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I remember being at the Facebook weekly Q&A session when this was announced and Mark definitely stated it quite differently than the author's perspective. Basic

I remember being at the Facebook weekly Q&A session when this was announced and Mark definitely stated it quite differently than the author's perspective. Basically that the Facebook deal was already "done" and just pending final signatures when Google swooped in at the 11th hour and stole the acquisition. I still think it's a shame that there isn't a second major tech company with a serious mapping product. Apple Maps has always seemed laughably inferior even to what Waze offered 10 years ago.

stuff4ben 3y ago
I don't need all of the fancy features that Waze has. Just a simple map that routes me from A to B. Which is why I use Apple Maps more than Google Maps these days.
- freeplay 3y ago
  You're missing out on the speed trap alerts, though. That's the primary reason I use Waze over anything else.
  - jamesrascal 3y ago
    Apple Maps has this as well and I often get the alerts while driving. What would be amazing is if the major apps opened the social aspects to share this data.
  - tanjtanjtanj 3y ago
    I don't know when it was added but Apple Maps also has speed trap, collision, object on road, and traffic jam alerts.
  - brk 3y ago
    I have not found that to be reliable enough to trust overall. I hate Waze wanting to announce every damn thing, it's annoying after a while. I don't care if there is a car on the side of the road, or the tiniest piece of cardboard in the road that someone felt compelled to flag for points.
    - freeplay 3y ago
      You can turn off notifications for individual types of alerts.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    I personally find speed trap alerts to be without value.
  - beardicus 3y ago
    Another thing you could do is simply follow the posted speed limits, instead of using technology to evade law enforcement. It's very relaxing!
    - freeplay 3y ago
      Sometimes you go from one speed limit zone to another without realizing. I'm not saying I'm flying around as fast as possible, but it's nice to get an alert for a speed trap so I can look down and double check that I'm not speeding. No need to get on a soapbox.
    - HumblyTossed 3y ago
      Agreed. However... Speed trap notification are for more than just evading law enforcement. It lets you know that there's going to be a slow down because a lot of people who see cops instinctively tap the break and that has a domino effect. So if you're coming up the hill and you don't see the traffic yet, you can still be prepared.
bigyikes 3y ago
Apple maps has been good for a long time now. Anecdotally, I find the navigation to be more clear and the UX more intuitive. I only use Google Maps for discovery and reviews. The navigation experience is not very good.
- wlesieutre 3y ago
  Main complaints are lack of offline maps (finally coming in iOS 17) and that it pulls business photos from Yelp and then tries to install their app if you want to enlarge an image.
  - wlesieutre 3y ago
    One more complaint: they've had survey vehicles with cameras and LiDAR on the road since at least 2015 [1] but their Street View competitor still only covers 19 cities in the US [2]. It was quite good both times I was within the coverage area, and I was guessing it might roll out much more widely as a feature of their VR headset (since the data is more 3D than street view's), but no. There's a big list of places where they're mapping this year [3] but who knows when that data will make it to the actual service. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_Around_(Apple)#/media/File:Apple_Street_View_Van.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_Around_(Apple)#/media/Fil... [2] https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#maps-look-around https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#maps-look-ar... [3] https://maps.apple.com/imagecollection/ https://maps.apple.com/imagecollection/
    - mikestew 3y ago
      As one who uses Apple Maps almost exclusively, it’s way too often that I say to myself, “Google has Street View down the Dalton Highway all the way to the Arctic friggin’ Ocean in Deadhorse, Alaska, and Apple can’t show me a street 20 miles outside Seattle?”
      - wlesieutre 3y ago
        Plenty of large cities missing entirely too. San Antonio (1.47 million), Dallas (1.3 million), Austin (974k), Jacksonville (971k), etc. They've got 4 cities done in California, which leaves 15 for the other 49 states. I'm in Knoxville which isn't covered, only Nashville here with Memphis presumably next in line. We're the 131st largest city in the US with about 200k people, similar to Salt Lake City or Columbus. Could be a long time before they get the rest of us.
spike021 3y ago
Google Maps has arguably gotten worse. Many times businesses that don't pay to be listed either won't show up on the map/in search or at best show up basically last. I also live in the Bay Area and sometimes I feel like the GPS routes it chooses are to avoid certain areas even though they'd surely be quicker. For instance sometimes it insists on me taking 101 around Palo Alto/MTV when traffic is just yellowish but other routes are totally clear, and 101 ends up becoming nearly stop and go when the other routes are basically still clear. I will say google maps is superb for traveling in Japan, though.
- DropInIn 3y ago
  > Many times businesses that don't pay to be listed either won't show up on the map/in search or at best show up basically last Well that explains a butt ton.... Keep having issues with maps showing places on the other side of the city instead of the 15 places in walking distance...
  - dehrmann 3y ago
    I keep waiting for a racketeering case against Google.
  - spike021 3y ago
    I notice it the most when I'm just trying to find a place whose name I can't quite recall, but I know where it's located. Usually hole in the wall or other lesser known spots. I'll literally zoom in as far as I can on the building or plaza where it's located and Google refuses to show it to me.
duxup 3y ago
Maybe Mark thought it was done from his level, but communication with Waze (or lack of it) gave them a different impression? I could see them thinking the deal was done, but waze getting shopped around inside Facebook internally might give waze a much different impression.
mezeek 3y ago
Meanwhile, I'd say 50% of iPhone users, including 90% of boomers, have no idea they're not using Google Maps. My parents couldn't open a link I sent them "in Maps"... came to realize they never knew their day-to-day was Apple Maps.
MH15 3y ago
I use Apple Maps while driving in cities now, I find they've put more detail into the navigation experience. Google Maps for navigating anywhere outside of a populated area, they've still got way more data. I've been burned by Apple Maps in the sticks a few times.
thiht 3y ago
Honestly Apple Maps is ok for navigation, I use it most of the time now. Google Maps is still way better for business reviews, opening hours, or even existing businesses. I try to submit updates to Apple Maps when I can but the review is very slow.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > Google Maps is still way better for business reviews, opening hours, or even existing businesses. Google Maps has become pretty poor at indicating existing businesses unless those businesses are largish. And I don't want my map application to tell me business reviews, opening hours, or any of that stuff. I just want directions. So Apple maps is more my style, although I actually use OSM these days.

