APPLE

Rebuilding Its “Worst Software Product” From The Ground Up: Maps

Every iPhone user from all over the world knows that “Apple has a map problem.” From misidentifying cities, geographic errors, minimal detailing to even failing to display locations, Apple users have seen it all. Moreover, Apple maps notorious for its jokes never received the status of a “navigation tool.”
Fast-forward to 2018, where Apple recently released its new iOS 12 beta, is now re-building a new Maps application from scratch. According to TechCrunch, Apple will use self-gathered data (from iPhones and cars packed with Apple sensors and cameras), and will begin launching the reformed app, starting with the next iOS 12 beta version.
Apple also revealed that it has been working on this project for last four years continually gathering data from vans loaded with Apple maps sensor, but keeping the privacy of the user at topmost priority by carefully blurring out faces and car license plates.
The re-building of Maps application also includes a new design. Thus, more geographic detailing like color enriched parks and woods, clear street differentiation, and more detailed icons and directions.
According to the report, The new Maps App will only record a user’s direction and speed data and will leave out the entire route. Apple calls it probe data, which will only be active when the location services are on. Therefore, improving traffic information real-time road conditions, road systems, new construction and changes in pedestrian walkways.
Privacy and security have now become the most talked issues of the year and Apple revealing that they have been collecting data “safely” would inevitably raise some eyebrows.
“We collect data — when we do it — in an anonymous fashion, in subsections of the whole, so we couldn’t even say that there is a person that went from point A to point B,” the post mentions.


Charanjeet Singh