I’ve been using Google Maps for years, since before Apple released its own map apps. When Apple Maps was first released, I found it very hard to read; there wasn’t enough contrast between roads and backgrounds, and texts were tiny. That’s improved a bit since the initial release, but not much.
Every now and then I try out Apple Maps, when looking for a certain location or a specific type of business. I tried again recently, to see if Apple had improved things with the releases of iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.
Here’s an example. There are three pubs near me. I searched for pubs in both Apple Maps (where it’s a preset category) and in Google Maps (where I just typed the word “pub.”) Here’s what Apple Maps told me:
And here’s Google Maps’ results:
As you can see, Google Maps knows about all three pubs; Apple Maps only knows about one (and not the best one, at least for food).
This is what I find for anything I search. Look for restaurants, gas stations, any type of business, and you won’t find as many locations in Apple Maps as in Google Maps.
Some people in the US have told me that it is very complete over there, but others here in the UK have confirmed that they have similar problems. Apple doesn’t create its own map data; they license it from various companies. I’m sure those companies, which sell GPS devices in the UK, have excellent data, so why doesn’t it filter into Apple Maps?
Also, when I moved to the house where I currently live, a bit more than a year ago, I looked at many of the businesses around my area, and in Stratford-upon-Avon, and submitted a number of corrections to Apple through their Maps app. Apple did fix these, and relatively quickly, but what surprised me was the number of corrections I was able to make in a very short time. Most of these were businesses that were not in the right location; I didn’t add any businesses that I didn’t find on the map.
So, it’s back to Google Maps. It’s reliable, I can trust that when I’m looking for a place to eat or to fill my car’s tank, I’ll find what I want.