stuff4ben 3y ago

I don't need all of the fancy features that Waze has. Just a simple map that routes me from A to B. Which is why I use Apple Maps more than Google Maps these days.

freeplay 3y ago
You're missing out on the speed trap alerts, though. That's the primary reason I use Waze over anything else.
- jamesrascal 3y ago
  Apple Maps has this as well and I often get the alerts while driving. What would be amazing is if the major apps opened the social aspects to share this data.
- tanjtanjtanj 3y ago
  I don't know when it was added but Apple Maps also has speed trap, collision, object on road, and traffic jam alerts.
- brk 3y ago
  I have not found that to be reliable enough to trust overall. I hate Waze wanting to announce every damn thing, it's annoying after a while. I don't care if there is a car on the side of the road, or the tiniest piece of cardboard in the road that someone felt compelled to flag for points.
  - freeplay 3y ago
    You can turn off notifications for individual types of alerts.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  I personally find speed trap alerts to be without value.
- beardicus 3y ago
  Another thing you could do is simply follow the posted speed limits, instead of using technology to evade law enforcement. It's very relaxing!
  - freeplay 3y ago
    Sometimes you go from one speed limit zone to another without realizing. I'm not saying I'm flying around as fast as possible, but it's nice to get an alert for a speed trap so I can look down and double check that I'm not speeding. No need to get on a soapbox.
  - HumblyTossed 3y ago
    Agreed. However... Speed trap notification are for more than just evading law enforcement. It lets you know that there's going to be a slow down because a lot of people who see cops instinctively tap the break and that has a domino effect. So if you're coming up the hill and you don't see the traffic yet, you can still be prepared.

bigyikes 3y ago

Apple maps has been good for a long time now. Anecdotally, I find the navigation to be more clear and the UX more intuitive. I only use Google Maps for discovery and reviews. The navigation experience is not very good.

