5 Steps to Fix Apple Maps

Apple is not ceding the mapping crown to Google just yet. While Cupertino was forced to issue a mea culpa last fall after Apple Maps within iOS 6 proved to be a complete disaster, the company is clearly not resting on its laurels, making two mapping-related acquisitions in recent days.

That includes Toronto-based Locationary, a crowdsourced location-data firm that functions like a Wikipedia for local business listings. Using crowdsourcing and data exchange platform Saturn, Locationary collects, merges, and verifies information on companies around the world.

Then there's HopStop, a well-known site to those of us who rely on public transportation. At this point, Apple's options in this arena are abysmal, so here's hoping HopStop can help city dwellers with iOS better navigate from point A to point B.

But even with Locationary and HopStop, there are still a few things that need to be fixed within Apple Maps. Google is still miles ahead on those little extras that make it an awesome service, from photos to nearby attractions.

It remains to be seen whether or not iOS 7 irons out any of the major problems with Apple Maps. There's an " iOS in the Car " component that integrates iOS with your in-dash system and offers Apple Maps-based turn-by-turn directions. Here's hoping you don't end up stranded in the middle of the desert.

Check out the slideshow for a few things Apple needs to work on when it comes to Maps and how it might accomplish that, and let us know in the comments about what you'd like to see from Cupertino.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422101,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000993

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