Ok, so I guess Apple Maps is the new DDG. By this I mean, every DDG related thread immediately descends into anecdotes about "Google Search is terrible, DDG is much better" that always leaves me wondering "Are you using the same Google Search I am? Because it doesn't appear you are".
Google Maps' integration with, say, various forms of public transit APIs (in paritcular) is second to none. Like, it's not even close. It's true Apple Maps is a lot better than it was but most of those improvements, in my experience, have been very US-centric, meaning the gap is much, much wider in other countries. Google Maps listings are still way better.
What I suepect is that the same people who have decided they hate Google have now let that define their opinions on Apple vs Google Maps just like they have with DDG vs Google Search.
I can only recall two current complaints I have with Google Maps:
1. I've come across a listing that claims to be a supermarket chain. It's not. It's a local market. I've filed corrections about this. A year later it still shows the wrong supermarket chain. No idea why. You can see it on street view; and
2. Maps decided to hijack the Menu tab on restaurants to use an ML pipeline from someone who really wanted to get promoted by classifying photos tagged at that location into menu items instead of, you know, just showing me the menu PDF on the website.
Oh and while I'm airing complaints, there's a standard for showing exchange rates. Google "GBP to USD" and you'l get an answer of 1.23 (as of this writing). By the standard the entire finance industry uses this should be shown to 4 decimal places. It used to up until about 6 years ago. Someone changed it. It's clearly wrong. It's annoying. And if anyone from Google reads this, please fix this for God's sake.
I love Google maps but I don't think Google has any edge over other map services in transit API integration (partly because of what they did).
Pretty much every major transit agency publishes their schedule in two standard formats these days: GTFS for static scheduled and GTFS real-time for real-timr info. The G used to stand for Google before it was generally adapted and now it stands for general. All apps use the same data for showing transit feeds.
There are some exceptions, such as cities where the transit agency has an exclusive agreement with Google maps but that's becoming there.
There's a niche area where some apps focus solely on transit, adding a lot more data or integrating non standard custom APIs. Transit (which I love, sick UI) https://transitapp.com/ and CityMapper are two of them.
No cycling directions in 99% of cities for Apple Maps either. Google's isn't perfect but it at least keeps you off highways and knows where cycle paths are.
> Ok, so I guess Apple Maps is the new DDG. By this I mean, every DDG related thread immediately descends into anecdotes about "Google Search is terrible, DDG is much better"
I've yet to see a thread on HN describing DDG as great search product compared to Google? Are you using the same DDG I was?
> 2. Maps decided to hijack the Menu tab on restaurants to use an ML pipeline from someone who really wanted to get promoted by classifying photos tagged at that location into menu items instead of, you know, just showing me the menu PDF on the website.
I prefer this over the website, which is not always updated in many smaller restaurants. In contrast, with a physical menu, I can see exactly the same menu I'd get at the restaurant and thus be able to make a decision of whether the dish I want to get will actually be there or not.
Here in Toronto I find Apple Maps much more reliable for the TTC (public transit in Toronto) than Google Maps, and have for a couple years.
Google Maps is quite dumb on what routes to take me on, and oblivious to the existence of certain buses on routes where Apple Maps gives me pretty much my best route - first time, every time.
Guess your experience is different. I’m personally grateful there’s a better option.
I found out the other day that google maps recently removed the schedule explorer.
It was a great tool if you were planning a trip on public transit that didn't have an obvious single leg.
If you were flexible with when to leave, you could scroll earlier/later and visualize time waiting/walking/bussing etc to find routes that optimise transfer delays.
Google Maps' integration with, say, various forms of public transit APIs (in paritcular) is second to none. Like, it's not even close. It's true Apple Maps is a lot better than it was but most of those improvements, in my experience, have been very US-centric, meaning the gap is much, much wider in other countries. Google Maps listings are still way better.
What I suepect is that the same people who have decided they hate Google have now let that define their opinions on Apple vs Google Maps just like they have with DDG vs Google Search.
I can only recall two current complaints I have with Google Maps:
1. I've come across a listing that claims to be a supermarket chain. It's not. It's a local market. I've filed corrections about this. A year later it still shows the wrong supermarket chain. No idea why. You can see it on street view; and
2. Maps decided to hijack the Menu tab on restaurants to use an ML pipeline from someone who really wanted to get promoted by classifying photos tagged at that location into menu items instead of, you know, just showing me the menu PDF on the website.
Oh and while I'm airing complaints, there's a standard for showing exchange rates. Google "GBP to USD" and you'l get an answer of 1.23 (as of this writing). By the standard the entire finance industry uses this should be shown to 4 decimal places. It used to up until about 6 years ago. Someone changed it. It's clearly wrong. It's annoying. And if anyone from Google reads this, please fix this for God's sake.
Unrelated to Maps but you have to try.