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Apple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps

Apple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/24/apple-maps-launches-on-the-web-to-challenge-google-maps/

Apple Maps is now available on the web via a public beta, which means you can now access the service directly from your browser.

Apple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps | TechCrunch

https://beta.maps.apple.com/

It doesn’t seem to support Firefox or mobile browsers, at least not.

Maps on the web is compatible with these web browsers

On your Mac or iPad

Safari

Edge

Chrome

On your Windows PC

Edge

Chrome

38 comments

Mereo

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Ah come on! Why no Firefox support?!?

Cheradenine

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I just tried it on a Firefox fork on Android. Works fine if you spoof the useragent.

I hate that bs

Luffy879

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For people like me who thought they have to hack into the Pentagon to spoof their Browser data: you can do that by using chameleon, an extension thats at least in the Firefox add on page

narc0tic_bird

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For a while Apple artificially blocked signing in to your Apple ID with physical passkeys (like a Yubikey) on Firefox even though the browser supported it just fine.

Their "iCloud for Windows" browser extensions didn't support Firefox either last time I checked (needed for syncing bookmarks and the password manager).

Steve

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I get it. It's still beta, and we're only like 2% of the market. Makes sense not to worry about us yet.

art

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Not compatible with Firefox is the fastest way to know they don't follow web standards. On brand.

cabbage

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I dislike Apple more than most people, and they are indeed terrible with standards in general, but with web standards they're doing the world a bit of a favour by pushing WebKit (based on KHTML) on all its users. WebKit is open source and used in for example GNOME Web.

Had it not been for Apple nobody would give a shit about creating websites that work outside of Chrome.

Vash63

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2% and shrinking with every major service that isn't compatible

pop

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Then we'll make our own fedi-services with blackjack and hookers, someday… One can dream.

davel

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🤷‍♂️ It’s in beta, so I wouldn’t assume that support won’t get added.

Burn_The_Right

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I would. Apple has a long history of intentionally crippling its services on Firefox.

TheFrirish

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What is this shit?

Oh wow another proprietary maps service that uses opensource data that's years late! wow amazing!

shoki

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apple maps uses openstreetmap underneath? but I think they add a lot of other data like traffic and poi details

Zwiebel

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If you wanna degoogle, https://www.openstreetmap.org is the way to go.

For your phone:
https://organicmaps.app (simple, easy to use)
https://osmand.net (more features)
https://www.magicearth.com (proprietary, with traffic info)

azron

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Trade one master for another. All these companies have the same playbook on a slightly shifted timeline.

Reddfugee42

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...profit?

burble

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I'm confused, because doesn't Duckduckgo Maps already use Apple Maps?

Dave

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Kagi Maps has it as an option too. And it works on Firefox. 🤷

Camilo

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I didn't know Kagi had a maps functionality. It's interesting, but I couldn't find a way for it to tell me public transportation directions, the only reason I keep using Google Maps...

Dave

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Yeah I can only find driving directions. I've come across other apps over the years but only ones on Google Play Store. I don't think I've seen any mobile apps that are open source and do my region.

Luffy879

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„tired of sucking one Multimillion Dollar companys balls? Just Suck the balls of another!“

faizalr

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Can't open it because I'm on Linux and Firefox.

bhez

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It won't open in Brave on Linux either.

faizalr

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Seems like they developed it for specific browsers.

Sir_Kevin

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Seems like I won't be using their bullshit.

redditReallySucks

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Seems like they ~~developed it for~~ arbitrarily locked it down to specific browsers using the user agent.

ppb1701

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@davel In my area Apple Maps is usually better than Google Maps.

ThirdWorldOrder

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I remember when Apple Maps was a joke. These days it’s just simply better than google maps. Never thought I’d say that.

Roopappy

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That happens a lot to Google products.

ppb1701

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@ThirdWorldOrder Same, I remember trying it early on and it was awful

nokturne213

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I switched to iPhone about 18 months ago and refused to use Apple Maps at first. I tried Apple Maps when they added offline maps (I live in rural NM and that is a must). I hardly use Google maps any longer now.

Getting a place updated in Apple Maps is proving to be a a little more difficult than it was in Google maps though.

Zwiebel

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They managed to import OpenStreetMap data

satanmat

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Tee hee. Not supporting iPhone? Yes it has an app …. I just find that really funny.

Safari and (chromium) browsers. Huh

Drusas

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lol, I didn't even know that it wasn't available on the web.

pupbiru

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i’m confused… apple maps wasn’t available on the web? you’ve been able to send apple maps links forever, and they’ve had an embedding api where you could embed apple maps into web pages :/

shasta

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At least not.

kionite231

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I really hope they will release an Android app :)

Zwiebel

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OrganicMaps already exists :p