Google Maps is testing a new ad format that gives users the option to add a stop for a sponsored location during navigation.
  • Luci@lemmy.caEnglish
    88·
    1 year ago

    Is it too much to ask for an app that just does one single thing. Everything doesn’t need to be an advertising platform.

      • Luci@lemmy.caEnglish
        9·
        1 year ago

        The only line I care about is the line that takes me from A to B

    • moontorchy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Interesting to observe how our intuition is failing us while dealing with digital products. When someone gives you something for free on the street, naturally you get suspicious and start asking yourself “where is the catch?” But when there’s a free app - no second thought. Everyone is using it so it must be ok. Well, Google and Facebook are nothing but glorified advertising agencies. The whole reason of their existence is to make money on ads. Edited: typos.

  • ilickfrogs@lemmy.worldEnglish
    66·
    1 year ago

    Damn Google be speed running how quickly they can make me replace all their services. Google Maps and Youtube are about the only 2 I still use.

    • HessiaNerd@lemmy.worldEnglish
      45·
      1 year ago

      They used to have a reputation for employing smart people… Dumbass middle managers took over a while back and started making the stupidest decisions.

  • soratoyuki@lemmy.worldEnglish
    49·
    1 year ago

    I’ve been getting a lot of ‘suggested’ locations and sponsored pop ups in Google Maps the few weeks. I get that it’s a ‘free’ product, but ugh. My GPS while I’m driving down the highway is one of those things that really, really needs to be clutter-free.

  • UmeU@lemmy.worldEnglish
    462·
    1 year ago

    Edit/update from 9to5google so this post does not spread what is apparently inaccurate information:

    I know we are desperate for content here on Lemmy, and I can google hate circle jerk with the best of them, but maybe just delete the post if it is a complete clickbait lie… you could also reword the post as a fact check, ‘no, google isn’t injecting adds into maps.’

    • flop_leash_973@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      66·
      1 year ago

      Sure, I could. But I wanted to leave the original post as it was for transparency. I figured that was the most “open” thing to do.

      • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.worldEnglish
        132·
        1 year ago

        You can edit titles on Lemmy, make say “BS journalists throwing google under the bus to get more ad revenue from google ads.”

      • UmeU@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        Fair enough, but reading the comments it appears your edit isn’t explicit enough, or people just read the headlines I guess.

  • Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.worldEnglish
    42·
    1 year ago

    I dont know if i can keep using google stuff if this is the way they are going.

    Why does everything have to be a fucking advert.

    Who even likes adverts?

    Just fuck off.

    • thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      Google expected infinite growth in a finite system. Now that the growth is slowing they are trying to increase yield from their current pool of resources instead.

      • Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        Why dont these companies accept theybarent worth as much any more and just provide less services until they balance off.

        The stuff they cant afford to provide could be taken on by someone else. Being a one company does all type master of none sort of thing is clearly bad for society and the economy.

        I dont really know what im talking about but i just dont get why they see losses and an end to growth but take the position of “we need to find a way to keep this going” instead of “we need to sell off things until our company is making money again, even if its less money”

        • thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          In the US everyone just wants to see the line go up, they don’t care how it happens. They are beholdent to a corrupt and inept class of disconnected aristocrats that don’t know their face from their ass

          • Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            I dont think it’s unique to the US, companies in other countries have to play the same game or be lost to obscurity.

  • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
    35·
    1 year ago

    Gmaps has been actual hot trash for way the hell too long now.

    GraphHopper, OSRM, and Valhalla all blow Google’s shitty routing algorithm out of the water.

    OSMAnd really the only mobile app competitor worthy of putting gmaps out of its misery. The only problem is it still uses a renderer from the stone age and has lackluster address data despite the fact that said data is available for free online from several open source mapping projects (there’s some nice github scripts that can import ir for you).

    Garmin forgot to invest in mobile technology. Sygic went to crap. Waze is just Gmaps+. Maps.me died even harder than Sygic.

    It’s 2024 and yet some of the best navigation tech I’ve seen is from 15+ year old devices.

    Edit: Also Android Auto can go to hell.

      • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        +1 for Organic Maps though I feel it’s lacking in some basic features.

        Still renders much better and smoother than OSMAnd.

