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Bye Google Maps: Apple brings its Maps to the web for Find my iPhone

Update: Apple appears to be testing or slowly rolling out the feature as some users report still seeing Google Maps. Apple Maps are live on the iCloud.com beta site and available for some users on the main iCloud.com site as well.

Almost two years after replacing Google Maps with its own Maps app in iOS 6, Apple has now brought its Maps solution to the web and made the switch for its Find My iPhone web app.

In addition to the iOS Maps app since iOS 6, Apple was already using its own Maps powered by data from a number of partners in its Find My iPhone app for iOS devices and elsewhere on its mobile devices. Today’s change removes Google Maps from one of the last products that was still using it, the Find My iPhone web app available at iCloud.com.

As pictured above, Apple now lists “Data from TomTom, others” and links to a longer, full list of data partners. The change also introduces a few UI tweaks that you can see in the comparison below:

Back in September of last year Apple’s Maps team posted a job listing looking for developers to “design, develop, and maintain complex front-end code for a new secret project” that would include “an advanced web platform.” That led to speculation Apple could be working on bringing its Maps to the web, but it’s still unclear if that will be simply to replace Google in apps like Find My iPhone or to bring a full-blown Maps solution to the web.

Apple continues to use Google Maps on its website for retail store listings, but with today’s change it’s easy to see how that could soon be replaced with Apple Maps too. 

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Comments

  1. Tharindu - 10 years ago

    The only bad thing about Apple Maps is that its limited to certain countries. I mean directions, where as I can easily fire up Google Maps app and get directions.

    • I live in a country that is not a big one like USA, UK, etc. and Apple Maps are working great here.

    • Johann (@JoFromPe) - 10 years ago

      Apple maps work in all countries. Please give a country where it doesn’t actually work unless its North Korea.

      • In Perú, Apple maps doesn’t have the name of many avenues that Google maps has. It’s not about the country. It’s hard to me to locate my ipod and don’t know the name of the street or avenue.

      • Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 10 years ago

        Canada here. Living downtown in the nations third largest city just 20 minutes from the USA border and Apple maps is absolute crap. There are literally *hundreds* of errors on Apple maps and hundreds of items (stores, parks, transit hubs) that are not even marked on the map. All within 10 blocks of my house.

        Repeat. This is DOWNTOWN in Canada’s third largest city.

        Two weeks ago I tried to get directions to the downtown’s largest Staples store (office supplies) which is located right downtown literally 30 steps from the cities biggest central transit hub. Apple maps told me it was a block and half away from where it actually was, and that it was on the top floor of a 35 story building. When I zoomed in on the label to be sure, it jumped off the top of the building and landed on the sidewalk before changing to a Starbucks instead.

        These are not visual glitches, these are data errors. I’ve been reporting things since the very start also when I find them and have yet to see one single change. If Apple can’t even do southern Canada, I don’t see why anyone should use the service at all or trust it anywhere outside of the USA.

      • Dustin Duvall - 10 years ago

        Doesn’t work in Qatar.

      • Prabhu Jaganathan - 10 years ago

        India. It Doesn’t work here! no details no directions.

      • cocovegaespinosa - 10 years ago

        Ecuador

      • Tharindu - 10 years ago

        Sri Lanka

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      The bad thing about Apple maps is that it uses Yelp which is so terrible it’s honestly groundbreaking. You can only laugh at how incredibly awful Yelp truly is. I wish I could convey that to the CEO. Almost all locations on Apple maps are completely off for my area. Good job Yelp!

      • Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 10 years ago

        Indeed. An absolutely huge proportion of the mistakes seem to be grounded in the fact that Yelp uses your GPS coordinates when you are making a review to locate the business. So you go to the store, then go back home or to your office to review it, and Yelp takes that location as the location of the business.

        Still, the biggest problem of all is Apple simply not doing any updates. I know that they have been in the news lately saying that they are doing them weekly now, but anyone who lives in a bad data area (most of us), knows that this is simply not true. They don’t do ANY updates in my home town, and haven’t for the entire two years they’ve been in operation. None.

        They need to assign literally a thousand people in every single country and have them work 24 hours shifts to get the data even remotely in shape. They simply don’t see this. Probably because traditionally, Apple does everything with small teams and always has.

