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Comment by cush | Hacker News Reader

If you have an iPhone and haven't been using Apple Maps, it's basically on par now with Google Maps for navigation. I hadn't tried Apple Maps for years because of how bad it used to be, and was pleasantly surprised to find the maps are incredibly accurate and turn by turn navigation is rock solid. I haven't touched Google Maps in months, and this post is reminding me that it's time to just uninstall it

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Are you in the US? I've found it pretty ropey in Europe every time I try to ween myself off Google maps.

Another benefit of Apple maps is that it gets preferential treatment from the os in that it appears on the lock screen when navigating (I really wish this api was open to third parties). This is nice for navigation on foot.

I am in the US, yes

Apple Maps has better integration with my 2020 Subaru so I switched. It has some features that are more advanced than google, like the voice telling what to do next or advance rather than just immediately before.

It’s still rather bad about explorative searching for businesses/restaurants and getting accurate hours, so sometimes I’ll find a place using google maps and then put it into Apple Maps.

>It’s still rather bad about explorative searching for businesses/restaurants

That it just pipes Yelp results infuriates me every time I deal with it, as I refuse to sign up for Yelp.

So did I! My 2019 Subaru’s OS crashed so many times on Android auto was the reason I switched to iPhone at all.

It is amazing how long it takes to recover from a rough product roll-out, isn't it?

Truth

iPhones are strictly worse for what OP is complaining about. You cannot get your location at all in any app without enabling WiFi scanning.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21708157

OP's solution of installing another Android maps app is probably the best available option that fits OP's privacy requirements.

When did this change? Last time I had an iOS device it was definitely possible to use GPS without WiFi. If this is a recent regression that is disappointing.

Simply turning off the wifi icon doesn't turn off wifi.

How so?

That only turns off using WiFi for data. If you have location services enabled, which is necessary to get ypur location on iOS, iOS will continue scanning WiFi networks and uploading them to Apple.

What I found is that google maps EXCELS in redirecting past traffic jams and what have you, when driving (cross Europe) and really no other navigation available to me (iPhone) does that even remotely as reliable.

EDIT: Meaning I am able to keep my wheels rolling and do not end up in traffic jams.

Why not Waze then? It's where google buys traffic data anyway. You also get police / speedcam etc locations and reporting.

Waze is owned by Google.

Apple maps has still been total crap for me outside the US.

Apple Maps is quite good here in New Zealand. I have an Android device and my husband has an iOS device. I have been impressed several times with Apple being able to route to places Google Maps can't. Apple seems to be better at adding new roads etc compared to Google here in New Zealand.

A little while back my area finally got the Apple Maps 3D visualization update, and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. Took them some time to turn it around, but Apple definitely stepped it up after an awful start.

This is an odd response to this specific discussion, because Apple removed the user ability to disable wifi scans for location services in iOS 11. If anything, Apple is worse in this specific regard.

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