5 ms·

Github ClassicMap, Google Map tile rendering for iOS6

51 points by flocial 14y ago

mikemcquaid 14y ago
This seems pretty good from a first glance; provides a "Standard" or "Classic" option to select between Apple's and Google's Maps. If you just care about tiles (rather than e.g. transit directions) then this should be a good stop-gap until Google releases their own version. It's a nicer experience than the mobile Google Maps site. Direct link to App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771 http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771
- notlisted 14y ago
  Neat for a demo/concept, but what's the purpose? The web version of Google maps is already more powerful. No directions, layers, no streetview, no auto-matching, no reviews etc. Loads slower. How is this nicer than the web version by google (other than the obvious, ie lack of a URL field) If you haven't in a while, look at the latest google web version they've made some changes, e.g. look up Brooklyn Bridge, NY. Am I missing something?
  - mikemcquaid 14y ago
    I guess it's personal preference but I find the Google Maps web app to just feel clunky and slow in scrolling around and that bothers me.
benguild 14y ago
Pretty cool. I wish it had the transit stuff left over, though!
z92 14y ago
Is it authorized to download map tiles form Google? Is there a limit? Can there be any reason to fear that it might stop working a few days later? I had been holding off upgrading to ios6, not to miss google maps. But if this app gets removed after I upgrade, that will be devastating. Any one knows, is there any reason to be concerned?
- sumukh1 14y ago
  It doesn't credit Google as far as I can tell (the legal section just seems to be for the new iOS maps). The link to "Legal" is really small and there's no Google Logo (as Google had required previously) Still it works if you all you need is map tiles (which I highly doubt what most people use Maps for)
- coob 14y ago
  > But if this app gets removed after I upgrade, that will be devastating. You can grab the app now and still be able to use it after it's pulled. Just save the .ipa and sync it over. What you'll find even more devastating is that whilst this app uses the Google map tiles, the search isn't any better than Apple's.
d0ugal 14y ago
The search seems to be quite limiting. It only seems to recognise place names, the thing I miss most about google maps is searching for POIs.
- X-Istence 14y ago
  That's because it doesn't do that search on Google's servers. It only grabs the Google map tiles and renders them...
  - Aqua_Geek 14y ago
    It actually does hit Google for the search: https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/ClassicMap/WMMapViewController.m#L146 https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/C... Here's the URL it's hitting: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=[whatever_you_entered_in_the_search field]&sensor=true
rmc 14y ago
It's in the Apple App Store ( http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771?mt=8 ). I presume that means Apple have looked at it, and approved it, and it won't be yanked in a while for breaking any terms of service, right?
- tmcw 14y ago
  No, it'll get removed; the App Store Approval process is a sham, and this is absolutely breaking the Google Maps TOS.
  - gurkendoktor 14y ago
    In this case the breach may be very obvious - but Apple's review process is not about compliance with third-party TOS.
  - signalsignal 14y ago
    Hi tmcw. Two questions for clarification 1) How is the review process a sham? 2) How is the app breaking Google's TOS?
    - mehmeta 14y ago
      Don't know about no 1 but Google's TOS explicitly forbids the rendering of Google tiles outside a Google application, you can only use them in conjunction with Google's own Maps API.
    - tmcw 14y ago
      1) Because there's very little evidence that malicious applications are successfully filtered (many get in), and much evidence that nitpicky comments keep 'good' applications waiting. 2) https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#tos_tiles https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#tos_tiles
terhechte 14y ago
What I like most is that it's open source. So maybe this will lead to interesting improvements.
esad 14y ago
Does Google actually allow you to use the tiles, as long as you credit them? Could I do something similar in a commercial app?
asdfprou 14y ago
So does this actually populate the local information data as well from Google? Or is this strictly a visual thing?
- Aqua_Geek 14y ago
  Looks like it might be both. It's inserting Google's tiles as an overlay on Apple's map view, and it's also hitting Google's API when you search for something: https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/ClassicMap/WMMapViewController.m#L146 https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/C...

