When we think of mapping software on mobile devices, Google Maps is the first to come to mind. It has been a staple in many a mobile phone since as far back as I can remember- ever since they were able to cram a GPS antenna into something as small as a candy bar. Google during all of this time has made Maps the wonder it is today- chock full of useful data to get you where you want to go- from Street View, to turn-by-turn navigation, venue searches, My Maps, offline maps, transit... Gone are the days of good 'ol paper maps. Just fling the address into your phone and away you go.
So, it's no wonder eyebrows were raised when we heard Apple was ditching Google Maps for its own solution. The beautiful demos we saw during the iPhone 5 announcement showed off features we've all been patiently waiting for in iOS, like turn-by-turn navigation. Fly Over was pretty neat too. But what people found as they got their shiny new iOS 6 devices in hand was that getting around was not as easy as it once was. Missing map data, lack for Street View, and missing GMaps features such as Transit were the general complaints. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook himself admitted the blunder.
I've come to depend on Google Maps on everything from Transit directions, Street View, contacts integration, and in-car Navigation with turn-by-turn using my Galaxy Nexus. Since I've been heading into Chicago on several occasions, I've come to depend on Street View and Transit quite a bit when I'm in unfamiliar areas or using public transportation. This is one of the reasons that would keep me from using iOS 6 as my daily driver.
What does the rest of our staff think?
How important is having GPS Navigation and mapping on your mobile device to you?
Jeffrey Shafran: I am using a Samsung Galaxy Nexus modded BAMF style!! I rely on Google Maps for everything. I have not owned a GPS device ever since I got an Android device. Navigation within Google Maps is top notch for getting me around travel wise into unfamiliar territories. I am currently a Lieutenant at our Volunteer Fire Department and I use an application called ECM2 which will alert us of calls we get paged out to. ECM2 has a call mapping feature that uses Gmaps for turn by turn navigation. This has always came in handy when we are assisting other companies outside of our area! It gets us there without any hassles. Navigation is very important to me as a fireman!
Marc Zeffren: To me, it's very important. I use my maps applications every day. On Android, Google Maps was amazing, but not so much on iOS. So I was happy when Apple added navigation when making its own maps app. I am not one of the ones who has been distraught over the app; it has worked great. It still doesn't have the best traffic info, and that is what I really need, so I use Waze. Even when Apple fixes the app, I'll still use Waze.
Tony Robinson: I bought the iPhone 5 on Verizon on launch day. However, I haven't used the Maps app one bit. Just a case of being busy and having no real need for it at this time.
Tom Fleming: It is quite important to me. I use Google Maps on my phone rather frequently. The fact that I know I can trust it to have complete accurate directions and, the vast majority of the time, accurate traffic information is a huge deal to me. As I travel frequently for work and am in the car in areas I do not know this is extremely important.
Andrew Clausen: Depends on your perspective. Maps control so much in the Android OS especially with Google Now. But as for turn by turn directions, I have Garmin so not very much.
Andrew Allen: I don't use it daily, or really that often, but I believe having a good, reliable maps/navigation feature should be a standard on any smartphone at this point. I do use mine when travelling quite a bit and it's a life saver to not have to accommodate for a dedicated GPS unit. I do feel Apple made a strategic mistake by using development cycles for a non-essential function like the fly over view. They should have focused on the map data itself for the first release and not making it "cool".
Kayla Ward: Maps are invaluable to me! At 22, I have somehow managed to go without getting my license. Therefore, my knowledge of how to get places is very limited. I come with a sticker on my forehead, stating, "Requires public transit and biking maps to operate." I currently use a Lumia 800, and the Nokia Maps does me good with its public transit mode. However, because South Bay runs short on bike lanes, I resort to Google Maps on my laptop or GMaps app on my phone. In short, I am oh so happy I don't have iOS 6!
How important is having GPS nav on your phone to you? Chime in in our comments!
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