Cross Platform Maps

I have an iphone and a PC. Not a great combination. I used to have a WindowsPhone and a PC. After a bit of Android dabbling, I ended up with an iphone. There are good reasons for either choice.

Of course, each one of these points you towards an ecosystem. My own current thoughts are maps.

Google Maps, best on Android, you can use with the web and iphone. Assuming you are good with the privacy nightmare that is Google. However, the maps are good.

Apple Maps. Good for your iphone and a Mac. No Windows browser based maps. You can use DuckDuckGo and Apple Maps but lose functions.

Bing Maps. Great for my PC. No mobile option.

If you are sharing directions, then Google is the way to go. No point in planning a trip on Bing. It stays on your home PC.

Mapping feels like an ecosystem tie in. It is.

 

 

Conversation 7 comments

  • adlton

    18 April, 2022 - 10:01 am

    <p>You can try Here (WeGo) maps (formerly Nokia Maps)</p><p><br></p><p>They are rather good and they have offline maps on their phone apps.</p>

  • fp0n

    18 April, 2022 - 10:02 am

    <p>I’m a windows phone veteran that avoids google and moved to iPhone – I really wish there was a Bing Maps app for iPhone (or Apple Maps for Windows I suppose) – the duopoly makes it a non-starter to invest in the mapping area for anyone outside the mobile OS providers.</p>

    • dftf

      19 April, 2022 - 5:35 pm

      <p>It won’t be quite-the-same, but can’t you go into the <em>Safari </em>browser, go to the Bing Maps site, and then "install" that website as an icon on your homescreen (similar to the "Add to Home screen" option found in browsers on <em>Android</em> devices), or is pinning a website-shortcut to your homescreen not something that <em>Apple</em> allows?</p>

  • LauraGermada

    18 April, 2022 - 10:36 am

    <p><br></p>

  • jt5

    Premium Member
    18 April, 2022 - 12:18 pm

    <p>Have you tried Waze? I have had the best luck with that…</p>

    • darkgrayknight

      Premium Member
      18 April, 2022 - 5:03 pm

      <p>Waze is owned by Google, but it is much nicer to use than Google Maps directly (and also works with Android Auto–not much else does).</p><p>I like Here WeGo and usually have better luck with it when people say that GPS will get you lost, Here WeGo actually works.</p><p>I do wish Bing maps was available on Android and iOS, as the web application is really great for planning trips and would be nice to just use it directly on the phone after planning on a PC.</p>

  • j5

    Premium Member
    18 April, 2022 - 6:12 pm

    <p>I’m an iPhone user and I keep both Apple Maps and Google Maps installed. Sometimes one works better than the other (one of them might be having issues etc), when going on road trips I save my route on each one, I rarely share an entire mapped route with anyone I usually just text an address of where to meet, etc. this way they can pull up the address in their preferred mapping app. I’ve family members that are on iPhone and Android but some use Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze and some privacy focused mapping apps. So just sharing the address is easier.</p>

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