New Apple iOS 6 Maps

[vdeane]

Macs are really good if you want something that "just works".  If not, you're probably better off with Windows (or Linux).

[Stratuscaster]

http://www.cultofmac.com/194031/one-thing-apple-maps-does-way-better-than-google-maps-image/

[Scott5114]

I was wondering what the Oklahoma shield looked like on Apple Maps. They definitely could have done a worse job.

Texas looks really weird though. What's up with that? Is that shield used for all Texas highways or just the FMs?

[empirestate]

Texas looks really weird though. What's up with that? Is that shield used for all Texas highways or just the FMs?

They use it for FMs and RMs as in real life, and a generic square with outline for state routes.

Has anybody spotted markers in the app for secondary highways in TN or MT, etc.? How about Indian routes?

[Ace10]

Has anybody spotted markers in the app for secondary highways in TN or MT, etc.? How about Indian routes?

The state route markers in Apple's Maps are something that looks immensely better than anything in Google or Bing (or any other mapping apps) in my opinion - if only they used FHWA, I think they would look fantastic. This coming from someone who sticks mostly to Bing Maps.

I want to extend empirestate's question and ask if Apple's Maps signs Interstate Business Spurs and Loops with the green shield. I have someone with an iPhone/iPad I can ask, but I'm wondering if anyone knows this already. Also, do bannered (Alt, Business, etc) US Routes/state routes have banners on the shields in Apple's Maps? At least Bing Maps does this - Google just signs both roads with the same shield, leading to a ton of confusion.

[1995hoo]

I'll confirm they use a green shield on at least some Interstate business routes. I just zoomed in on Fayetteville, NC, to check. Don't have time nor inclination to swipe around checking others.

US routes don't have Business/Bypass distinguished. In fairness, the writing would have to be really tiny to squeeze that in there.

[Ace10]

I'll confirm they use a green shield on at least some Interstate business routes. I just zoomed in on Fayetteville, NC, to check. Don't have time nor inclination to swipe around checking others.

US routes don't have Business/Bypass distinguished. In fairness, the writing would have to be really tiny to squeeze that in there.

Thanks for checking! I saw on a screenshot on another site that they are using the correct shield for the Kings Highways in Ontario, Canada also, so I bet they really did their work and have others, like the Trans-Canada Hwy and possibly unique shields in other countries done as well. The attention to detail of the shields certainly makes up for the lack of detail otherwise.

[empirestate]

Doing a little browsing, I've found:

Secondary highways in MO using the generic square (no outline)
Secondary highways in MT using the same, not the arrowhead design
Some quadrant routes in PA using the same

Secondary highways in TN using the primary route marker

County routes in WV using the correct (circle) marker

County trunk highways in WI using the correct (square w/top and bottom outline) marker

No special markers for NYS parkways

PA toll/turnpike routes using a green keystone (no similar treatment for FL toll routes however)

Texas:
NASA 1 just marked as SH 1 (square with outline)
No shield for OSR
Beltway 8 marked as 8 (square without outline)
Recreational roads: square without outline
Toll 121 has shields both with and without outline (other toll roads seem to be only with outline)

Puerto Rico has primary, urban primary, secondary, and tertiary shields all correct. So do USVI highways, but no roads are even shown in Guam or American Samoa.

The occasional county pentagon

Various bannered/spur/derivative/variant routes tend to use the square, no outline, which is probably the app's default shield

[wphiii]

The attention to detail of the shields certainly makes up for the lack of detail otherwise.

I dunno about that, I'd rather have a map that actually functions as a navigational device first and foremost.

It is very cool, but it seems to me a bit like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Ace10]

The attention to detail of the shields certainly makes up for the lack of detail otherwise.

I dunno about that, I'd rather have a map that actually functions as a navigational device first and foremost.

It is very cool, but it seems to me a bit like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

I agree. I didn't mean that it completely made up for all the other shortcomings, but the route markers are certainly a very nice touch that many other mapping apps don't have.