    • Pá Tra Thống Lí - 10 years ago

      in my country, it isn’t work great.

    • Jonathan Chacon - 10 years ago

      “IF” Apple Maps are to be a reliable alternative to the competition, they (apple) should offer $0.05 in App Store credit to every error that is corrected by the users. Maybe there should be a section in the maps to have the millions of users be the paid map makers. I’m not sure how this would work or if they would go for it, but I think it’s worth the investment.

  2. Apple Maps are better than Google Maps in my honest opinion.

    • Martin Robertson - 10 years ago

      you’re the biggest troll i’ve ever seen on the entire internet lol

      • Luis Alejandro Masanti - 10 years ago

        It would be nice to know “why” Miroslav thinks the AM are better than GM… and to know “why” Martin thinks he is a troll.
        Not just “emotions”. Facts would be nice, too.

      • scottwilkins - 10 years ago

        A year ago, I wouldn’t have agreed that Apple maps are good. But lately, Miroslav seems to me to be correct. Google maps has failed me a LOT lately. Apple maps has succeeded in these times when Google has failed. It’s an interesting turn of fate. So, I guess that makes you the troll Martin…

      • Martin Robertson - 10 years ago

        He is a troll because I have watched him fish for anti-Apple responses (troll) for years.

    • PMZanetti - 10 years ago

      Obviously. All one needs to do is use both and Apple Maps steals the show in terms of software design and usability.

      Of course, it is an entirely different thing if Google Maps finds a POI that Apple Maps does not, at which point SOME people take as you must throw Apple Maps out the window, or pretend like it is suddenly an inferior app because its mapping data is not yet perfect.

    • Yeah, therefore in Slovakia instead of town Samorin is Hungary (yes, like country Hungary!) and … wait… Povazske Bystraica … – I reported it several times, there are hundred of errors on town level, no one bothers… Maybe I would overlook if some poi-s were missing but name of major towns??? I have no idea where they get sources, but I haven’t seen so bad mistakes … nowhere…

  3. Kenny Tang - 10 years ago

    Bye Google Maps? If you are in Asia (I’m Hong-Konger) it is bye your iPhone. The map data in Asia is still far behind usable. Really hope Apple can improve it as soon as possible so that we can switch to it.

  4. Kevin Noah - 10 years ago

    In Germany they are still using Google Maps.

  5. Jabari Adisa - 10 years ago

    For now, my instance of iCloud > Find my iPhone still lists Google as the data source.

  6. Lee Richards - 10 years ago

    In Czech Republic the Find My iPhone web app map still says “Map Data (c)2014 Google”.

  7. tilalabubakr - 10 years ago

    It’s still on beta. go beta.icloud.com/#find to see it functioning.

    1- You no longer can use other than the hybrid view;
    2- It also has some UI tweaks as well.

    http://cl.ly/image/2w3V2L1f1R3Y/Screen%20Shot%202014-07-08%20at%2023.18.14%20copy.png

    Still a beta though.

  8. John Parsons - 10 years ago

    Apple needs a strong map product and a decent web version is long overdue to motivate developers – and business that contribute their own data – to take Apple maps seriously. A big part of what makes Google Maps so great is that it’s powered by Google search and advertising and runs everywhere. What Google acquires from their leadership in search/ads makes the map results rich. And there’s that huge head start with years of innovative maps and Street View data, plus more and more See Inside imagery. Eventually Apple and the other major players will catch up and great maps will be ubiquitous, but they’ve got their work cut out for them. Waze remains my favorite for turn-by-turn navigation, but when I’m driving hands free with the iPhone displaying on the car’s head unit, and a request to Siri for directions drops conveniently into Apple Maps, it usually works just as well as the competition here in SoCal. Apple’s bigger, bolder turn-by-turn layout is easier to read at a glance on the car’s navi display compared to Google Maps and Waze. It’s doubtful Apple Maps will ever beat the leader, but it’s enough to get first rate maps with tight iOS integration that just gets the job done.

  9. Another bad thing about Apple Maps, is its local language. It is good for local people of countries, but if you travel as a tourist to countries like Armenia, Georgia, etc; all of the name of the streets or places are as that region’s language and it is totally useless for travelers. I had to use Google Maps to reach where my hotel was.

