Daniel Hruska There have been speculations for a long time that Apple will come up with its own maps in iOS 6. This was confirmed at the opening keynote of WWDC 2012. In the next mobile system, we will not see Google's map data in the native application. We looked at the most important changes and bring you a comparison with the original solution in iOS 5.
Readers are reminded that the features, settings and appearance described only refer to iOS 6 beta 1 and may change to the final version at any time without notice.
So Google is no longer a backyard supplier of map materials. The question arises as to who replaced him. There are more companies involved in the main news in iOS 6. Dutch probably supplies the most data TomTom, a well-known manufacturer of navigation systems and navigation software. Another well-known "accomplice" is the organization OpenStreetMap and what will surprise many – Microsoft also has a hand in satellite images in some locations. If you are interested in a list of all participating companies, take a look <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1932/8043/files/200721_ODSTOUPENI_BEZ_UDANI_DUVODU__EN.pdf?v=1595428404" data-gt-href-en="https://en.notsofunnyany.com/">here</a>. We will certainly learn a lot more about data sources over time.
The application environment is not much different from the previous version. In the upper bar there is a button to start navigation, a search box and a button to select the address of contacts. In the lower left corner there are buttons for determining the current position and for turning on 3D mode. At the bottom left is the well-known knob for switching between standard, hybrid and satellite maps, traffic display, pin placement and printing.
However, the new maps bring a slightly different behavior of the application, which is similar to Google Earth. You will need two fingers for both gestures – you rotate the map with a circular motion or you change the inclination to the imaginary surface of the Earth by moving along the vertical axis. By using satellite maps and their maximum zooming out, you can merrily rotate the entire globe.
Standard maps
How to put it politely... Apple has a huge problem here so far. Let's start with the graphics first. It has a slightly different arrangement than Google Maps, which of course is not a bad thing, but that arrangement is not entirely happy in my opinion. Wooded areas and parks shine with an unnecessarily oversaturated green, and they are also interspersed with a somewhat strange grainy texture. Bodies of water appear to have a more reasonable level of blue saturation than forests, but they share one unpleasing characteristic with them - angularity. If you compare the same viewport in iOS 5 and iOS 6 maps, you'll agree that Google's looks more polished and natural.
On the contrary, I really like the other color-highlighted parcels. Universities and colleges are highlighted in brown, shopping centers in yellow, airports in purple and hospitals in pink. But one important color is absolutely missing in the new maps - gray. Yes, the new maps simply do not differentiate built-up areas and do not show the boundaries of municipalities. With this gross lack, it is not a problem to overlook entire metropolises. This failed miserably.
The second grossness is the too early hiding of roads of lower classes and smaller streets. Combined with not showing built-up areas, when you zoom out, almost all the roads literally disappear before your eyes, until only the main thoroughfares remain. Instead of a city, you see only the skeleton of a few roads and nothing more. When zoomed out even further, all cities become dots with labels, with all roads except main thoroughfares and highways turning into thin gray hairpins or disappearing entirely. Regardless of the fact that the dots representing the villages are often placed several hundreds of meters to units of kilometers away from their actual location. Orientation in the standard map view when combining all the mentioned shortcomings is completely confusing and even unpleasant.
I can not forgive myself a few pearls at the end. When displaying the entire world, the Indian Ocean is above Greenland, the Pacific Ocean is in the middle of Africa, and the Arctic Ocean is below the Indian subcontinent. For some, Gottwaldov appears instead of Zlín, Suomi (Finland) has not yet been translated... In general, many incorrectly named objects are reported, either by confusion with another name or due to a grammatical error. I'm not even talking about the fact that the route representation on the application icon itself leads from the bridge to the road one level down.
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Satellite maps
Even here, Apple didn't exactly show off and is again a long way from the previous maps. The sharpness and detail of the images is Google several classes above. Since these are photographs, there is no need to describe them at length. So take a look at the comparison of the same sites and you'll surely agree that if Apple doesn't get better quality images by the time iOS 6 is released, it's in for a real bummer.
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3D display
One of the main parts of the WWDC 2012 opening keynote and the draw of all the major players in the industry is plastic maps, or 3D representations of real objects. So far, Apple has covered only a few metropolises, and the result looks like a decade-old strategy game without anti-aliasing. This is certainly progress, I would be wronging Apple if I claimed that, but somehow the "wow-effect" did not appear for me. 3D maps can be activated in both standard and satellite view. I'm curious how the same solution will look like in Google Earth, which should bring plastic maps in a few weeks. I would also like to add that the 3D function is apparently only available for the iPhone 4S and the second and third generation iPad for performance reasons.
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Points of interest
At the keynote, Scott Forstall boasted about a database of 100 million objects (restaurants, bars, schools, hotels, pumps, ...) that have their rating, photo, phone number or web address. But these objects are mediated by a service Yelp, which has zero distribution in the Czech Republic. Therefore, do not count on searching for restaurants in your area. You will see railway stations, parks, universities and shopping centers in our basins on the map, but all the information is missing.
