Hynek Hampl Since the sixth version of the iOS operating system, Apple has definitively gotten rid of the native map application from Google and replaced her its application and its map data. Or at least that's what the company thought when replacing them. However, Apple's maps were, and still are, in their infancy, so their incompleteness caused a great wave of resentment. Of course, Google did not want to miss out on such a huge segment of the market as iOS devices, and after a little while, it launched its Google Maps application for the iPhone in December.
A huge success
The application is doing very well. It was downloaded by more than 48 million people in the first 10 hours, and since its first day in the App Store, the app is still the number one free app on the iPhone. Just every developer's dream. However, another number is even more interesting. According to Techcrunch the number of unique Apple devices with iOS 6 is also increasing. The share of devices with iOS 6 increased by up to 30%. Most likely, these are people who have stayed with iOS 5 until now only because Apple removed Google Maps in iOS 6 and there simply wasn't a proper map app on the App Store. However, now there is a proper application - again it is Google Maps.
Goodbye privacy
However, the big blow comes after launch. You must confirm the license terms. That in itself wouldn't be a bad thing if it weren't for a few alarming lines that not many people are likely to notice. It is written on them that if you use Google services, the company can record various information and store it as a statement on the server. Specifically, this is the following information: how you use the service, what specifically you searched for, what is your phone number, phone information, caller numbers, various call information (length, redirection...), SMS data (fortunately, Google will not detect the content of the SMS ), device system version, browser type, date and time with referring URL, and much more. It's unbelievable what Google can record after agreeing to the terms. Unfortunately, you cannot launch the application without agreeing to the terms. The German independent institute for privacy protection is already dealing with the fact that something is not right. According to the local commissioner, these conditions are in conflict with EU privacy laws. Only time will tell how the situation will develop further.
We know maps
Google has put a lot of care into the app. Although it completely ignores the established UI of iOS apps, it brings a fresh, modern and minimalistic design that is similar to the recently released YouTube and Gmail apps. In terms of functionality, the app is great. It's very easy to use and looks like an app that doesn't do much. The opposite is true. Here you will find everything you need from mobile maps. And the settings? Nothing complicated, just a few options that everyone can understand. It will become clear to you after the first few minutes, if you didn't know it before, that Google just knows how to make decent maps.
Maps will display your current position on the map after launch and are ready to use in two seconds on the iPhone 4S. If you have a Google account, you can sign in with it. This gives you access to features such as bookmarking your favorite places, entering your home and work address for quick navigation, and finally your search history. Maps can also be used without logging in, but you will lose the aforementioned functions. Search works as you would expect. You will get better results in most cases compared to Apple maps. It is not a problem to search for companies, shops and other points of interest. As an example, I can cite the CzechComputer store. If you type "czc" into Apple Maps, you get "no results". If you use the same term in a Google Maps search, you will get the nearest store of this company as a result, including advanced options. You can call the branch, share the location via message/email, save to favorites, view photos of the location, view Street View, or be navigated to the location. And yes, you read that right, Google Maps can do Street View on the iPhone. Although I did not expect it, it is very fast and intuitive.
Voice navigation
A big and welcome novelty is voice turn-by-turn navigation. Without it, Google Maps would have a much harder time competing with Apple Maps. You simply search for a place on the map, click on the small car next to the search term, choose one of the possible routes and click on the start.
[do action=”tip”]Before the start of navigation, multiple routes will be displayed and will be greyed out. If you tap on the gray map, you will change the current route to the selected one, just like it is done in Apple Maps.[/do]
The interface will switch to the classic view that we know from the navigations and you can no worries go out The map orients itself according to the compass, so when the car turns, the map turns as well. If you wish to turn off this function, just tap on the compass icon and the display will switch to a bird's eye view.
[do action=”tip”]If you tap on the bottom bold label while navigating, you can change it. You can switch between distance to destination, time to destination and current time.[/do]
After several days of testing, the navigation did not disappoint. It always navigates quickly and accurately. At roundabouts, it knows exactly when to give the command to leave the exit. I know, nothing interesting, you think. But I have already encountered several navigations that warned too early or too late. However, what bothers me is the too early notification of the turn after the previous information about how many meters it will be. However, this is only a subjective feeling and it does not change the fact that you will hit the intersection without any stressful situation the first time. The navigation speaks in a pleasant female voice, which is fluent and of course in Czech. And what is the biggest surprise? You can enjoy voice navigation on iPhone 3GS and higher. Apple maps have voice navigation since the iPhone 4S.
Setup and comparison
The settings are called up in the lower right corner with three dots. In it, you can switch the maps from the classic view to the satellite view. However, it is more of a hybrid display, as street names are visible. You can also choose the current traffic status, which is displayed according to traffic speed in the colors green, orange and red (heavy traffic). You can also view public transport, but in the Czech Republic only the metro in Prague is visible. The last option is to view the location using Google Earth, but you must have this application installed on your iPhone. I was taken aback by the "Send feedback with a shake" feature which is annoying and I turned it off immediately.
