Many times you will want to look at maps, but you're out in the middle of nowhere and don't have service. Although this feature isn't available for Apple Maps yet, you can save maps on Google Maps and look at them offline. To do this, look up your map in Google Maps, then type "ok map" in the search bar and hit search. This will give you an option to save the map to your places.
The Maps app in iOS 8 has a cool new feature - 3D Flyover tours of select cities, national parks and monuments. So far, Apple lists a little over 90 available tours, but not all of them are actually ready. There are cities you'd expect, like New York, Paris and London, and there are some you wouldn't, like Tulsa and Perugia, Italy. There are also some national parks like Yosemite, and monuments like Stonehenge. The tours also provide labels for points of interest.
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Apple's Maps manager Richard Williamson was fired after flaws in the mapping software "hurt" the iPhone 5, according to Bloomberg. Senior Vice President Eddy Cue fired Williamson, who oversaw the Apple Maps development, on Tuesday. Unnamed sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg Cue is planning to “install a new leadership team” to oversee the Maps application, and is seeking advice from outside mapping-technology experts TomTom NV.
Apple has been criticized for ditching Google Maps for its own inferior mapping software. The Maps debacle didn't hurt iPhone 5 sales, but it did force Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue a rare apology for an Apple product. The Apple Maps mess also prompted Nokia and Google to create rival mapping apps to be used with iOS devices. Nokia's HERE app is already available for download, while Google is expected to unveil its map application in the near future.
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Nokia plans to enter the Maps fray by bringing its own mapping application to iOS and Android devices. The company announced on Tuesday it is preparing to release a maps app called "Here" in the Apple App Store. The new application will be free for iPhone, iPad and iPod owners.
Nokia hopes offering the application free of charge to iPhone users will help keep the mapping platform competitive. Stephen Elop, chief executive of Nokia, said in an interview that the app needs users to help make the system smarter, but Nokia doesn't plan on giving all of its services away for free. For example, the City Lens app, which allows users to see information about a location when pointing the camera at it, will remain a Lumia phone exclusive.
“For the location platform to be at the highest quality, one needs scale, and you need as many different people contributing as possible,” Mr. Elop said. “Of course, Nokia will build apps, some of them unique to Lumia devices, that gain a competitive advantage for Nokia.”
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Inside Google sources told the Guardian they are "not optimistic" Apple will approve a new Google Maps app that is purportedly in the works for iOS devices. According to the Guardian source, Google is worried Apple will decide to save face by "moving forward in an effort to make its obviously inferior product better". However, CNET's Casey Newton believes the Guardian's sources "are almost certainly wrong," and I agree.
Apple's own CEO Tim Cook told iOS users to use Google or Nokia maps while Apple worked on "improving" its own Maps product.
"While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app."
