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Google Maps vs. Apple Maps: The most comprehensive design comparison you’ll ever see

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:54PM EST
Google Maps Vs Apple Maps
Image: UX Launchpad

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When Apple ousted Google Maps from iOS back in 2012, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal… but Apple’s own mapping solution that replaced it was an absolute disaster. The countless glitches and bugs were intolerable — though they did make some nice art — and Apple’s Maps app was so bad that police had to warn users that it might kill them.

Of course, Apple’s iOS Maps app has improved dramatically since the early days. While some users still avoid it because of the bad taste left in their mouths, it is now considered by many people to be a solid option to replace Google Maps on the iPhone and other iOS devices.

There are plenty of articles that compare the features of these two leading iOS mapping apps, but a new analysis published recently provides an astonishingly in-depth design comparison that you really need to check out.

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Seattle, Washington-based design school UX Launchpad has a Medium blog called “Design Explosions,” and it recently posted a comprehensive comparison of Google Maps and Apple Maps from a design perspective.

The authors make clear that this is not a feature comparison, but rather an analysis of the user interfaces and user experiences used by Google and Apple in these iOS apps.

The article covers every conceivable aspect of the designs used in these two wildly popular apps, and it makes for a fascinating read. You’ll begin to see things from a new perspective and you’ll be shocked at how seemingly insignificant details can have a huge impact on the user experiences provided by mobile apps.

Be warned, however, that this is not a quick read. In fact, it’s more than 10,000 words. If you’re interested in design and how it affects the user experience, however, UX Launchpad’s analysis is truly fascinating.

The full comparison is linked below in our source section.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.