Navigation
If you do not own navigation software, you can make do with the built-in maps as an emergency. As with previous maps, you enter a start and destination address, one of which can be your current location. You can also choose whether to go by car or on foot. When you click on the bus icon, it will start searching for navigation apps in the App Store, which unfortunately does not work at the moment. However, when choosing by car or on foot, you can choose from several routes, tap on one of them, and either immediately start the navigation or, to be sure, you prefer to look at the overview of the route in points.
The navigation itself should be completely standard according to the example from the keynote, but I managed to take only three turns with the iPhone 3GS. After that, the navigation went on strike and I appeared to her as a static dot even after re-entering the route. Maybe I'll be able to get somewhere in the second beta version. I'll point out that you need to be online all the time, that's why I called this solution an emergency.
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Traffic
Very useful functions include monitoring the current traffic, especially where the columns are formed. The new maps handle this and mark the affected sections with a dashed red line. They can also display other road restrictions such as road closures, work on the road or traffic accidents. The question remains how the operation will work here, for example in New York it already works well.
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If Apple doesn't significantly improve its maps and deliver higher quality satellite images, it's in for some serious trouble. What good are perfect 3D maps of a few big cities if the rest of the app is useless? As the new maps are today, they are many steps and flights back into the past. It's too early to make a final assessment, but the only word I can think of at the moment is "disaster". Please, Apple management, leave at least the last component of Google's rival - YouTube - in iOS and don't try to create your own video server.
They probably don't say anything to the author of the NDA.
I wanted to write too…
I tried googling what "NDA" is but I'd rather ask what do you mean by that? This is the first time I hear it. :)
NDA = Non-disclosure Agreement. Which is basically an obligation to remain silent about anything that this NDA agreement covers... Registered Apple developers are bound by this NDA agreement to secrecy about non-public beta versions and the like.
Nothing against the author, but here in the guilds, no one gives agreements and they don't say much about the laws in general. I myself have a Dev account and I'm somewhat surprised by the maps - both on the new iPad and on the iPhone 4S, 3D is a nice feature, but unusable here, and actually satellite images are currently at the level of the beginning of Google maps. If he thinks this is important, it will probably be one of the apps that will go into the "Crap" folder. Skoda, maybe next year :)
It's not just about the Guilds. The problem is also everywhere else. Unfortunately. I personally would never release these information clouds (I'm an iOS/OS X developer), but many people see it as an opportunity to be 'cool' and news portals need money from advertising. On the other hand, it probably won't be so hot. If it really bothered someone at Apple, they would have stopped it a long time ago. Well, any advertisement is good. Especially when it's free :)
Zlín, like Gottwaldov, also means iOS 5. And for a long time.
I'm looking forward to the fact that as an iPhone 4 owner, the new iOS will be a complete fart for the first time :(. Shame.
The traffic here will probably be taken from TT, so HD Traffic. And that wouldn't be bad at all...
Exactly. TomTom has IQ Routes in its navigations, which calculate the route and take traffic into account. It will definitely work the same.
The traffic here will probably be taken from TT, so HD Traffic. And that wouldn't be bad at all...
And you don't want to wait until Apple releases the standard version of iOS, ie. even for non-developers? The fact that it has become customary for people who are not developers to download the beta version of a new iOS version and want to try the new version in advance and then shout out to the world how and what doesn't work is not Apple's problem.
I don't know, but given that this is a second-party service, no one expects the release of iOS6 with maps to be delayed because of the Czech Republic... rather it will end up like beta Siri, which is still practically useless in the Czech Republic. Unless someone cools it with Cydia add-ons...
I disagree, I talk to Siri daily :)
I also normally practice talking to Siri, but this can be influenced by language skills. Unfortunately, it won't be so fun with the maps.
I haven't even tried it myself. I have an iP4. Even though I think I speak English quite well, I would still say that at least among people who can speak English at least as well as I do, I would look pretty ridiculous. And I have to say that when it's cold, I have the iP in my pocket/purse, headphones in my ears, hands in gloves and I'm tapping the scythe.. When there are no people around, I quite use VoiceControl with the question What time is it? so that I don't have to take out my hands, iP... but if it was available in Czech, I would definitely use it much more often :)
Isn't there a single would-be journalist here in the Czech Republic who would at least read the release log for the new service (not to mention the NDA)? It is clearly written there that the quality of the documents will improve. TomTom has good maps here, the same with IQ routes. At the beginning of the article, it should at least be polite to state that this is the first beta and that the final version will probably be released in a quarter of a year...
I logged on to the internet after a long time, and I thought that on the way from NYC to Boston, something was a little off the mark, and lo and behold, 3 articles from the apple seller, 3 articles completely gone astray. One that reviews the beta product and takes it as the final version, the second commenting on "guaranteed" leaked photos and the third, where the author tries to analyze the slides from the keynote ala Kriminálka Miami. It doesn't even make sense to go to this website :)
Now I'm going to shoot from the side, but I assume they will improve the interface and cooperation with the map system that already exists. Then I don't understand why the maps are useless now and will be improved later, when TomTom already has the material for the maps and it only moves with coherence? Or in the iOS6 beta, the connection with the map background is somehow limited and it will be connected completely before full operation? I guess I'm talking nonsense...
