Mark, I suspect it will not be any different with an iPhone 5. I have read several articles that indicate the Maps app really is not completely baked at this point and APple is still working on it. Although I am not clear why APple chose to use TomTom map data when there are better sources (other than Google) that could have been used. I believe this and other factors is what may be the real issue. There are some areas where the Maps app apparently works very well and just exploring my neighborhood while sitting in my basement I got a pretty good overview of the area. So, I guess there are a number of factors that will determine your experience and only time will tell how the Maps app will function. Maybe it'll become something great or something that gets pushed into the back folder with those other apps you don't use. :) Thanks for sharing your experience and it would be interesting to see what others have found.
On Sep 20, 2012, at 6:35 PM, M. Taylor <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello Everyone, > > NOTE 1: > I just returned from over 90 minutes of using the iOS 6.0 Maps App, via > VoiceOver, on my iPhone 4 S. I am extremely tired and uncomfortable as > today is a particularly hot day here in southern California. Normally, I > would post my results after a rest but want to report while the experience > is still fresh in my mind. So, if the following comes across as curt, > please accept my apology; I just want to get the facts, as I experienced > them, to you. > > NOTE 2: > Before heading out the door, I made sure my iPHone reported 100% battery > level. I turned my WiFi off and rebooted the phone for good measure. > > NOTE 3: > During the entire experience, my phone reported that I had a 4G connection. > This connection was never lost as I live in a part of town that, for better > or worse, is replete with A T & T Wireless cell towers. > > NOTE 4: > I only experimented with creating and using walking directions, not driving > directions. > > NOTE 5: > I did not use any Bluetooth connected accessories but, rather, only the > included Apple headset that ships with the 4 S. > > NOTE 6: > My initial positive test results, yesterday, were based on the fact that > Siri correctly announced my approach to a street at the beginning of a short > route. > > NOTE 7: > While it is not my intention to draw comparisons between the iOS 6.0 Maps > App and the Trekker Breeze, I will refer to the Breeze if for no other > reason than to informs those who may not know, that such features exist in a > GPS solution designed for the blind and low vision. > > Now that all that is out of the way let's get to it, shall we? > > 1. > I live about a quarter of a mile from the nearest street that is mapped. As > a result, when using my current location as the starting point, I could only > create a route when standing in a certain position in my driveway. In order > to consistently create a route, I had to walk up to the street that is > mapped. While this is not a deal breaker, by any means, Trekker can provide > off-map guidance. > > 2. > My first experiment was to not create a route but, instead, set tracking to > on plus headings and then just walk down the street. While Maps, as I will > refer to it from this point forward, reported that I was approaching an > intersection, it did not do so consistently. In fact, it inconsistently > listed some streets while omitting others. I should also let you know that > the accuracy of the street name announcements were dismal, at best. That is > to say, as a low vision person, I could see the intersections and compare > what I saw to when information was reported. It appeared to me that the > longer I walked, the more inaccurate and/or sluggish Maps became. Please > note that I conducted some experiments multiple times in order to discern > any patterns. > > NOTE 8: > Just in case you're wondering, there were no tall building, clouds, or any > kind of obstructions blocking my view of the sky. > > NOTE 9: > The compass, during all my experiments, was dead on. It was perfectly > accurate and the most responsive. > > 3. > Next, I created several walking routes. I deliberately chose destinations > by which one may only travel in one direction. That is to say, all of the > streets, along the route, dead-end into others. To my astonishment, Maps > got them all wrong. In one test, the directions were reversed. For example > instructing me to turn left when I could only turn right. In another > experiment, it listed streets that were simply not there. > > 4. > Whenever I attempted to view the list of directions, which by the way did > not dynamically update, tracking would switch to off. This was maddening, > to put it nicely. > > 5. > When reporting my current location, compass headings notwithstanding, the > only thing Maps consistently got right was the city. Sometimes it reported > the correct street but not enough to trust, were I totally blind and in an > unfamiliar environment. > > 6. > Even though I have my screen brightness set to only 40%, at the end of the > 90 minutes of walking, my battery level was 62%. > > In conclusion, based on what I experienced today, I would not recommend Maps > as a GPS walking navigation solution for the blind and low vision on iPhone > 4 S. It will be interesting to see how iPHone 5 does in comparison. > > I hope some of you find this report useful. As is always the case, your > mileage may vary. > > Making a Joyful Noise, > > Mark > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en.
