Apple Maps Replace Google Maps for Find My iPhone in iCloud Beta
iPhone users can now locate their devices on Apple Maps instead of Google Maps with Find My iPhone app in iCloud Beta Web site.
The public edition of icloud.com is still powered by Google Maps and the transition from Google Maps to Apple Maps was noticed by iPhoneBlog.de, a German Blog.
A test conducted by Appleinsider showed some interesting results where the version with Google Maps transferred around 4 MB of data while Apple Maps transferred 400 kilobytes for a single request.
Apart from Apple Maps based on vectors appearing neater, both maps have the same usage and performance. Apple Maps uses data from few different sources, one of which is TomTom, a GPS device manufacturer. Also, a couple of minor user interface alterations are made like Zoom button that can be found in the lower right corner instead of upper left and the center map button cannot be found at all.
Google Maps is still being used by Apple for its Retail Store Locator, which might change soon since Apple unveiled its own Web-based maps.
Even after two years of its launch, Apple Maps struggle to catch up with Google Maps for which, according to Appleinsider, the former Chief of iOS Scott Forstall was fired.
Apple is very keen on improving its maps since last September as folks at Apple Maps were searching for a Web user interface designer to work on "front-end code for a new secret project," according to MacRumors.
Apple patent published in December 2013 talked about "Interactive Map," which confirmed Apple's intention to win back the user base it lost to Google Maps.
Apple's Interactive Map would let the users view "layers of information" from the internet and give options of selecting the modes like tourism, commute, weather and more, according to Appleinsider.
This Interactive Map, most probably, will be one of the killer features of Apple's much awaited iPhone 6, with which the users can get real-time accurate directions.