Comparative

Since Appleannounced the break with Google Maps , there were many rumors and speculations about creating your own application. Time confirmed it and Apple announced its alliance with the navigation and cartography company TomTom to ensure a good quality in the application that was being developed Added to this were the maps in 3D of the company C3 Technologies acquired shortly before, a function that seemed almost a dreamHowever, the fiasco of its launch has made many users reconsider continuing to use this brand new tool. In yourexpertoAPPS we want to compare the strengths of both tools to find out which is the best.

Visual aspect

The first thing we see as soon as we start one application or another is the appearance of its maps, streets, buildings, green areas, etc Google started in 2005to map cities and places around the world. Perhaps for this reason it has set the standard for the style that we now see in most digital maps. Pastel colors for buildings help keep attention on names, points of interest, and natural places of the mapping. All this through an interface that has been updated in this application to present a very comfortable and organized design that does not detract from what is important: the maps.Drop-down menus and small buttons that do not interfere with the vision of what we are looking for. Don't forget about the different layers that you can apply to the maps, among which SatelliteAerial photos that allow us to know the real appearance of cities, towns and places, coming to contain very defined detailsof the main places.

This point of comparison also stands out in Apple Maps If this company is characterized by something, it is by the design Thus, we see maps that, while still representing reality faithfully, are capable of outlining streets, buildings to create a tool readable and visually attractive Like its interface, extremely clean and simplified which is limited to a search bar at the top and to hide other buttons and settings under a tab in the lower right corner to avoid obscuring any mapping data.It also has different layers, although their number is more limited than the layers of Google Maps The basic one, which is created with maps vector, ensures the correct visualization without deformities of names and places. It also has satellite photos, a critical point of this application. And this is where the fiascos of this tool begin, since some of these photos show irregularities in the terrain that do not exist, being able to see roads that look like a roller coaster, extremely flexible bridges and strange reliefs. And even worse, there are portions of land that have not yet been registered, being able to see roads that reach a non-existent area Of course, all with a good quality, high definition and full of details.

General functions

Google Maps has gradually developed to accommodate a good number of possibilities. Thus, in general, it allows us to get to know any part of the planet through maps, search for a specific address and serve as GPS to take us there step by step, something that came hand in hand with the attached function Google Navigation In this way, we can move freely around any new city, even if we don't know it, either by car, public transport, as a pedestrian and, a recently added novelty, in bike (not available in all countries). All guided by a map and a voice, or by following the indications listed step by step and updated traffic information. A function that is appreciated when going by car. Especially since its price is free.

In this regard, Apple Maps is seriously lacking. And it is that, as happened with its previous version, the map application does not allow it to be used as a GPS navigator for the car. It only displays directions, but does not give voice instructions for use while driving. Which forces you to use another application for this function. Regarding the information it provides (remember that without giving voice instructions), it allows you to perform destination searches, choose alternative routes and the transport means: public, private or on foot. In this case we do not have the bike routes

Fate Search, as it has been known since its release, is not reliable in all cases De In this way we have seen how Apple Maps located the Ebro river in Rio de Janeiro, or the Sardinero beach in Santander in the Madrid town of Alcobendas.In addition, being a young tool, points of interest are still scarce, public transport stopsand places to search, running into failed searches that do not find what we are looking for. For now, Apple Maps is partnered with the app Yelp, known for recommending of restaurants and other places of interest However, Google Maps has more commercial alliances with establishments and other applications that use your maps to locate themselves, which makes it much more complete.

Extra functions

The shooting of Google Maps mentioned above has led to the creation of a menu called Local where to find all kinds of establishments: restaurants, cafeterias, bars, cinemas, etc All this knowing their location , distance from the user, etcSomething similar to what Foursquare does, being able to record where we passed, including ourrating and photographs In addition, this mapping tool has introduced the possibility of download portions of maps to avoid getting lost in case of traveling to another place where we do not have coverage or data rates From In this way, we have the possibility of being guided without an Internet connection, although we cannot perform any search. We cannot forget the function Street View With it we can see photographs of streets and roads to know the real appearance of a specific place just by approaching it on the map.

For its part, Apple Maps has the highly commented and praised function Flyover With it we can see the main cities of the world in 3D, being able to rotate the view with two fingers and get to know all the perspectives of a building like the Buckingham Palace or other monuments. Something quite surprising given the quality of the modeling and images, which allow us to see a more real aspect of the city. However, fthere are still many cities to include For its part, Google Maps also has a 3D rendering of portions of major cities when changing perspective by swiping two fingers parallel across the screen. It does not have images, it is about modeling of buildings that can help us locate ourselves, but they are not as representative as those shown inFlyover

Finally, we can't forget the voice assistant Siri, which is now also participating in Apple Maps, allowing you to search with a human language, or find places and points of interest that you want to find near your position.Of course, as long as these points are registered in the map tool or located in their real placeAndroid users can also search for the destination by voice. Even giving the name of a restaurant or a special place, without knowing the exact address.

Conclusions

Despite the expectation and the desire to see the result of the work of Apple, the disappointment has been general. And it is that the people of Google have had us very well accustomed with a tool that is is gradually improving, covering more and more needs of travellers who want to know at all times where to go or what to find This expectation is created, in part, by the collaboration with TomTom and the purchase of C3 Technologies Apple Maps has just begun its journey, while Google Maps has been active since 2005, growing both for Internet browsers and on its application for smartphones, where it maintains hegemony thanks to its extension and number of functions.

Without a doubt, the most important flaw in the new maps application from Apple is in the errors it gives when positioning monuments, cities and important streets of the world. It is a most basic failure, which should have been reconsidered even launching the application in this state. As has been said from Apple, you have to have patience, the application alsowill grow and improve A promising tool that today is just that, promises. But it will be necessary to closely monitor its development.