Apple has added some nice new touches to Apple Maps with animated 3D imagery for iconic landmarks starting with the UK. Apple Maps now shows the correct time on Big Ben and a rotating London Eye when users viewing the landmarks access the app’s 3D Flyover feature.
Videos showing off the animated London Eye and Big Ben in Apple Maps are below:
These latest additions to Maps follow Apple adding new locations for its Flyover feature that offers high resolution 3D imagery of select locales. Earlier this month it added new Flyover cities across North and South America and Europe.
In other recent Maps improvements, Apple recently added new data providers including GasBuddy and GreatSchools. It also recently opened up its Apple Maps Connect feature to new countries and languages allowing businesses to submit their info for local listings.
[tweet https://twitter.com/AdamSwinden/status/570976064710844416]
And Big Ben via DailyMail:
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Sweating the small details is why I love Apple. Pretty rad addition to maps. Makes it feel like a real time feed – especially as more animation in other places are added.
As I always say – Apple Maps > Google Maps.
King Triton: You “always” say that?
Next stop; The US National Debt Clock
Im sorry but this is just a pointness gimmick which shows at it’s worse Apple’s overriding fear of how things LOOk rather than actaully get used. THey should just get on with accepting that most people in London (given that this is the example) don’t drive in the city or go clicking around looking for the time on big ben so they need integrated public transport integration. Looks good in a demo , but honestly: Have they not seen how good Google’s real-time public transport solution for London?
its not pointless gimmick – flyover is clearly not for every day use – its for people wanting take a tour of a destination they plan to visit. Seeing a city coming to life just adds touch. I agree that from usability stand point Google Maps are better than Apple Maps – but the beauty is that iOS users can access both
It’s a gimmick. They can’t produce quality maps, so they trot out eye candy. It’s as if you’ve never seen Apple in action. This is nothing new. They know the “Fanbois” will eat this up.
I absolutely agree.
London tube stops are on Apple maps but not the trains that run through them. What good are they?
MTA subway stops are on Apple maps for NYC but not the trains that go through them. What good are they?
Apple should have had NY subway lines worked out years ago. Google has had them for years.
This is all about almost useless eye-candy instead of useful metadata
http://richardsnotes.org/2015/02/26/apple-is-taking-maps-in-the-wrong-direction/
Google only has metro stuff for like 5 cities in the US. In the UK anywhere outside of London according to Google may as well not exist because there’s sweet FA they add to them. London gets transit data, nowhere else does. The maps are woefully out of date too outside of London. There are areas around me (Manchester) that haven’t been updated for nearly 20 years. They look drastically different now.
Google have also totally, and utterly screwed up the colour coding system for UK maps. Motorways should be BLUE, not orange, which is very similar to the yellow used for A roads. The junction markers are also incredibly small and don’t scale… at all. You can zoom in or out as much as you like and they remain a constant tiny circle with the number in it and it’s quite hard to notice, especially if you’re driving.
The data in Google Maps may be better, but the presentation of it is pretty dire and only got worse with the new version (though the new version is smoother and faster).
The fact that Google got a 7 year headstart doesn’t mean anything to you? You think any company with money should release a bug free, full feature version 1 product?
Philboggle you do understand that TomTom (the original provider, and sometimes still provider) was fouded in 1991? That’s about 14 years ahead of Google Maps coming out. And yes, Apple should get V1 of it’s product perfect, if it’s going to remove the default app to make room for it’s own. Duh
I agree William.
The entire tech world is eat up with lookism; usefulness is not even considered. Ditto Hollywood.
It’s why they both love Obama so much.
Couldn’t this hint at what we’re about to see at the “Spring Forward” event? Big Ben would probably hint at the watch and the London eye could possibly hint to an tv! Or would a new retina display be more plausible?
Next you’ll be trying to pick Apples roadmap based on the time the Apple homepage takes to open.
It’s really cool! – I’ve just uploaded a small video of it here: http://youtu.be/0Ruj_plWtOQ
This is what they are working on? And people are applauding this?
It’s embarrassing to be an Apple user. Anyone who thinks that Apple Maps > Google Maps is deluded; AND typical of the “Fanboi” that everyone mocks.
How about getting the maps up to date first, then add your cutesy touches. FFS