The subject was the subject of much discussion in episode # 232 of On Air. Why, even with money left in the box, Apple's maps continue to evolve at a turbulent pace, especially when compared to the evolution of its main competitor, Google Maps? Most likely only those who are working directly with the service know the answer, but today Apple has taken an important step towards resolving part of this problem.
As reported by the iGeneration (Google Translate), the company is launching a new program in which people can sign up and receive a small reward for each correction / verification they make to points of interest and place marks on maps.
Also according to the French website, volunteers will receive about US $ 0.54 per correction / verification, limited to a maximum of 600 tasks per week (that is, a maximum of US $ 324 / week or US $ 1,296 / month). Apparently, the new system entitled TryRating it has been tested since the middle of last year and should be launched now in June. Apple would have selected some companies in each of the countries it operates to find these volunteers interested in participating in the program; such people must then enter the system and, within a defined area, categorize the results that appear on the screen with correct and quality information (addresses, locations, etc.).
System interface TryRating, in which users correct information on Apple mapsIt is quite possible that more than one volunteer analyzes and classifies the same area, in order to have a consistency of that data. The company then takes this data and simply puts it online.
Not all details of this program are known, but that alone gives us an idea of ​​the improvement potential for the Maps application. As we discussed in our podcast, a service of this size necessarily needs a collaborative / collective contribution to be successful, whether paid or unpaid and to always be kept up to date, quickly.
Of course, this alone will not solve the problem as a whole, but without a doubt it is quite a step towards having a more reliable Maps app. And that snowball starts: the more reliable, the more people using it; the more people using it, the more feedback and corrections, making the service even more reliable
Public transport information in the Netherlands
On a related note, public transport information on Maps is now available in the Netherlands.
Users now have information on intercity train lines, bus routes, trams and ferries. With the data, Apple Maps can now alert users to possible delays or even service interruptions, helping users a lot in route planning.
via 9to5Mac, MacRumors
