Apple hopes Maps do-over takes you where you need to go

The streets that lead to nowhere. Bridges that looked like a roller coaster. Cities that have ceased to exist.

It was the state of Apple Maps almost six years ago. Not anymore. And Apple Maps is about to get even better. In the past four years, Apple has been working on rebuilding its mapping technology from scratch. Instead of relying on third parties for their cards, Apple has sent thousands of people in vans to map the world and collect its own data.

Starting next week with the iOS 12 beta the inhabitants of San Francisco Bay will see more detailed information and more accurate navigation in Apple Maps. When iOS 12 will be deployed on all iPhone and iPad users, the covered lineup will cover all of Northern California – and will work on all maps downloaded since 2012. You do not need to update iOS 12 to get the new features, and they will also work on Maps on Apple Watches and Macs. The updates were first reported by TechCrunch.

Eventually, the entire United States will have the best cards from Apple. Apple did not say how long it would take to cover the entire country, but noted that it would be closer to a year than five. He also declined to say whether or when he would develop internationally.

The redesign is the biggest thing to happen to Maps since its launch in 2012 and comes at a time when more companies are starting to pay attention to where you are and how location data will serve future innovations like autonomous cars. Apple launches a service that values ​​your privacy. But the company will have to work hard to change this terrible first impression – which has had most users abandoning the application for more reliable alternatives.

"Just about everyone I know, unless accidentally pushing Apple Maps or a link to an app, uses Waze or Google Maps," said Patrick Moorhead, analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. "Apple has to make everyone believe … that they are able to bite a big data project like this."

Apple first released its own mapping program with its iOS 6 software and the iPhone 5 in September 2012. The company had already preloaded Google Maps on its devices, but the tensions between the giants of technology led Apple to create its own version. The problem was Apple Maps did not really work . IOS users immediately noticed problems with everything from browsing to just looking for an address.

This was a major and rare mistake for the company. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, is publicly apologized for these problems, referred the company's software manager and worked to improve the application of mapping. Since then, Maps has become more reliable, but experts say that it is always late on Google Maps.

And while Apple says its Maps mapping application is the most frequently used on iOS devices, it's largely because of China, where Google Maps does not work, said Carolina Milanesi, analyst of Creative Strategies. Apple also takes advantage of the thousands of applications that bind Apple Maps by default giving directions to iPhone users. According to a survey of Creative Strategies last year, 45% of iPhone owners in the United States used Google Maps and 18% used the Google Waze app. Only 36% used Apple Maps.

"People say, 'They've already lost with Google,'" said Milanesi. "But I do not think it's about winning or losing to Google, they obviously have users, they have a service and they have to continue to improve it."

That's exactly what Apple is trying to do. 19659016] Rebuilt from scratch

Apple began rebuilding maps from the ground up about two years after its launch. He previously relied on partners like TomTom and OpenStreetMap for base maps, but their directions were largely based on driving directions and did not work well for transit or even walking. If there was a problem, it took a long time to resolve instead that Apple could deploy a fix almost instantly.

By the time Google Maps became available, Apple was not sure about wanting to be in the mapping business, Apple executives told TechCrunch. But it is clear that cards are no longer limited to simple navigation. They will be the key to new technologies such as autonomous cars and even augmented reality, and the cards allow completely new industries and tools. If Apple wants to be part of it, it has to control its own technology.

"We said," Where do we want to take Maps? What are the things we want to do in Maps? Senior Apple Vice President Eddy Cue told TechCrunch. "We realized that, given what we wanted to do and where we wanted to take it, we had to do it ourselves."

Apple said building your own cards gives you more control over the cards. and public transportation. It can also accelerate changes much faster and innovate faster. Anything he wants to do will no longer need to work with a third party. Controlling more and more of its technology internally has been a big goal for Apple. It even makes many of its own iPhone components instead of buying them from suppliers.

Parking lots and garages will become more detailed, as will data on pedestrians and walking directions. The addresses will become more precise, for example, knowing that the main entrance of a building is located at the corner of the street. And there will be more details for parks, rivers, pools and other green spaces. Apple will even match the font used on the actual street and transit signs.

Owning your location data

A big advantage of Apple Maps on Google Maps could be privacy. Apple encrypts the data collected by its mapping vans and uses artificial intelligence to scramble faces and license plates. If something seems disappointing, Apple will send humans to check specific routes or locations.

While Apple Maps makes predictions for shipping routes, you must go to the usual places like your home or office. When you choose a route, the data is anonymized before it is sent to Apple. The company does not create a profile on you, keep track of your specific route history, or map your routes or map data with your Apple ID.

"We collect data – when we do it – anonymously, in subsections Cue told TechCrunch

Google, for its part, says that tracking location history allows users Google Map's to be more numerous, relevant results and make predictions that are useful, like warning you to leave earlier to get to work on time if traffic is bad.As of this week, Google Maps can recommend foods and beverages based on your preferences.And Google says that users can delete their location history whenever they want.But until you do that, it has collected a lot of money.

Apple has used this argument to reinforce its popular product line, and getting people to use Apple Maps again can be the real test of whether people really care about their products. private life.

First published on July 29 at 3:16 pm. PT
Update at 16:43. PT : Adds details to Google Maps.

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