Reports are claiming that Apple Maps is more data efficient that Google Maps. We thought we would put these clams to the test.
Having reset our statistics for Cellular Usage (General > Usage > Cellular Usage), made sure we had exactly the same Maps location loaded, we turned off WiFi and started our search.
Our findings suggest that there is some truth in the suggestion that Apple’s Maps is less of a data hog in some respects, but it consumes more data under some circumstances.
When searching for a specific location (e.g. Buckingham Palace) Apple Maps sent more data (28KB compared to 12KB in iOS 5 Maps) but received less (64KB compared to 148KB in iOS 5 Maps).
[We have also looked into claims that Apple Maps work better offline than Google Maps]
Apple Maps generally consumed less data when giving us directions from our current location. When we asked for directions from Euston Road to Islington iOS 6 sent 3KB (compared to 2KB) but received 64KB of data (compared to 64KB).
A similar search from our current location in London to a postcode in Croydon saw iOS 6 send 20KB and receive 140KB, while iOS 5 sent 40KB, received a massive 1.4MB.
However, when we started searching further-a-field things got a bit more data heavy on iOS 6 Maps. When we asked for directions from Paris to London iOS 5 came out trumps, sending 27KB and receiving 788KB, compared to iOS 6 which sent 45KB, received 907KB. It was worse from London to Paris: iOS 5 sent 45KB and received 1.7MB, while iOS 6 sent 121KB, received 1.9MB.
Of course its when you are abroad that you are most likely to be concerned about data consumption, so for now we wouldn’t recommend that you get too carried away with Maps when in foreign lands.
Apple Maps Satellite View
In our tests satellite view generally used less data on Apple Maps when compared to Google Maps on iOS 5, with a few exceptions.
For example, when viewing Paris in satellite view iOS 6 received 327KB, almost a third of the data consumption of iOS 5 (971KB).
A satellite view of the UK took up 1.5MB of data on Apple Maps compared to 4.8MB data on iOS 5.
Searching for a route from Buckingham Palace to Croydon in satellite view also saw iOS 6 trump iOS 5: iOS 5 sent 41KB and received 1.7MB, while iOS 6 sent 24KB and received 475KB.
However, Apple’s penchant for getting a bit flash from time to time sees the whole world view in satellite view consuming more data in iOS 6 than it does in iOS 5 Maps. If you view the whole world in satellite view expect to consume 426KB of data in Apple maps compared to Google Maps 176KB.
Switching back to a standard view of the whole of the UK also consumed more data on Apple Maps, this may be because the screen is larger. The standard view of the UK on iOS 5 received 310KB, while iOS 6 Apple Maps consumed 491KB.
We also found that just opening Maps on iOS 6 took more data than opening Maps in iOS 5. For example, opening a standard view of the UK took 2KB in iOS 5 compared to 5KB in Apple Maps. That much data’s not a big deal, unless you are constantly opening and closing your Maps app.
Similarly, just closing and opening Maps on the same location saw iOS 5 send 1KB and receive 1KB, while iOS 6 sent 5KB and received 12KB.
Of course the other area where Apple Maps lets itself down is actually identifying the correct location when you search. Also, we note the lack of detail in the standard view when compared to Google Maps. For example, why is it that when we look at Greater London does Ashtead, Biggin Hill and Addington show and no other locations? It’s a mystery made all the stranger if you were born in Biggin Hill and your grandparents lived in Ashtead… Ok, I’m glad Apple has put them on the map, but it is making me feel a bit like I’ve dreamed this whole sorry incident.
Our Apple Maps tests are detailed on the next page
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Related:
Google rolls out Street View for iOS Safari web browser Apple tones down Maps blurb on website, fingers point to iOS VP Scott Forstall
Our Apple Maps tests:
Here we detail our testing that relates to our story about Apple Maps on the first page.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.