This is the latest in a truly amazing series of posts comparing Apple and Google Maps. They’re all very much worth a read if you’re interested in this sort of thing.
Now that I have an iPhone I’ve actually been giving Apple Maps more of a try and haven’t really been much of a fan so far, but it’s great to see the competition in this space really force both parties to continually up their game.
I prefer Apple Maps for driving navigation (nicer UI + clearer turn-by-turn navigation/lane guidance is a huge win) but I prefer Google Maps for POI information; if Apple can up their game in this space I’ll be so happy.
Thing is I find Apple Maps just doesn’t have the businesses that Google Maps does. If I want to search for a particular business I always use Google.
I much prefer the Apple UI, and really want to use it more.
But I always find myself going back to Google maps - I just trust it more.
I neither like or dislike the Apple Maps UI but then I’m used to Google Maps and Waze after years of use.
If I’m looking for something or need directions I’d always use Google as I know I can rely on it.
And for navigation, I pretty much always use Waze as the traffic info is the best in my experience. 90% of the time I don’t need directions, just the fastest route and Waze does the job.
What I can’t understand is that Apple keeps adding incorrect POI information. I live near a major road with a lot of businesses and did a lot of reporting early on to correct Apple data. I had another look a month ago and there was a new POI for a restaurant which closed over ten years ago. Where is this rotten data coming from and what incentive is there for users to report issues when Apple keep introducing more new problems?
I’d love to reduce my usage of Google but I just can’t trust Apple Maps yet.
I’m still eagerly waiting for Apple’s new maps for the UK (apparently later this year), as the US ones were a huge improvement over what they had before. But they are taking their sweet time rolling out globally
In the meantime, Google announce a massive update for 220 countries which is available now!!!
The point (honestly) isn’t to have an Apple vs Google debate; mapping feels like one of the few areas where there is real competition which is leading to meaningful innovation.
Now imagine if they opened up their app stores…
It’s here! 8 years after launching Apple may finally have decent UK maps.
Very nice. Even covers the more remote areas too.
First impressions are very positive. The map looks beautiful. Very easy to pick out surrounding features.
I was surprised by how many damn Golf Clubs there are around me, they’re just so obvious now.
Wish I was actually out more to test it day to day but I hope the location data has also been updated. That’s always where AM has failed for me, rather than the maps themselves.
I’ve never been a fan of Apple Maps, but looking today, near me they have the fact that a local set of traffic lights aren’t working (I haven’t seen this on Google or Waze).
My favourite Easter Egg with Apple Maps, though, is the fact that the clock in the Elizabeth Tower in 3D view tells the correct time.
The look around thing is cool. And a lot easier to navigate around than street view. Also it now supports cycling directions which is useful!
Not yet in the UK unfortunately 
I’ve just been checking this out, and I agree. One disappointment, though. I drove past an Apple car a while ago, and I can’t find any evidence of me 
I’m on Google Maps, but Apple have rubbed me out!
Cycle directions work near me in London.
Yay 
They seem to for me too now. When I first downloaded ios14 that was the first thing I checked and they weren’t available yet.
Nice to see coming 
actually meaning soon!
I’m hoping when Look Around is available where I work you will be able to see me hanging out the window of my office trying to get a photo of the Maps car - because that’s what happened
There’s another interesting thing I’ve just noticed about Apple Maps.
If I am indoors, with WiFi turned off in Settings, Maps still gives me an accurate location. Google Maps on the other hand can position me several hundred yards away.
Willing to be put right on this, but I cannot see any way still to access Apple Maps from a non-Apple device or web browser (e.g. Google Chrome on my Chromebook)
I’ve always been in the Microsoft and Google camps, so I will live, but it is this sort of thing that always contributes to my (at times slightly more irrational) misgivings about Apple
It’s just one of these pieces of software that Apple retains exclusively for their own platforms. It’s not a service they monetise, so is there rather to add value to buying their hardware, so it makes sense to keep it exclusively inside the Apple ecosystem.
The only app with that same criteria I think would be reasonable to make an exception would be iMessage. Bringing that cross platform would benefit Apple’s own users too. It’s also likely one of the key platforms that keeps people on iOS or entices people over though.