wlesieutre 3y ago
Main complaints are lack of offline maps (finally coming in iOS 17) and that it pulls business photos from Yelp and then tries to install their app if you want to enlarge an image.
- wlesieutre 3y ago
  One more complaint: they've had survey vehicles with cameras and LiDAR on the road since at least 2015 [1] but their Street View competitor still only covers 19 cities in the US [2]. It was quite good both times I was within the coverage area, and I was guessing it might roll out much more widely as a feature of their VR headset (since the data is more 3D than street view's), but no. There's a big list of places where they're mapping this year [3] but who knows when that data will make it to the actual service. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_Around_(Apple)#/media/File:Apple_Street_View_Van.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_Around_(Apple)#/media/Fil... [2] https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#maps-look-around https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#maps-look-ar... [3] https://maps.apple.com/imagecollection/ https://maps.apple.com/imagecollection/
  - mikestew 3y ago
    As one who uses Apple Maps almost exclusively, it’s way too often that I say to myself, “Google has Street View down the Dalton Highway all the way to the Arctic friggin’ Ocean in Deadhorse, Alaska, and Apple can’t show me a street 20 miles outside Seattle?”
    - wlesieutre 3y ago
      Plenty of large cities missing entirely too. San Antonio (1.47 million), Dallas (1.3 million), Austin (974k), Jacksonville (971k), etc. They've got 4 cities done in California, which leaves 15 for the other 49 states. I'm in Knoxville which isn't covered, only Nashville here with Memphis presumably next in line. We're the 131st largest city in the US with about 200k people, similar to Salt Lake City or Columbus. Could be a long time before they get the rest of us.

spike021 3y ago

Google Maps has arguably gotten worse. Many times businesses that don't pay to be listed either won't show up on the map/in search or at best show up basically last. I also live in the Bay Area and sometimes I feel like the GPS routes it chooses are to avoid certain areas even though they'd surely be quicker. For instance sometimes it insists on me taking 101 around Palo Alto/MTV when traffic is just yellowish but other routes are totally clear, and 101 ends up becoming nearly stop and go when the other routes are basically still clear. I will say google maps is superb for traveling in Japan, though.

DropInIn 3y ago
> Many times businesses that don't pay to be listed either won't show up on the map/in search or at best show up basically last Well that explains a butt ton.... Keep having issues with maps showing places on the other side of the city instead of the 15 places in walking distance...
- dehrmann 3y ago
  I keep waiting for a racketeering case against Google.
- spike021 3y ago
  I notice it the most when I'm just trying to find a place whose name I can't quite recall, but I know where it's located. Usually hole in the wall or other lesser known spots. I'll literally zoom in as far as I can on the building or plaza where it's located and Google refuses to show it to me.

duxup 3y ago

Maybe Mark thought it was done from his level, but communication with Waze (or lack of it) gave them a different impression? I could see them thinking the deal was done, but waze getting shopped around inside Facebook internally might give waze a much different impression.

mezeek 3y ago

Meanwhile, I'd say 50% of iPhone users, including 90% of boomers, have no idea they're not using Google Maps. My parents couldn't open a link I sent them "in Maps"... came to realize they never knew their day-to-day was Apple Maps.

MH15 3y ago

I use Apple Maps while driving in cities now, I find they've put more detail into the navigation experience. Google Maps for navigating anywhere outside of a populated area, they've still got way more data. I've been burned by Apple Maps in the sticks a few times.

thiht 3y ago

Honestly Apple Maps is ok for navigation, I use it most of the time now. Google Maps is still way better for business reviews, opening hours, or even existing businesses. I try to submit updates to Apple Maps when I can but the review is very slow.

JohnFen 3y ago
> Google Maps is still way better for business reviews, opening hours, or even existing businesses. Google Maps has become pretty poor at indicating existing businesses unless those businesses are largish. And I don't want my map application to tell me business reviews, opening hours, or any of that stuff. I just want directions. So Apple maps is more my style, although I actually use OSM these days.