        • manmachine@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          1 year ago

          Yeah. OsmAnd (at least for me) suffers from the rather typical opensource thing that it can do lots of things and can be configured in a myriad of specific ways, and to use it you have to dive into it to configure them; Organic Maps, on the other hand, does less, but much slicker and simpler.

    • hogmomma@lemmy.worldEnglish
      112·
      1 year ago

      I’ve been using Gmaps since forever and can say I’ve never had any problem with it. I mean, it took me to the business office instead of the main entrance to a theme park once, but I can hardly fault it for that. Calling it actual hot trash just seems so out of nowhere to me. It’s a fine product that I’ve had great experience with.

        • hogmomma@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          It’s great on road trips! About a decade ago, my wife and I loaded up the car and just sorta started heading south. We were on the road for about four weeks using nothing but Yelp and Gmaps. It was great!

      • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        1 year ago

        Practically speaking, a dedicated head unit that runs its own software or a head unit that simply mirrors the output from a phone.

        Both exist but the former has become rare in terms of quality UI and Navigation

    • Aux@lemmy.worldBannedBanned from communityEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      Nothing beats Google Maps because Google Maps is the only app that can reliably navigate you using public transport, walking and cycling all over the world.

  • Blue0x@programming.devEnglish
    351·
    1 year ago

    The moment this starts happening to me, I’m going to start giving every single sponsored stop I see a 1 star review.

    • HootinNHollerin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Excellent idea. I give gas stations that play loud video ads 1 star and don’t go back. I give places that ask for a tip for a to-go order 1 star as well

    • Zron@lemmy.worldEnglish
      13·
      1 year ago

      Bought iPhone last year.

      Tried Apple Maps the first week.

      Put in address to friend’s new condo building.

      Took me to a parking lot behind a grocery store next to the building, and then acted like I could drive through an old wooden fence to get to the condos.

      5/10 I only had to drive to the other end of the block to find the only entrance to the property.

    • zewm@lemmy.worldEnglish
      131·
      1 year ago

      I’m sorry but as long as Apple Maps rely on and force you to install the Yelp app for reviews, I’m never using it.

    • Dran@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 year ago

      Same, I wonder if there would be any way to report it to the state AG, maybe some pressure to ban it could hit google

  • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
    201·
    1 year ago

    “Google, tell me how to get to this place”

    “Here are your directions, including a McDonalds break! You deserve a break today, with a delicious tiny BIG MAC being sold for 400% of what it was 5 years ago, at 50% the size.”

    “…when did the movie idiocracy go from being a mockumentary to a documentary?”

    • skizzles@lemmy.mlEnglish
      310·
      1 year ago

      Waze works well also.

      Edit: I’m getting a lot of down votes and just wanted to clarify that I have never seen an ad in Waze.

      I 100% believe people saying there are a lot of ads. I think the way that I have my phone setup is why I’m not getting ads.

      Will definitely have to look into the others mentioned here.

        • skizzles@lemmy.mlEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          Really? I’ve never actually noticed one.

          Maybe because of the ad blocking stuff I use on my phone.

          • camr_on@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            1 year ago

            I will say that I’ve noticed less ads lately than I have in the past, so it may have been toned down after some backlash. I will start using openstreetmap only in the near future though, I can’t stand this type of thing

  • Misk@lemmy.worldEnglish
    18·
    1 year ago

    I’ve been wanting to leave the Google ecosystem for years but Maps was always the thing that kept me there. Thanks Google for freeing me at last!

  • N4CHEM@lemmy.mlEnglish
    141·
    1 year ago

    I’m going to paste here the comment I wrote on another post about this same issue:

    Organic Maps and OsmAnd are not adding ads during navigation. Nor “promoted pins”. Nor ads when browsing the map. Nor tracking your every move.

    Seriously, give them a try. And remember that, if the maps are lacking information, you are free (and encouraged) to improve them on OpenStreetMap.

    • suction@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      But they aren’t providing live traffic congestion, right? That’s the only reason to use Google Maps. Not because of the maps or navigation.

      • dan80@lemmy.caEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Magic Earth gives you live traffic info, and is based on Openstreetmap. Not open source though (unlike OsmAnd and Organic Maps).