Apple Maps vs Google Maps - Difference In Nav View When No Destination Set

Software
1

I’ve noticed a difference between Apple Maps and Google Maps that has bothered me a bit and I was wondering if it what I’m observing is a setting that can fix the issue or an oversight by Apple Maps.

Some times when I use Apple CarPlay and fire up the navigation (Google Maps or Apple Maps), I don’t always put in a destination because it is a short ride around town and I know where I’m going. When I do this on Google Maps, this is the view I get. Notice that it is at ‘street level’ so I can see the path my car is on and the streets that I am passing even though I have not indicated a destination in “Directions”.

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When I do the same with Apple Maps, I get a much ‘wider’, regional type of view that is a less detailed view of where I am. To me, this makes no sense. The only way I can get the ‘street level’ view, in the same manner as with Google Maps, is when I actually put a destination into Apple Maps. Does anyone know if there a setting of some sort in Apple Maps to enable this more detailed/informative view when I don’t have a destination set?

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2

If I’m away from my house it will show Home as the suggested destination and show the entire route. If I tap the X to reject that as a destination it zooms me to my current location with details. This is in a Mustang Mach-E with a large portrait screen.

3

That’s how Apple Maps works in general too. I find it annoying as well, but I’m not aware of any setting to change it.

4

I don’t believe there’s a setting, it’s the way each individual developer/product team have decided to show the information.

I too would prefer the Google Maps view, I would guess that the Apple Maps view would use less data though.

5

If you tap on the map (in Apple Maps) it shows some on screen buttons. Two of these let you zoom in and out. I keep mine set to being quite zoomed in and it looks similar to the view you get in Google Maps. It looks vertically down on the map (not the 3D view that Google gives) but you can see the names of the streets around where you are. That’s the only way I have found to get Apple Maps to get close to the view you show in Google when no route has been set.

6

The reply by @darranwest above is correct - Apple Maps is not zoomed as much as Google Maps when it launches. In addition, the map controls that are overlaid on the view by tapping the screen include a wedge-shaped arrow, which toggles the map view from the region view to the first-person. If you put it in first-person and zoom in, you will be able to watch the names of the streets you cross as you drive.

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Can’t see the speed limit unless a destination is set in Apple Maps. I asked Siri for the speed limit on the road I was traveling on and she gave me the definition of “speed limit”. :grinning:

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Waze will beep if you exceed the speed limit and, IMO, has the best traffic info.

Sometimes I will run Waze in the background for traffic info, and use Apple or Google maps for navigation.

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