When comparing Google Maps and Apple Maps, Google Maps wins in terms of navigation and search accuracy. However, Apple Maps is not far behind. Even if it's a small percentage of the total, Google Maps is a bit more demanding on data transfers and not as fast. On the other hand, they consume a little less battery compared to Apple maps. However, if you want to navigate longer distances, you will have a larger FUP and a car charger ready. In the case of short navigations of a few minutes around the city, there are no drastic differences. However, Google Maps handles route recalculation better. I don't even need to talk about map materials. Those from Apple are still in their infancy, those from Google are at a great level.
Reviews
Although Google Maps seems perfect, they are not. There is no iPad app yet, but Google is already working on it. The mentioned conditions are the biggest blow under the belt. If you don't bite them, you have to stick with Apple maps. However, I am under no illusion that Apple does not collect any data. Of course he collects, but apparently in smaller quantities.
Users also often complain about the lack of support for navigating to a certain address in contacts. Google hasn't given any access to your contacts in the app, which is a good thing thanks to their terms of use. The lack of support for public transport in the Czech Republic also freezes a little. And if you are used to the 3D display in Apple maps, you will look for it in vain in Google maps. However, it is not something that is necessary for normal use.
However, even after all the "problems", the positives prevail. Great turn-by-turn voice navigation with reliable navigation and recalculation of routes, support even for the older iPhone 3GS, fast and stable application, better map background than Apple, history and favorite places and also great Street View. As is usual with Google, the app is free. Overall, Google Maps is the best map and navigation app on the App Store. I believe that this will be the case some Friday. And it's certainly good that Apple has serious competition in the field of maps.
More about maps:
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[app url="https://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/google-maps/id585027354"]
How exactly does google get information about who I am calling, where I forwarded the call, etc.?
He won't get it. It is more about logging an action when you click on a company's phone number in a POI (perhaps) and also information about whether you want to call or decide to send an SMS.
Otherwise, all providers of online map applications have more or less the same conditions (for example, Palm once also had a sentence about storing location information on the server). How do you also want to offer the user information about nearby businesses without him sending you information about his location (and you passed it through an application on your server)? Perhaps only by sending him a complete database of all companies worldwide with all the data you record about that company and which users request (ratings, reviews, photos). And that probably wouldn't fit on our phones - which can't be expanded with memory cards - and it probably wouldn't please our data plans either.
Apple has this in the terms and conditions too, of course.
For 4 and 4s users: If you impatient people didn't install the iOS 6 version right away, it doesn't concern you, I have version 5.1.1 of google maps in the native app and it works ;-)
Which transport do you have in mind? Public transport or showing traffic on the road? In Prague, traffic on the road shows me normally.
Public transport of course, as mentioned in the Settings and comparison section. I accidentally omitted the word public in the last paragraph.
I'm not sure, but after agreeing at the first launch, you can then turn off the mentioned location information and the sharing of that information with Google in the settings, right?
Only the anonymous sending of location data can be turned off. Apparently not the other information.
1) Maps and voice navigation also work on the 3GS, it's just slow
2) Transport in the Czech Republic is normally supported but really works (green/red lines on the road)
3) Voice commands are sent to the active bluetooth hands-free (voice, not a2dp audio), which is really annoying in a car with a hands-free radio. I don't know if it's a bug only on 3gs, or just that I have a connected hands-free profile and a2dp profile, but because of that I can't use voice commands... :-/
Otherwise, the application is excellent, if I don't deal with the data collection conditions...
1) Thanks, it will be added, I didn't have an iPhone 3GS available.
2) Public transport was meant, and you probably didn't read the whole article, because I described it in the Settings and comparison section. I accidentally left out the word public in the final paragraph, thanks.
3) This probably won't be a bug, but it will be determined by the application. Unfortunately, I don't know how to solve it.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the weird voice nav. Commands like:" in 300m..second delay... turn left, or "slightly right" turn them left and others.
I use waze or apple maps as navigation and I never got where I needed to go. I don't understand all the hysteria. google maps is more detailed on POIs and including showing "non-car stuff" like fields, dirt roads, …
For this, it is still better to google in the browser and then click on the address for navigation.
"I use waze or apple maps as navigation and I never got where I needed to go. I don't understand all the hysteria.'
Well, you know, surprisingly there are also people who don't mind when the navigation takes them everywhere, but not where they need to go. :D
I mentioned: "However, what bothers me is the too early notification of the turn after the previous information about how many meters it will be. However, this is only a subjective feeling and it does not change the fact that you will hit the intersection without any stressful situation for the first time.
Big deal: Apple collects private data, but it doesn't get out. Google sells them to anyone who will pay for them. Quite a big difference.
As usual with google it's free...???
For years, Apple paid them for a non-developing application and only forced them to do this with their attempt at maps. So they don't have to spend millions and customers have what they wanted, but I still hope that Apple will catch up with them and take the segment at least from Apple devices for how they behave. I don't need google maps and I'd rather be helpful to the person whose device I'm using.
Apple paid for the data (as did all the developers who make extreme use of the APIs of Google Maps, Bing Maps and others). The fact that the client on iPhones and iPads has been neglected for years is Apple's fault.
Yes! JK is right. I agree with JK's opinion...