![]() The situation feels particularly dire right now as Google is in a weaker position, recently having cut its workforce after extensive hiring over the pandemic. This could make it harder for third-party advertisers to keep their revenue flowing on the iPhone, with Apple likely further walling off the operating system for any ad provider but itself.īoth an "Apple Search" and an "Apple Ads" service could change the tech landscape dramatically and put Apple in a better position than Google moving forward. It will likely create an approach that is better for privacy than what Google currently offers (at least on the surface). Still, as a next step, Apple wants to position itself as an online advertiser. Apple has already destroyed Meta's and Snap's ad revenue thanks to its consumer-friendly option to ask apps not to track what you do on your iPhone. Apple is also pushing to create its own alternatives. The other area that Google dominates on internet-connected platforms is advertising. With most people using iPhones in the U.S., there's a pool of potential Apple Maps contributors, even if the service remains limited to Apple devices and DuckDuckGo. The Apple Maps community could also still grow. Then Google will have a problem and a new, serious competitor. Once the company adds some form of monetization, it's certainly possible for Apple Maps to make it to Android. For example, Apple Music is available on Android. The walls around the Apple garden have crumbled a little in recent years. While it's less likely to become cross-platform, it is not entirely impossible. However, Apple Maps might catch up on these problems. ![]() Google Maps, on the other hand, is platform-independent and works great on both Android and iOS. It's possible to view Apple Maps using DuckDuckGo on other devices, but for turn-by-turn navigation, you need an iPhone. You can only access the full service, complete with turn-by-turn navigation on Apple devices. I didn't drive a car in London, but this makes me wonder how well turn-by-turn navigation works in a supported city.Īpple Maps also doesn't work offline and doesn't offer cycling navigation in many places, which can be dealbreakers.Īnother disadvantage of Apple Maps is availability. The same detailed maps are available in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with more cities coming soon. It's more intuitive to understand where you're at, even when you're walking on foot and using public transit. When I visited London in 2022, I could zoom into the city's streets and see a map with all the relevant details down to individual lanes, crossings, cycling paths, and even individual trees in parks. What struck me the most, and why I'm writing this, is Apple's new Detailed City Experiences. Google Maps lets you move the map and your Street View preview independently. With Apple Maps, your Look Around perspective changes as you move the map, which can be jarring. No matter where in the world you use Look Around, the technology behind it feels smoother and faster as you navigate the real-world streets, even though Google Maps remains the service that's more intuitive to use. The default navigation voice sounds less harsh and machine-like, and it excels at instructions. One of the first things I tried on it was car navigation, and I found it more reliable and easier than what Google Maps offers. Apple Maps feels more polished than Google Maps todayĪs someone who is routinely switching between Android and iOS, I had to try Apple Maps to see if the grass on the other side really is greener. About a decade after its launch, the service has become a viable alternative to Google's service, and the Californian company needs to look out to not fall behind. When using my iPhone, which I carry on me to have a point of comparison with an Android phone, I was very much impressed by how much I prefer Apple Maps in many circumstances. Since then, a lot has changed, and for people living in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Maps has become a viable alternative to Google Maps. Apart from laughably poor 3D satellite imagery dominated by broken bridges, glitchy buildings, and warped landscapes, the service had errors that could leave you stranded in the middle of an Australian national park. When Apple first launched its Maps service in 2012 to much fanfare, it was quickly ridiculed and dismissed, though.
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