Getting from point A to point B is an important task for many people today. But which navigation app is the most trustworthy? For roughly a decade or more Google Maps and Apple Maps have been in competition to fill the number one spot for navigational apps. Deciding on which application is the best for navigation is all dependent on what services the app offers and what a person wants to achieve from it. From a business standpoint, you need to be listed on all apps to ensure you are staying in front of your customers and above your competition.
Who Can Use the Apps?
Apple Maps is a navigational app that is restricted to only Apple products such as iPads, Mac books, and, iPhones. Anyone without access to an apple product will not be able to use the application. Google, however, is the exact opposite. You can find Google maps on virtually any device including Apple products. So, someone with a new device could pull up google's map hassle free and without restrictions.
Features on Apple Maps
Apple has made claims that Apple Maps has hundreds of millions of people using their navigational application. Which sounds like quite a big number. But comparing it to Google's billions of users it quite a small number. Apple preinstalls the navigational app on the Apple made devices. The map layout for the app is neat and has a minimal number of locations when pulling the map up. To find more places on the map it needs to be zoomed in or can be searched for. This makes the map layout look uncluttered, eye pleasing, and easier to view. The interface of the app is, in a way, simplified like the map layout. The Apple map has an interface revolving around simplicity. The recent search history along with saved locations and the nearby locations for eating or gas are all available in one place when expanding the search bar. This puts everything into one area making items easier to locate. The navigational features of the app are easy to read and follow as well. It will tell the distance of the travel destination, the current estimated time of arrival and the fastest and safest route to take. It also offers a hands free mode for driving which can be activated with Siri. The app also has access to the real-time traffic data and will give a warning if there are road closures or heavy traffic within the chosen route. The app will also let a person report any problems that are faced on the road from accidents to just general driving hazards. The app has some top-notch privacy settings that won’t allow information to be run through a server but is stored on the phone itself giving peace of mind that information isn't being used. Within the app you can also access a feature called apple reviews. Apple reviews works by clicking on one of the place markers on the map which will bring up third-party reviews from places like Yelp and TripAdvisor. Apple is still currently working on apple reviews by adding an “add photo” option which will allow users to upload pictures directly to the pin point on map itself.
Features on Google Maps
Logging into a Google account on a smart device will sync all the data to Google Maps and within that data includes the driving history and the favorite locations. The map layout of Google’s navigational app is comparable to Apple in some ways. However, the map has many more locations upon opening the map layout than Apple does. Google, unlike Apple has a different approach for the interface. The access buttons and useful toolbars are located on the bottom and top rows of the layout instead of being combined into one area. Google and Apple both have a very similar navigational features as they both keep progress of the travel. However, Google has the option to add multiple stops on-route ahead of time. The app has real-time traffic data just like apple and will give you the same options to report problems and be aware of road closings. Although both apps are similar when it comes to traffic data, Google has a commute feature. This feature will allow a person to set up home and work locations and when tapping on the commute button it will advise you of the journey and what to expect. On top of the commute feature the app will also allow you to adjust a departure time and arrival time within it. Apple does not offer this feature and a person would have to add a travel time and date to the calendar. The app does more than just giving directions, it also has a discovery button that will show local items such as gas stations and stores. The app displays this button in plain view and has quite the list of options to choose from unlike Apple. Apple does have the upper hand on privacy settings. When traveling the information that is searched or wherever the person goes is in return routed through the Google servers.
Which Map Application is Better?
Apple has released some features on their mapping system that Google already had. One example being "look around" which is a 360 degree view of the street. This can be compared to Google's feature called "street view." Apple is trying to update their maps to be more efficient like Google's version. Even with all of the updates Apple has released and plans to input more in the future Google has made it clear they are going to be releasing some features that the eyes have never bestowed. The future of navigation has never been more exciting with the newer and more innovative technologies available. But yet, the questions remains. Which navigational app is the best, Google or Apple? For a person wanting more privacy and less features Apple is the best choice. But for a more well-rounded experience Google's navigational app has more features and is available on many devices unlike its competitor.