Apple map is 4 years old.
Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi, Apple's executives responsible for Internet services and software, have few opportunities to talk about the "profits and losses" of the map business. After the interview record was not read, I grabbed the iPhone and opened the folder named “Apple†(the Apple Preset Software where FaceTime, stocks, etc. were thrown into the cold room), and moved the “map†to the first screen. s position.
Like most people, Apple Maps is not my preferred map application. But I decided to use Apple Maps for a while. Apple executives said that it was because of the map that Apple decided to open Beta testing of the iOS system to ordinary consumers. I'm using iOS 10 just upgraded to the 6th Public Beta, so I can use iOS 10 in advance. Thanks to this product.
Why do you have to do maps, why did you make a bad map and why the map is difficult to do, this time Apple finally gave the answer.
Why must maps be done?Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi were interviewed together. However, Apple’s usual public relations strategy is “There can only be one voice outside†and both have done so, so I put together their ideas. They said that Apple’s management discussed it for a long time and whether it should be regarded as a “third-party softwareâ€. The final conclusion is that the map is so important that it must be done on its own.
They explained that maps are a very critical part of the iOS platform experience. Many iPhone software features rely on this technology, which is why the mobile Internet is called "mobile". Apple cannot tolerate its own control over this technology.
Four years ago, in 2012, Apple replaced Google Maps with its own mapping software to provide default mapping and location services for the iOS platform. However, because the performance of this map product is far from that of Google Maps, the “much wrong†has been widely criticized once it is launched. A few weeks later, CEO Cook published rare public letters, apologized for map quality issues, and promised to continue to improve maps and make world-class products.
Why did a bad map come out?It is not easy for Apple to admit that it has made a bad product. Two executives told the Fast Company that Apple underestimated the complexity of doing maps. Initially, Apple treated the map as an ordinary product and sent a group to do it. Later, I gradually learned the difficulty of doing maps and understood the need to mobilize the power of the entire company. Today, Apple has thousands of employee service map businesses (the original "We have thousands of people working on Maps").
They revealed that Apple even changed the way it developed software because of the "map" application. If it is not a "map" application, Apple will not open Beta version of iOS system software to ordinary consumers. In the past, Apple did not need to use this method to get feedback from massive users. They said that the maps are different. "Our internal employees find it easy to use them at the headquarters of Apple. It does not mean that users all over the world will find it useful."
Why is the map difficult to do?The two executives said that on this earth, only Google and Apple companies are doing maps in a completely new way, and all other companies doing maps are old-fashioned . The old-fashion way is to drive a surveying car on the road, take pictures, and analyze satellite pictures. The difference between each is only how high the frequency of surveying and mapping.
Apple's approach is not the same. For their example, hundreds of millions of iPhones are moving around every day, and where the road is broken, they can find it for the first time. Where there is a golf course (where the proportion of people who open golf-related apps suddenly rises), they can also learn quickly. These UGC data can greatly improve the traditional map products and make the map different every second. “Development†never stops.
Then it is very expensive to make a map, and there is no reliable business model for map products. As mentioned above, Apple has invested thousands of employees in maps. The investment in these invisible direct returns is very large. Only Apple and Google, which are not bad money and have excellent UGC data, can make map products into the next generation.
to sum upI asked the person in charge of a certain map in China. He agrees with the value of the data generated by the iPhone. He calls it "active or passive UGC data and has an advantage in the event perception of the map" and believes that the future of the map mapping industry will develop. The trend must be combined with big data. At present, domestic surveying and mapping companies have also noticed this problem.†Finally, he also reminded us that Apple’s old fashioned map making method is still indispensable. To replace traditional surveying and mapping methods, it is nonsense."
The value of the map is self-evident. When the apple said that he and Google do the concept of maps leading the world. Our understanding is that, first of all, the map is the largest realization of "Augmented Reality AR" and "Virtual Reality VR" technologies. The capital and personnel input can be imagined. This is not explained. Then, the previous map was based on static data. The main point of competition in the future is dynamic data. Apple and Google are indeed leading.
Cooke said in an open letter that "Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world." Four years have passed, maybe we should As a result of time-testing, the fruit company did not approach its own goal.
Reference reading:
Lessons from the "Learn Apple to Make a Product" Map
"Apple learns to make products" Apple Watch heart rate sensor
"Learn Apple to make a product" starts from the unpopular iMac