51 points by flocial 14y ago

This seems pretty good from a first glance; provides a "Standard" or "Classic" option to select between Apple's and Google's Maps. If you just care about tiles (rather than e.g. transit directions) then this should be a good stop-gap until Google releases their own version. It's a nicer experience than the mobile Google Maps site. Direct link to App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771 http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771

notlisted 14y ago
Neat for a demo/concept, but what's the purpose? The web version of Google maps is already more powerful. No directions, layers, no streetview, no auto-matching, no reviews etc. Loads slower. How is this nicer than the web version by google (other than the obvious, ie lack of a URL field) If you haven't in a while, look at the latest google web version they've made some changes, e.g. look up Brooklyn Bridge, NY. Am I missing something?
- mikemcquaid 14y ago
  I guess it's personal preference but I find the Google Maps web app to just feel clunky and slow in scrolling around and that bothers me.

benguild 14y ago

Pretty cool. I wish it had the transit stuff left over, though!

z92 14y ago

Is it authorized to download map tiles form Google? Is there a limit? Can there be any reason to fear that it might stop working a few days later? I had been holding off upgrading to ios6, not to miss google maps. But if this app gets removed after I upgrade, that will be devastating. Any one knows, is there any reason to be concerned?

sumukh1 14y ago
It doesn't credit Google as far as I can tell (the legal section just seems to be for the new iOS maps). The link to "Legal" is really small and there's no Google Logo (as Google had required previously) Still it works if you all you need is map tiles (which I highly doubt what most people use Maps for)
coob 14y ago
> But if this app gets removed after I upgrade, that will be devastating. You can grab the app now and still be able to use it after it's pulled. Just save the .ipa and sync it over. What you'll find even more devastating is that whilst this app uses the Google map tiles, the search isn't any better than Apple's.

d0ugal 14y ago

The search seems to be quite limiting. It only seems to recognise place names, the thing I miss most about google maps is searching for POIs.

X-Istence 14y ago
That's because it doesn't do that search on Google's servers. It only grabs the Google map tiles and renders them...
- Aqua_Geek 14y ago
  It actually does hit Google for the search: https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/ClassicMap/WMMapViewController.m#L146 https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/C... Here's the URL it's hitting: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=[whatever_you_entered_in_the_search field]&sensor=true

rmc 14y ago

It's in the Apple App Store ( http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/app/classicmap/id566173771?mt=8 ). I presume that means Apple have looked at it, and approved it, and it won't be yanked in a while for breaking any terms of service, right?

tmcw 14y ago
No, it'll get removed; the App Store Approval process is a sham, and this is absolutely breaking the Google Maps TOS.
- gurkendoktor 14y ago
  In this case the breach may be very obvious - but Apple's review process is not about compliance with third-party TOS.
- signalsignal 14y ago
  Hi tmcw. Two questions for clarification 1) How is the review process a sham? 2) How is the app breaking Google's TOS?
  - mehmeta 14y ago
    Don't know about no 1 but Google's TOS explicitly forbids the rendering of Google tiles outside a Google application, you can only use them in conjunction with Google's own Maps API.
  - tmcw 14y ago
    1) Because there's very little evidence that malicious applications are successfully filtered (many get in), and much evidence that nitpicky comments keep 'good' applications waiting. 2) https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#tos_tiles https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#tos_tiles

terhechte 14y ago

What I like most is that it's open source. So maybe this will lead to interesting improvements.

esad 14y ago

Does Google actually allow you to use the tiles, as long as you credit them? Could I do something similar in a commercial app?

asdfprou 14y ago

So does this actually populate the local information data as well from Google? Or is this strictly a visual thing?

Aqua_Geek 14y ago
Looks like it might be both. It's inserting Google's tiles as an overlay on Apple's map view, and it's also hitting Google's API when you search for something: https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/ClassicMap/WMMapViewController.m#L146 https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/ClassicMap/blob/master/C...