Updated 28 Oct 2014
Apple
Maps
Snapshot: This GPS navigation app is pre-installed on iOS devices. But how well does it guide you from A to B?
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Test results
Overall score
Online search
On-road
Navigation
Ease of use
Good points
- Very good at finding urban destinations online.
- Very good at finding rural destinations online.
- Very good on-road performance.
- OK navigation.
- Excellent to use.
But
- Requires a mobile data connection – has no offline search or maps.
How we test
In the lab we determined how well the products located destinations and created routes. We searched for 15 urban and 10 rural destinations – a combination of addresses and points of interest – with and without a data connection. We then took each product on a road test, covering an urban and rural route (that took us out of mobile reception). We tested the visual and voice guidance, plus the ability of the app or device to reroute after a missed turn and continue guidance after a tunnel. We also assessed how easy they were to set up and use.
Price is taken from an October 2014 survey.
Overall score is comprised of:
- Offline search (40% of overall offline score) based on locating and routing to 15 urban destinations and 10 rural destinations with no mobile data connection.
- Online search (40% of overall online score) based on locating and routing to 15 urban destinations and 10 rural destinations with an active mobile data connection.
- On-road performance (20% of overall score) assesses the stability and accuracy of GPS signal, ability to reacquire a signal after a tunnel, and speed of route recalculation after a missed turn.
- Navigation (20%) assesses display clarity, map accuracy, spoken instructions, visual instructions and voice clarity.
- Ease of use (20%) assesses installation and setup, searching for destinations and selecting a route.
Key data
Model
Price guide
Specifications
Operating system
Features
Offline maps
Free map updates
AU maps included
Lane guidance
Speed limit warnings
Walking mode
Itinerary planning
Live traffic info
More Info
Notes
Availability
Member reviews
"Accuracy, who needs accuracy?"
16 Nov 2014, Scott M.
Product use: 6 months or more
Pros:
In some instances in European cities it was better at identifying walking routes than the Google Maps app.
Cons:
In Western Europe last year I switched regularly between this and the Google Maps app on my iPhone. This was the inferior choice the majority of the time. It seems to get place names confused - for example calling a town by the district name, or by the name of a suburb therein. In NZ, Cambridge is called Leamington until you zoom in enough.
Recommend it?
No, this product has too many drawbacks.
