APPLE EXECS have made their case for why iPhone users should ditch Google Maps in favour of Apple Maps.
In a recent interview with CNN, Apple Maps Product Lead David Dorn and Design Lead Meg Frost gave three reasons they believe their service is better.
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First, they said, Apple is making a huge investment into Maps to improve it, having already spent billions on the app since its launch in 2012.
Second, the app is focused on user privacy, offering better data protections than rivals such as Google Maps and Waze.
And finally, Dorn and Frost said, is the way that Maps integrates with other Apple devices and services – unlike its competitors.
The pair also spoke about the recent overhaul of the company’s navigation app in iOS 15, the latest version of the iPhone operating system.
Engineers made major improvements to directions and navigations in the new Apple Maps that apply to driving, walking and taking buses and trains.
“At a glance, drivers can understand a complex intersection more quickly than ever before,” Frost said.
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“And that detail helps with that split-second decision of which turn they’re going to make.
“So we want it to be both safer and visually satisfying to navigate.”
Apple also added a 3D globe and 3D landmarks to Apple Maps in iOS 15, meaning sites like Big Ben and the Statue of Liberty appear in richer detail.
“Before the new map, we had a two-dimensional product and we really had a flat representation of the world,” Frost said.
“So we took the opportunity to create a realistic globe that accurately represents the sizes of countries in 3D.”
The end result of the update, Dorn added, can help take a “cognitive load “off of users to let them concentrate on their journeys.
While Apple Maps has undergone significant improvement, it’s still far from perfect – especially compared to its more popular competitors.
The app updates its map data less frequently than Google’s or Waze’s, meaning its directions and locations or not as up to date.
Reports on Apple forums suggest Apple’s navigation tool also frequently gives inaccurate directions and is plagued by sluggish loading times.
There is clearly still plenty of work to do for the Cupertino iPhone-maker.
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An eagle-eyed Reddit user has spotted a $2billion flying stealth bomber on Google Maps.
A Nasa spacecraft has captured curious noises coming from Jupiter’s largest moon.
And, Samsung is reportedly killing off its beloved Note smartphone after more than a decade.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
