Some good replacements for Apple's Maps app
Sep. 22, 2012 at 1:14 PM ET
Question: I just upgraded to iOS 6 and I'm liking most of the new features. However, the new Maps app is terrible. Is there a good replacement that won't send me driving all over the place?
Answer: You're right — Apple's new Maps app doesn't seem to work that well in a lot of places. Everyone's results are going to vary, of course, but if you're looking for alternatives with a little more pedigree you have some great options. It really depends on what you use Maps for, and how much you're willing to spend. So, let's break it down a bit by the type of Maps user you are.
Get all the features of Apple's Maps (but better)
While the turn-by-turn navigation in Maps works really well, the maps themselves aren't that great. If you just want a simple voice navigated maps app that works properly, we really likeWaze because it's free, does traffic updates, has a great location search, and plenty more (pictured on the right).
Waze doesn't feature the lovely maps used in Apple's version, nor does it have the (not particularly useful) 3D views, but as far as navigation is concerned, it works really well. The bonus is that location search also works a lot better and offers more results than Maps. If you don't mind paying for an app, Navigon does a great job of navigation, has integrated Google business search, and just added public transit guides. It's currently on sale for $39.99.
Get transit directions and public transportation schedules
If you rely on public transportation for getting around town, Maps isn't going to do you any good. When you tap on the bus symbol in Maps, you're taken to a screen where you can download new apps. Even when you have one of the suggested apps installed, Maps kicks you out and sends you to another app for your directions.
Solutions for public transit woes vary depending on where you're located because there isn't a catch-all, great public transportation app that covers the entire country. The good news is that Maps is (kind of) smart enough to suggest apps in the location you're in.
If you don't want to futz about with all that, here's a few we've tried that work well:
- Lumatic City Maps: Lumatic City Maps supports 27 major major U. S. cities, and offers public transit and walking directions. It also directly integrates data from Yelp, Foursquare, Facebook, and more into your local business searches, provides traditional maps, and is very easy to follow. If you only take public transportation (and live in one of the 27 cities), Lumatic City Maps works great.
- Hopstop: If you live in one of the cities that Hopstop supports, then the Hopstop app is one of the cleanest, easiest to use transit navigation apps out there. It doesn't have a ton of features, but the schedules seem to be up-to-date, and the directions are easy to follow. Hopstop isn't integrated into Maps yet, but it works fine without it.
- Navigon: As mentioned above, Garmin's Navigon app also just added public transportation. If you mix up whether you drive or take public transportation, the $39.99 might not be a bad deal.
- Transit — Public Transit Trip Planner: If you know your way around the city and don't want to deal with directions, just routes, then we really like CG Transit. It doesn't have fancy features — just timetables and directions.
Again, as we mentioned, transit apps aren't exactly universal. If you don't live in a major metropolitan city, you'll have to dig a little further to see if your local transportation system has an app of its own. You should also try at least both Lumatic and Hopstop for yourself since they're free, and we couldn't test them in every city they support to see what works best.
Get Google Maps back — sort of
Of course, what many people really want is good old Google Maps back. It wasn't without its faults, but the fact it integrates driving directions, up-to-date maps, transit directions, biking and walking directions, and a robust business search, it's very much missed. Chances are Google will release their own version of the Maps app soon, but for now you can at least use the web version pretty easily.
- Open up Safari on your iPhone and head to https://maps.google.com/.
- Tap the export button in the bottom menu bar.
- Tap "Add to Home Screen.
- Name the icon, and tap "Add."
Now you get a direct home screen shortcut to the mobile version of Google Maps. It's not as good as a real app, but it does provide all the features of the original iPhone app in one easy place.
Make Apple Maps better
If you actually enjoy Apple's Maps app (it is nice to look at after all), you can contribute to making it better. You can do this in one of two ways. First off, you can report problems with mislabeled streets, satellite images, directions, or other problems:
- From the Maps home screen, tap the curled page on the bottom right side.
- Tap "Report a Problem" (right above the large "Print" button).
- Select Your problem, add any comments, and send it off.
The other problem with Maps is the fact it gathers most of its business data from Yelp, and that means it's missing a lot of locations. You can add locations in the process mentioned above (in the Report a Problem screen, tap "Location is Missing" and drag the purple pin to the address you want), or add locations directly in Yelp so they show up. Whether you're a small business owner, or you just want to make sure your favorite restaurant is in Apple Maps, adding it to Yelp will eventually get it into Maps.
That should do it. For a lot of people, Apple's move to its own mapping system has caused some serious problems, and the lack of transit directions is a big bummer even if you only use public transportation on rare occasions. The above methods will get you rolling in style again, and should keep you from making too many bad turns.
More from Lifehacker:
- How Can I Get My Messy Desktop Under Control?
- Which Password Manager Is The Most Secure?
- Can I Use FaceTime Over 3G/4G?
