Maps 4+

I am a long-term denizen of Apple’s ecosystem, for the most part happily residing within the walled garden of MacOS, iPadOS, iOS, watchOS and tvOS. One big exception has been Apple Maps, which I’ve generally avoided since its diabolically poor offering at launch. I recently dipped my toe back in to try to take advantage of Maps’ deep integration with other aspects of the ecosystem, particularly Siri and calendar.

Sadly, Apple Maps remains unreliable in Australia, even for basic navigation. Many destinations that are available in Google Maps can’t be found in Apple Maps, the location of some destinations are inaccurate, and navigation routes, even to simple residential addresses within capital cities, can be either bizarrely convoluted or do not take account of recent or temporary changes.

Apple Maps still falls far short of Google Maps and, at least in Australia, appears to be a long way off being a viable alternative, if it ever will be.

I have always struggled with directions. Trying to read a map or navigate my way to a new location that I haven’t physically walked to (literally!), causes me great anxiety and stress. I don’t drive and rely on public transport to get around. I have no idea where North or South are so any directional guide/app that gives me instructions like, “in 100 metres, head north” has lost me already. Staring at the location graphic on my iPhone or worse yet on my Apple Watch, trying to figure out where I am is absolutely hellish. I find myself feeling feel stupid, helpless and angry at my inability to process the information. When you add in inadequate or poor street signage, it’s a recipe for a major meltdown! Neurotypical folks don’t get it at all. I have been known to crisscross streets repeatedly trying to figure out how to get from A to B on the stupid map app!
But apple’s map app is different. It tells me “in 100 metres, TURN LEFT”.
This is absolutely a game changer for me. I’ve deleted every other map/navigation app on all devices. This is the best! There are all sorts of neat aspects of the app like Guides that you can create based on your travels/transits etc. and the speed with which it offers locations to pin or favourite (& categorised too) is a great feature.
Thanks, Apple. Neat app. Long may it prosper!

Once upon a time, there was TomTom and Navman. And people programmed them, and although they were fairly simple, they got you to where you needed to be. Then there was Apple, and then was Apple AI. And the AI looks for patterns, and rewrites what it once new based on what it now thinks it knows.
So, it becomes obsessed with motorways, and hates merges, and loves rat-runs, but hates roundabouts. And in the end it isn't really sure where it is, or how to get you to where you need to be.
It overrides you destination and substitutes others, it drives you headlong into traffic jams, it offers alternate routes that aren't even connected to your current journey.
Where is the option to just take you to where you need to go? Why, given Apple has all our data anyway, can it not remember your personal favourite route home past the ice cream shop? (Oh yes, make no mistake, when you key in your favourite ice cream shop it gives you 30 other higher paying search results as well).
This morning, Maps decided that I didn't want to collect my hire car from the dealer i had booked it through, and updated the journey to take me past that dealer and more than 40 minutes off the original route. At least it was the same dealer, but that was no help over all. An hour late, the app asks for feedback, and I note that there isn't an option for "App went crazy and I had to shoot it!" No, lots of blame for the location but none for the thing that took me to the wrong place.