Apple has been making a lot of news lately for its recent keynote on iOS 8. Keeping in mind the number of updates in iOS 8, its clear that Apple has worked hard on the new operating system and is pretty well designed.
However, Apple had boasted about its own mapping service at the launch of iOS 7. Unfortunately, iPhone and iPad users across the world reported various errors with the maps. There have been a couple of complaints:
- If you search for your current location, the map is generally spot on but if you search for a route from place A to place B, there pops up an error for direction being unavailable. And if you are lucky enough to get the directions, the Map directs you through roads and alleys that were never there (Platform 9 ¾?)
- The satellite images for the maps aren’t updated. Roads built over a year ago are still nowhere updated on the maps.
- Since the maps don’t seem to have been upgraded for a while, it is almost impossible to search for a location or a point of interest.
- And to top every error, there have been reports that, sometimes the Apple Maps indicate the user’s location somewhere deep into the sea.
So basically, if the ‘Lost Son’ used Apple Maps, he would have never returned.
We did a small survey with a group of Apple users, and 95 per cent of them said that they prefer using the Google Map app for directions.
On our part, we did a check up on two maps, Google and Apple, and we searched the same locations on the two maps, a flyover in Bandra East which will be functional any day now. Where Google Maps indicates it half constructed, Apple Maps indicates no sign of construction at all.
Google Map indicating Kherwadi Flyover on Western Expressway, Mumbai
Apple Map indicating Kherwadi Flyover on Western Expressway, Mumbai
We then searched another bridge being constructed, that Google indicates completed and functional, Apple map still shows it under contruction.
Google Map indicating Hans Bhugra Marg, Mumbai
Apple Map indicating Hans Bhugra Marg, Mumbai
Apple Maps may work better in other countries, but it sure is not India friendly. When we first searched ‘Bandra East’ in the Maps and this is what we got.
Either Apple is working on the Maps and keeping shush about it or it is just not paying much attention on the Maps right now. However we really hope that the reason why Apple has given out no details regarding any Map updates is because it really wants to surprise its users.
