New maps are terrible.

[Martin Zone]

So arrived with the CU, the new maps experience surfaced.
Ugly, laggy, slow bitmap maps (or they are vector with terrible rendering).
Just horrible.
Like a children's colourbook.
:unhappy:

With every update experience is worse and worse...

 

[anthonyng]

@Martin Zone Just to be on the same page and seeing the same thing, this is what looks bad to you?

 

[Martin Zone]

Yes, it looks nice, from a bird view. Same as former maps, this is the best view, for a show off maybe.
But comparing to before, rendering is slower with noticeable lag (950xl), street graphic does not have professional feel, but I can understand, they do not use here data any more, only bing. Just saying it's worse (subjectively).

 

[wgrs]

They are still using Here, depending on the country.

But it's buggy as hell. Now you cannot switch off the display saving battery. Voice directions will stop and when you switch on the display again, the app often has crashed. Nice on the highway, driving to a parking lot and set up the routing again.

So much better years ago under Symbian.

 

[garisa]

So they don't use HERE data anymore? Are you sure about that? So on AU it's HERE, while on CU it's Bing Maps?

What I noticed first in my case is that searching for addresses doesn't work as before when offline, even though I have downloaded the map. Also the map is not being displayed nicely in my case. I will share some screenshots later when I'm on Wi-Fi, and when I see your screenshots. Some see it nicely, some don't. It looks with prettier for example than on my laptop on CU than on my phone with CU. But I have this issue with searching for streets and addresses when (completely) offline on both of my devices. Still, some say they don't have this issue with searching...

Also, navigation stops of you turn off the screen...

So my conclusion is, no matter if Maps look prettier or uglier, it's worse when we look at what's under the hood.

I have a Lumia 730 by the way. I got upgraded to CU by insider, and now I'm on production. (Though I may have to rejoin insider when another build comes if I want to get that build, since it's not officially supported phone for CU.)

Sent from mTalk on Windows 10 phone

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

Meanwhile, Here on an iPhone is smooth and stable. The routing can be a bit off the beaten path though, especially in New York, so always end up using Google Maps instead.

On a side point, I still have an old 1020 and 1520 on WP 8.1, with Here installed. I've played with them recently, and they still seem to work.......okay? I haven't tested them on a drive though. Is Here on 8.1 pulling from updated maps data or is that a dead end?

 

[anthonyng]

@Martin Zone, yea I do feel it could be faster to load the information when looking around, but once loaded, it's pretty smooth. I have 950xl too. I didn't realize that in 3d view, you can see the map in elevation, hilly areas are raised accordingly. lol

Would like to see what you mean about street graphic not having a professional feel. What part is like a children's colouring book?

Also why do you say it doesn't use here data anymore, the app and online both show Here 2017. Am I missing something?

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

Now that W10 mobile isn't so much a priority any longer, I'm wondering how much commitment Microsoft will have for their own in-house Maps solution going forward.

 

[Martin Zone]

@anthonyng

This is a professional clean look before:




And this is just a slow rendering mess today (zoom level is the same):



Now I can agree that de gustibus non disputandum est, but my first opening of the maps app this morning, after the CU update was WTF? first because of noticeable lag (although maps data are offline downloaded) then because of nonpleasent appearance.
Maybe with time I'll get use to it, but so far, I'm disappointed.

 

[Martin Zone]

Not to mention how much the some map data are behind the current status (even for main arterial roads) for european countries which were OK before the update.
The data are for sure worse than before whatever they stated as the data providers. I really can't appreciate nicely looking elevation data if the route leading me unnecesarily 50 miles of course because there is no data about the nice bypass built a year and a half before...

 

[anthonyng]

@Martin Zone ah ok, we are on the same page about the maps look change. When I went to the CU release preview a few weeks ago my first thought was they changed the font and what not. I'm indifferent to the look... probably because it's not something I look at daily.

I do try to suggest edit whenever I get a chance. Both on bing.com/maps and from the maps app. These past months however, I'm not sure about their commitment to making updates. I know I used to get reply when my request got updated but lately no. And when no reply, sometimes I see that it's been updated lots of other times nothing.

From the maps app suggest a change, I get no email record of the request

I'll still submit when I see something, I just hope it's in a queue somewhere eventually being done!

 

[wraedeohed#WN]

The whole change, to maps not being able to run with the display off really pissed me off.

 

[anthonyng]

The whole change, to maps not being able to run with the display off really pissed me off.

Ok I finally tried it on a short 2 min drive. Really not good, I'm used to navigating with the screen off! Whelp, feedback it is, submit it folks. I'm sure they'll fix it.

 

[Drael646464]

@Martin Zone Just to be on the same page and seeing the same thing, this is what looks bad to you?

View attachment 135497 View attachment 135496

Had to go see this as the old maps were kinda basic. Looks great on the angled view. Could see how buildings might be slow to render though on a slow network. Probably needs a little optimisation.

 

[Drael646464]

Perhaps they need to reintroduce the old rendering as a "navigation mode".

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Not to mention how much the some map data are behind the current status (even for main arterial roads) for european countries which were OK before the update.
The data are for sure worse than before whatever they stated as the data providers. I really can't appreciate nicely looking elevation data if the route leading me unnecesarily 50 miles of course because there is no data about the nice bypass built a year and a half before...

Any map data being used is usually submitted and entered by ordinary users using Here maps creator website. I used to do that for my country - about 20000 edits

If people don't add and modify places on maps in your region, then your maps will be outdated - so it's really users who need to do something. MS don't have teams of people roaming along streets and roads checking info and modifying/adding as needed. It's people like you and me actually

Google maps would usually have the most info since it has the most users and hence proportionally the most editors

 

[Martin Zone]

Any map data being used is usually submitted and entered by ordinary users using Here maps creator website. I used to do that for my country - about 20000 edits

If people don't add and modify places on maps in your region, then your maps will be outdated - so it's really users who need to do something. MS don't have teams of people roaming along streets and roads checking info and modifying/adding as needed. It's people like you and me actually

Google maps would usually have the most info since it has the most users and hence proportionally the most editors

That's correct indeed and I very often submit changes, not to receive any answer or acknowledgement yet.
But that's not the point.
They stopped using Here data (compared that and Here data are much more ahead than the current map) and the graphic/rendering quality and experience has gone to bottom overnight.
On the other side I can understand that, probably is not feasible paying Here licences and APIs for 1000 phone users.

 

[anthonyng]

Hmm I don't see here maps listed here, unless it's a different name

https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/17831/about-bing-data-suppliers

 

[garisa]

Maps » Settings, scroll to the bottom, and you shall see this.

You can also go to Settings, and search for Offline maps, scroll to the bottom, and than you shall see this.

I hope this means they still use HERE data. Hopefully this worse quality of the maps is just some temporary issue... But who knows...

Sent from mTalk on Windows 10 phone

 

[anthonyng]

@garisa ya, and click on data suppliers on your last screenshot to goto the link I posted.