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On Android there's also the constant nagging to turn on GPS every time you open the app just to check the opening hours of some business. Super frustrating.

by Too 8y ago

ehnto 8y ago
The wording is also super coercive. It makes it sound as if the app doesn't work without location enabled and the options are "cancel" and "okay". Most users probably think cancel means to cancel the action they were originally attempting, but in fact the app works perfectly fine without it. It is a dark pattern, and it was probably the red flag that finally flipped me from "okay maybe they make some mistakes" to "clearly the culture and ethics of the company have changed".
balladeer 8y ago
I had uninstalled Apple Maps [1] from my iPhone after iOS 11 upgrade because it was useless. Apple put it back with iOS 12 upgrade and I have kept it around so far. It is still useless here in India [1]. Often I sadly have no alternative to Google apps. I have tried at least a dozen apps (online/offline) and nothing even comes close to Google Maps. Of course other features like News etc are not even shown on the app except in some countries while the price of the device remains the same (or more after taxes). I think I am being too harsh. They can do only so much with the resources they have :-) [1] Apparently they use TomTom for map data in India (and elsewhere too?). [2] https://www.apple.com/in/ios/feature-availability/#maps-directions https://www.apple.com/in/ios/feature-availability/#maps-dire...
- int_19h 8y ago
  How does OsmAnd fare in your region? Curiously, I find that it's often more detailed and accurate than Google Maps hereabouts.
  - balladeer 8y ago
    Pretty bad in my experience. Also traffic scene is pathetic down here so that makes Google Maps even more indispensable. Add to fact that they did a good months long round of ads here on everything including Google Maps hoarding all around the city.
jasonvorhe 8y ago
A maps app wanting to show the current location upon startup - isn't that to be expected?
- icebraining 8y ago
  No. Most times I use a maps app it doesn't need my location. Let it ask only when I explicitly ask for directions from my location, or when I click on the "center on my location" button.
- Too 8y ago
  No. 95% of the times I use it it's for checking opening hours and phone numbers of restaurants and stores in the other end of town. The other 5% of the time it's to check the distance from a hotel to nearby airport and attractions before I even decide to book the trip. My current location has no relevance whatsoever in any of these use cases. My last viewed location in the app is usually much more relevant than my current physical location. And if its not then the center my location button is just one click away (plus another click for consent) Very very rarely I do actually use turn-by-turn navigation but those few times shouldn't have destroy the experience for the more used scenarios. It would be so easy to prompt for location when this is activated and that's how it used to work before. This is very clearly a dark UX just to collect more data because I haven't met anyone who likes this "feature".
joesb 8y ago
Because it's a map app.
- pluma 8y ago
  Weird. I remember a time when maps were printed on paper and somehow worked as references without a satellite connection. I also remember having used Google Maps to look up routes between two places while I was underground and GPS didn't work and my current location was indicated as being miles away from where I was. It's almost like GPS is not actually required for anything other than indicating your current location.

On Android there's also the constant nagging to turn on GPS every time you open the app just to check the opening hours of some business. Super frustrating.

by Too 8y ago

On Android there's also the constant nagging to turn on GPS every time you open the app just to check the opening hours of some business. Super frustrating.

ehnto 8y ago

The wording is also super coercive. It makes it sound as if the app doesn't work without location enabled and the options are "cancel" and "okay". Most users probably think cancel means to cancel the action they were originally attempting, but in fact the app works perfectly fine without it. It is a dark pattern, and it was probably the red flag that finally flipped me from "okay maybe they make some mistakes" to "clearly the culture and ethics of the company have changed".

balladeer 8y ago

I had uninstalled Apple Maps [1] from my iPhone after iOS 11 upgrade because it was useless. Apple put it back with iOS 12 upgrade and I have kept it around so far. It is still useless here in India [1]. Often I sadly have no alternative to Google apps. I have tried at least a dozen apps (online/offline) and nothing even comes close to Google Maps. Of course other features like News etc are not even shown on the app except in some countries while the price of the device remains the same (or more after taxes). I think I am being too harsh. They can do only so much with the resources they have :-) [1] Apparently they use TomTom for map data in India (and elsewhere too?). [2] https://www.apple.com/in/ios/feature-availability/#maps-directions https://www.apple.com/in/ios/feature-availability/#maps-dire...

int_19h 8y ago
How does OsmAnd fare in your region? Curiously, I find that it's often more detailed and accurate than Google Maps hereabouts.
- balladeer 8y ago
  Pretty bad in my experience. Also traffic scene is pathetic down here so that makes Google Maps even more indispensable. Add to fact that they did a good months long round of ads here on everything including Google Maps hoarding all around the city.

jasonvorhe 8y ago

A maps app wanting to show the current location upon startup - isn't that to be expected?

icebraining 8y ago
No. Most times I use a maps app it doesn't need my location. Let it ask only when I explicitly ask for directions from my location, or when I click on the "center on my location" button.
Too 8y ago
No. 95% of the times I use it it's for checking opening hours and phone numbers of restaurants and stores in the other end of town. The other 5% of the time it's to check the distance from a hotel to nearby airport and attractions before I even decide to book the trip. My current location has no relevance whatsoever in any of these use cases. My last viewed location in the app is usually much more relevant than my current physical location. And if its not then the center my location button is just one click away (plus another click for consent) Very very rarely I do actually use turn-by-turn navigation but those few times shouldn't have destroy the experience for the more used scenarios. It would be so easy to prompt for location when this is activated and that's how it used to work before. This is very clearly a dark UX just to collect more data because I haven't met anyone who likes this "feature".

joesb 8y ago

Because it's a map app.

pluma 8y ago
Weird. I remember a time when maps were printed on paper and somehow worked as references without a satellite connection. I also remember having used Google Maps to look up routes between two places while I was underground and GPS didn't work and my current location was indicated as being miles away from where I was. It's almost like GPS is not actually required for anything other than indicating your current location.