because Google had already demonstrated their willingness to screw over Apple.
        • Oletros 10y ago
          The app was done by Apple, not by Google. Apple used the Google Maps API and that API doesn't allow turn by turn. So no, Google did not screwed Apple, both companies didn't agree to for the terms to use the turn by turn. That's all, none of them were guilty of anything.
          • eridius 10y ago
            The app's code was written by Apple, yes, but it was done so in close collaboration with Google. It's not like Apple was just another API consumer. And if Google hadn't had their heads up their asses, they would have given turn-by-turn to Apple and perhaps enjoyed still being the default mapping app on iOS. Also FWIW it wasn't just turn-by-turn, it was also the fact that Google wanted Apple to give them more user data, which Apple didn't want to do. So even with turn-by-turn it's possible Apple may have chosen to do their own maps anyway, but turn-by-turn was definitely a major reason why Apple dropped Google and built their own service.
• jackiejax 10y ago
  The article mentions that the U.S. focus was deliberate in order better assess each map's priorities: "we want to look at areas where the maps are most likely to be “finished” (i.e., areas where the maps are most likely to be complete and up-to-date.) San Francisco is Google’s and Apple’s backyard, so the maps should be really good there. And New York and London are two of the world’s largest, most important cities—so they should’ve also gotten a lot of attention."
• mxx34 10y ago
  > If you want to talk about global mapping, use global comparisons. Worth pointing out that the title was "Cartography Comparison: Google Maps and Apple Maps", not "global mapping comparison".
  • Oletros 10y ago
    > And both are in a race to become the world’s first Universal Map — that is, the first map used by a majority of the global population. In many ways, this makes Google Maps and Apple Maps two of the most important maps ever made. This is the second paragraph