[Scott5114]

I do like the fact that the app uses vector data instead of rendered tiles like Google Maps does. I have never used Apple Maps, but that seems like that would make using it faster since you don't have to wait for the tiles to download.

It certainly looks like a very pretty app, and would probably blow Google out of the water if the data were the same...but it's not.

[agentsteel53]

It certainly looks like a very pretty app, and would probably blow Google out of the water if the data were the same...but it's not.

is there a hack that puts Apple sprites on top of Google's map data?

[vdeane]

I do like the fact that the app uses vector data instead of rendered tiles like Google Maps does. I have never used Apple Maps, but that seems like that would make using it faster since you don't have to wait for the tiles to download.

It certainly looks like a very pretty app, and would probably blow Google out of the water if the data were the same...but it's not.

It's Apple.  Pretty is all that matters.

[doorknob60]

http://www.cultofmac.com/194031/one-thing-apple-maps-does-way-better-than-google-maps-image/

I like how the Oregon shield is of 372, a completely unsigned route. Not according to Apple though, they sign what they want to 

[1995hoo]

I like how the Oregon shield is of 372, a completely unsigned route. Not according to Apple though, they sign what they want to 

That's not unique to them. I've seen online maps that show an I-478 shield for the Battery Tunnel in New York (I-478 is unposted)–Google Maps used to but no longer does, Bing Maps still does.

[okroads]

I downloaded IOS 6 last night; here are a couple things I noticed about the maps:
- Arkansas' highway shield is a square and not the state outline
- I-40 through Downtown Oklahoma City is shown on the old alignment which closed in February 2012 and has since been torn down

[Billy F 1988]

http://www.cultofmac.com/194031/one-thing-apple-maps-does-way-better-than-google-maps-image/

Huh. Helvetica much? At least Apple's efforts in using the proper road markers established by MUTCD is greatly better than Google's squares and circles on most routes. And, yeah, the Texas shield does look a bit distorted. The yellow "120" shield looks more something you see on a UK motorway map. My guess is that the "120" is Wyoming's shield.

[Sonic99]

Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen recently installed Apple Maps in his F1 car, which led to some trouble at the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend...

[1995hoo]

Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen recently installed Apple Maps in his F1 car, which led to some trouble at the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend...

Good stuff. Thing about it is, there's a gate at the end of that part of the old circuit. It used to be left open.

[formulanone]

...and he still finished on the lead lap! He's a trip, I tell you.

(It was "open" on F1 [1995] and F1 Championship Edition [1997], from my own recollection.)

[Takumi]

I thought maybe he had just partied too hard the night before.

[formulanone]

Yes.

He was driving on an old alignment of Interlagos. (Kimi, the roadgeek?)

[Quillz]

Apple Maps does have accurate looking shields for both British Columbia and the Mexican Autopistas, whereas Google Maps just uses generic circles for both.

[Central Avenue]

http://www.cultofmac.com/194031/one-thing-apple-maps-does-way-better-than-google-maps-image/

Huh. Helvetica much? At least Apple's efforts in using the proper road markers established by MUTCD is greatly better than Google's squares and circles on most routes. And, yeah, the Texas shield does look a bit distorted. The yellow "120" shield looks more something you see on a UK motorway map. My guess is that the "120" is Wyoming's shield.

Better Apple's Helvetica than Google's Arial.

It looks like they distorted the Texas shield to fit the numbers without having to shrink them, which I guess makes sense (the numbers on a real Farm-to-Market Road shield are pretty small, when you think about it), even if it's not very pretty. They still get an A for effort, at least.

[agentsteel53]

the worst part of that apple/google comparison... just what the Hell order are those states in?  not alphabetical, and not geographical by any sensible projection. 

it took me about a minute to find the Texas, and that was after I gave up attempting to reason with it, and just brute-forced it starting from upper left.