  10. Scott Edwards (@scotchua) - 10 years ago

    I’d be fine with that except that I’ve been reporting that the map overlay over the GPS coordinates in my town are about 6 blocks off for over 2 years, so now I’ll never be able to figure out where my phone is.

  11. Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

    Only time and contused investing will let it catch Google in mapping. They have a long head start and built their product off data from Nokia (NavTeq) and TomTom (TeleAtlas) among others. Over the years they’ve supplanted all this original licensed data with their own by sending out their camera vehicles.

    IMO, Apple needs a few more jumps in addition to steady progression. Relying on users to help with corrections is not going to build you a superior mapping product, it’s only suitable for maintenance. Buy TeleAtlas from TomTom to start and integrate more of its data. There’s licensed data now, but clearly not enough because my TomTom app seems to have more corrections and details than Apple’s maps. Then you need feet on the ground and a steady expenditure if you want to be competitive. Rumor is that Google spends around 1 billion per years on mapping. I think Apple can get away with less to great effect.

    • Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

      Further: TomTom’s navigation is years (and years) ahead of anything from Google. Using online/data services for navigation is OK if you don’t want to bloat your phone with an app, but it’s a poor replacement for the dedicated TomTom app. Apple Maps and Google maps don’t hold a candle to it.

      So perhaps instead of buying TeleAtlas, Apple should just pick up TomTom completely, then they’d also have all their routing code to work with along with the backend system that already pulls realtime and update data from other TomTom products.

      • John Parsons - 10 years ago

        Some acquisition looks inevitable since Apple Maps gets a few sporadic updates per year.

  12. Edison Wrzosek - 10 years ago

    I find all the whiners here complaining about Apple Maps in Canada (mainly just one whiner) I call total BS on.

    I use Apple Maps exclusively, and have dumped Google Maps, and have had zero issues or errors. Whilst I agree the POI data is still lacking, after every report I submit to Apple, the next day it’s up to date and correct!

    You people bashing Apple Maps just need to get off the media bandwagon they started rolling down a hill when it launched; it came to a stop a long time ago. There is nothing wrong with Apple Maps for the most part, and has become a stable, viable alternative to Google Maps in most parts of the world. Case in point, while I was in Macau, China last year, the friend that took me and my wife on a tour got lost because of Google Maps on his Scamdung device, and out comes Apple Maps and saves the day.

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      “For the most part”? Really?
      Maps and clocks are two things were accruals is the name of the game.

      Apple forcing Maps was the reason I didn’t upgrade my IOS and eventually switched to the Samsung Galaxy series.

      Apple just doesn’t get it (right).

      • luv2rip - 10 years ago

        You must be living in past. I use Apple Map in SF bay area since incarnation, and except 3-4 occasion, it never let me down.

  13. Grayson Mixon - 10 years ago

    I’ve tried to use Apple maps. I’ve searched for addresses, specifying the city, state, and zip code, and Apple maps has returned a result three states away. That’s not a data error. That’s an error in the programming, and a pretty simple one to fix. If the user specifies a zip code, only return results in that zip code. If the user specifies an address in FL, do not send them to Louisiana.

  14. fjpoblam - 10 years ago

    I would gladly use Apple Maps but for the fact that it fails to give superior close-ups in our city. Thing of it is, though, Bing maps are better. Google is consistently out of date. Like, by at least two years…

  15. luv2rip - 10 years ago

    All in all, We love Apple Maps, but Apple has to get on its are, and make corrections, change stupid business partners (like Yelp [pathetic]) , and encourage businesses to update their own info for some iTunes points system as motivation

  16. Neal F. Fischer - 10 years ago

    Your iPhone has been found on this airport runway… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/25/apple-maps-bad_n_3990340.html

  17. Jonathan Chacon - 10 years ago

    “IF” Apple Maps are to be a reliable alternative to the competition, they (apple) should offer $0.05 in App Store credit to every error that is corrected by the users. Maybe there should be a section in the maps to have the millions of users be the paid map makers. I’m not sure how this would work or if they would go for it, but I think it’s worth the investment. I’m pretty sure the “pennies” invested will yield a vastly superior app for all of us.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.