IOS 6: Overview of Plans

The application plans had changed very little since its appearance on the first iPhone in 2007. Apple offers iOS June 1 brand new version which not only adds the missing feature in Apple's mobile system with a full GPS navigation software, but who gives more Google Maps.

Apple abandons Google Maps

If you used to use the previous application, you will be a bit disoriented at first launch of the new version. Apple has significantly altered the appearance of cards for a record that can be described in more light. Google Maps tended to display a large amount of information on the screen; Plans iOS 6 is rather lighter, with a more pronounced enhancement of important elements.

In the example above, it is clear that only the main roads (in this case primarily the peripheral Lyon) are highlighted by a thick line iOS 6. With the old application, other information were added: some boulevards in the city, the numbers of districts, etc..

This simplicity is welcome in cities, even if it sometimes involves more than before using the zoom to find all the information. In less dense areas, however, plans are often faulted compared to Google Maps. In this example, Apple does not show nearly the forest actually present there, but the road has almost completely disappeared. Google Maps however ignores the forest, but shows roads but also roads, thus maintaining a hierarchy essential when looking his way.

To conclude this brief overview, the satellite view has not really evolved. Apple did not send in the sky his own devices; we find the satellite views offered by traditional suppliers. The manufacturer has applied a different shade, but there are such different tiles, like on this big new instance.

The Plans, it is also the aerial view in three dimensions. Apple has largely put forward during the conference and it is true that the result is pretty impressive ... but rare. The function is active only on a few major cities in the world, and even then only on the inner city. The centers of San Francisco and Sydney are in 3D, but neither London nor Paris, nor the majority of places that you interest. when the 3D reconstruction is not available, you will at least a vague 3D effect that is not unpleasant in map mode, failing to be truly useful. Incidentally, note that if 3D mode is quite effective on the new iPad, it is hardly supported by iPhone 4S. Plans still need to be optimized to be quite useful, while Apple announced that it will not be available on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4.Google provided data for older versions of plans and you could then as the site of Google Maps, display a view in the streets. This feature, called Street View, disappeared in iOS 6. Instead, you can use the 3D view with compatible satellite cities, but if the record is far from pleasant, the result is short to say the least disconcerting ... Frankly, this lack of Street View bother anyone appreciate this feature in the iPhone and this is undoubtedly the biggest downside of Plans iOS 6. We appreciate, however, new information sheets for points of interest. Apple taps into the database to display photos and Yelp reviews. It is useful and enjoyable, but it will be especially useful in the U.S., France, the information is often scarce ... and English.

Last point to note about the data, Apple uses the Tele Atlas database, the same as for GPS TomTom. The idea is to build a good solid application and provide efficient routes, but plans are still less reliable in finding points of interest.

iOS 6 sometimes fails where iOS 5 was the result the first time. It's a bit disappointing, although Apple offers its users to correct mistakes by a system that can raise a problem. A short form then allows correct information associated with a place, or to add one.