Mapping

Google Maps gains enhanced transit data with live arrivals for buses, metros and subway systems

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 2, 2015

According to a post on the official Google Lat Long blog, the company's mapping service now includes improved real-time transit information for select cities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary and the Netherlands.

The more accurate transit data includes real-time information on arrivals for buses, metros and subway systems, Google said. Google Maps will even alert you to cancelled routes, so you can “better navigate the intricate and unpredictable world of transit in major cities around the world.”

Apple Maps Transit service to offer limited support for US, Canada, Europe and China at launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 26, 2015

Transit directions, along with a trip-planning feature and indoor maps, is rumored to be a cornerstone feature of Apple Maps in iOS 9. According to 9to5Mac on Tuesday, transit directions in Apple Maps are set to launch in approximately a half-dozen cities across the United States, Canada and Europe, with more to be added at a later stage.

In fact, as AppleInsider first reported three days ago, Apple's mapping service in China is better than Apple Maps in Europe or the United States.

In time for Memorial Day, Google Maps adds new traffic alerts and alternate routes

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 21, 2015

Memorial Day is one of the busiest driving days in the U.S. so little wonder that Google is now boosting traffic alerts on Google Maps to warn drivers of congestion on the route ahead, helping them avoid traffic jam.

“Now when you input your destination, you’ll get an explanation of upcoming traffic conditions that helps you identify the quickest route,” according to the Internet giant.

Apple reportedly set to launch Transit service, trip-planning feature and indoor maps with iOS 9

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 21, 2015

One important piece of the Apple Maps puzzle is about to fall in place at next month's WWDC as Apple readies to announce the Transit feature within Apple Maps in iOS 9, 9to5Mac reported this morning.

The same publication ran a scoop last year reporting that the Transit feature would launch as part of the iOS 8 software update, but the rumor didn't pan out.

“Having originally planned to add a new transit directions feature to Maps last year, only to pull the feature before WWDC 2014, Apple now hopes to launch its Transit service with iOS 9,” the report, based on “sources,” reads.

TomTom renews Apple Maps agreement

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

TomTom, an Apple Maps data provider, announced Tuesday renewing its partnership with the iPhone maker “for maps and related information.”

“TomTom has renewed and extended its global agreement with Apple for maps and related information,” wrote the Amsterdam-based company in a short notice on its website. “No further details of the agreement will be provided,” they added.

Business owners can now claim POIs as their own via Apple Maps on iOS 8.3 and OS X 10.10.3

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

One of the welcome changes in the iOS 8.3 and OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 software updates, which hit yesterday, includes the ability for business owners to claim any point of interest as their own using an updated Report a Problem tool in Apple Maps for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac, as reported Thursday by AppleMapsMarketing.

The company began allowing local businesses to manage their listing in the service last October, but required them to use its Maps Connect web service.

At the same time, the iPhone maker appears to be removing some TripAdvisor hotel reviews which started showing up in its Maps service last week.

Review: Nokia’s new HERE for iPhone mapping app gives Apple and Google a run for their money

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 17, 2015

After launching its HERE mapping service on iOS only to pull it in December 2013 over unfavorable reception (it was based on HTML5, had limited features and wasn't optimized for iOS), Nokia last September and again in December promised to deliver a mapping experience the iPhone deserves.

Today, the company has made good on that promise and released a sleek new navigation and mapping software for the iPhone with the features and the polished feel that you'd rightly expect from a mapping app.

Nokia HERE features a nicely done user interface that honors iOS aesthetics while delivering a set of advanced features like turn-by-turn directions, rich database of points of interest and perks which cannot be found in Apple Maps, Google Maps and many other competing products, such as offline navigation and maps.

I've had a few days to play with the app ahead of its launch, this is what I was able to glean from my hands-on time with HERE.

Google Maps update adds Local Guides, detailed POI/venue info and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 27, 2015

The Internet giant Google on Friday issued a refresh to its native mapping application for the iPhone and iPad, adding Local Guides and a couple other nice-to-haves.

A global community of the top reviewers on Google, Local Guides now appear in Google Maps 4.3 for iOS.

You can also add transit directions to your calendar.

Search has been improved, too, with the ability to search for event information for select venues, nearby businesses based on their address and even retrieve fun facts about popular points of interest.

Apple Maps gains 3D imagery for a dozen new locations across Europe, US and elsewhere

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 27, 2015

Apple Maps has an impressive feature called Flyover that taps high-resolution aerial photography turned into three-dimensional terrain, landmarks and buildings that can be rotated around in the full 360-degree freedom.

It's pretty awesome and also quite expensive to create. Apple basically has to fly a fleet of special aircraft to do terrain mapping in the sky. That's why, as of this writing, Flyover was available in a little more than a hundred locations around the world.

As spotted by Dutch website iCulture.nl, a dozen new cities and landmarks across Europe (and some in the U.S.) have received their Flyover treatment in Apple Maps.

Google Maps gains better restaurant search, enhanced weather info and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 15, 2015

Google has bumped its Maps for iOS app to version 4.2, bringing out a few new features and improvements that enhance your experience concerning searching for restaurants, retrieving weather information and more.

You can now find restaurants by cuisine type in Google Maps 4.2 for the iPhone and iPad and (at last) access weather information for other cities around the world, not just for your current location.

HERE Maps coming to iPhone in early 2015

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2014

HERE Maps had been available in the App Store briefly before it got pulled in December 2013 because “iOS 7 ruined the experience”. Nokia later admitted the app was “a rushed product” that “went horribly wrong” because it was “never thoroughly proven.”

The Finnish firm has now officially confirmed that HERE Maps will return to the iPhone in early 2015 following today's release of HERE for Android and a relaunch of a new web-based experience over at here.com.

“Our iOS app development team is working hard on this and we plan to officially launch HERE for iOS in early 2015,” said the team. The revamped iOS navigation app will be joining several big-name mapping products in the App Store from the likes of Google, Garmin, TomTom and many more.

Nokia tries maps again, confirms free iOS navigation app coming based on Here Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 3, 2014

Nokia executive Sean Fernback told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that the Finnish telecommunications company will be releasing a brand new cross-platform mobile navigation app for the iOS and Android platforms later this year.

Nokia, which sold off its handset division to Microsoft, kept its Here mapping service. The forthcoming GPS navigation app would be unique in that both the maps themselves and searches would work without an Internet connection.