Map materials are not only supplied by TomTom, but at least 5 other companies. It will take some time to put everything together. In addition, Apple keeps everything under wraps, no one knows what and how who delivers, we can all only guess how the maps will look in the end. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be fair to wait with Ortel until the sharp version of iOS.
That's exactly how I would see it too... The new iOS is largely "smoothed out" months in advance, why not keep some unpleasant surprises for the competition?
Come on, take that article down.. tell me what you're talking about.
What is he trying to do? He wants to switch to Android, and he doesn't know how to say it at home.
The Sydney Opera House and the Pentagon might just look better than the rest in GMaps... And as for normal maps, it's true that the new ones are scary... Google Maps are of high quality and are among the best these days.
3D maps are super progress when you think about the fact that they are calculated by an algorithm from only 4 photos of the object. You can see it in the picture of Las Vegas, where there are also trees. The quality of these calculations will certainly improve, as will the basis for these calculations (aerial photographs). Google couldn't implement this at all because it simply didn't exist. So with Google, 3D maps are made manually, which means that not all objects will ever be there in 3D.
I hope they improve it a lot, because in the current beta version all the maps are horrible
Although I usually don't get involved, I started a positive protest "We love Google Maps in iOS": https://www.facebook.com/WeLoveGoogleMapsInIosApple
Anyone who wants to join. Not that it would help anything, but at least one expresses one's opinion.
I took the liberty of using an image from this article on Facebook and linked back to this article. So I am asking the editors for additional approval.
The men's articles on the apple shop are top quality and really up to the mark. This article is an exception... The almost tabloid subjectivity actually gets to me. Christ, it's the first beta! There will be about five more! I'm definitely not surprised that Apple is backing away from Google, because it's pointless to look at all areas of iOS and say to yourself: "Hmmm, this is what Google does best, I'm going to screw it up". I think the maps are very nice, the navigation is definitely better than on Android and 3D will definitely be in a few more countries than before when the first beta is out...
As the worst part of the article, I would put out a dig about Youtube (which Google bought at a fairly advanced stage).
top quality? here are the only articles that praise Apple and are biased! check out other apple blogs! and they are fan-like but objective! and apple will release maps that are shit and you will defend it here as if they paid you for it, I really laugh at people like you
Please try to write us at least 5 non-objective (false, lying) articles on the apple shop. And link us those objective blogs. Let us be concrete and not move in the area of impressions and feelings.
these are objective blogs
http://www.macblog.sk/
http://www.letemsvetemapplem.eu/ tu there are no articles about the negatives, you just don't write here that the iPhone cover gets scratched quickly, etc... I copy other companies, Samsung is rubbish, Microsoft too, etc. I could continue with your articles...
The fact that my native Gottwald shows this is proof that Apple are visionaries. I firmly believe that the Gottwalds will be on the map again. Just a few minutes and it will be done!!!
Well, I would be very interested in the points of interest? Siri will be a bit useless, right? I can't think of anyone other than Google who could provide them with data in Europe. Google Maps is also based on its openness, which Apple is not. Nevim Nevim, the more I know, the more I'm afraid it's going to be a mess.
Thanks to the discussants for their responses.
I will repeat once more for your understanding: we are writing about the (unfinished) beta version. It is clearly stated in the introduction in the article. And if I'm reading correctly, the author is asking a rhetorical question, he's not saying it's a bummer, but it could be! if Apple releases maps in this state.
All I can say about publishing beta first impressions is: type iOS6 into a search engine and you're bound to find a few similar articles.
You're protecting your resources, but you're not honoring the agreement with Apple. A very strange approach. What you write at the beginning is clear, but the whole article has a different spirit. I also hate it when someone criticizes me for something unfinished. The entire article in such a wording is completely useless for the time being (none of us will influence it) and unnecessarily evokes emotions. When Apple passes it, please. Apple doesn't claim anywhere that they will have the best maps right away, and everyone has to reckon with the fact that they might end up canceling them if it doesn't work out. No one will lose those from Google, only there will be a choice.
Thanks to the discussants for their responses.
I will repeat once more for your understanding: we are writing about the (unfinished) beta version. It is clearly stated in the introduction in the article. And if I'm reading correctly, the author is asking a rhetorical question, he's not saying it's a bummer, but it could be! if Apple releases maps in this state.
All I can say about publishing beta first impressions is: type iOS6 into a search engine and you're bound to find a few similar articles.
Does anyone know if iOS6 for iP4 will keep the original maps that are in iOS5 or will we get half maps without FlyOver? I don't care for the navigation, it can be bought additionally...
Here, Apple has started on an "unplowed field", I don't understand at all how such an experienced team can make such a mistake. Yes, in the US, maps can be trouble-free in a year and can compete with Google, but in other countries it will be a flop. Points of interest and detailed maps will not add up in a year or two, and here they will lose not one class, but two classes on Google. For the Czech Republic and Europe, the maps will be unusable and certainly not as navigation. In addition, those who wanted navigation on the iPhone bought it a long time ago, there are tons of them in the app store. And one more thing: 3D maps are just a memory eater for me in the application, I don't need 3D maps at all, Street view was absolutely sufficient and Apple won't have that either!