Jesus, that is a gross way to inject advertising into turn-by-turn navigation.
Edit/update from 9to5google so this post does not spread what is apparently inaccurate information: https://9to5google.com/2024/07/08/google-maps-pop-up-quick-detour-ad/
Thanks I hate it. Also not even new, this shit was what killed in dash sat navs…
Nitpicking, but I’m not sure that it was ads that killed dash sat navs. At least in my experience, they never really developed to that point where car companies would put ads in.
It was more that they were expensive options to install, a pain to keep updated, and generally weren’t all that good.
Even before the live traffic and automatic detour features, phones didn’t cost money to keep the onboard maps up to date, and you already had one, so you didn’t need to either buy an add-on, or get a special unit for it.
With android CarPlay and Apple Auto, you could just put your phone map on the screen, which was basically the same thing, but a cheaper equivalent, since the hardware was on your phone instead.
So I was around during this time and yes ads did play a part in this, but not like you think. The ads where how these companies planned to pay for the sat nav data (came on a DVD). They had restaurant and gas station suggestion with the same detour “feature”.
Fun part is that it fell apart quick since almost no one updated there sat nav and you can still get a 2008 acura with recommendations for places long long gone. Its also fun to see people talking about Zagat rated places on forums from the time.
https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-294/zagat-guide-questions-833757/
I’m absolutely certain that it wasn’t ads that put a firm like TomTom on a downward slope. This was actually the first time that I’ve heard someone proclaim that ads are the reason.
If your business is to sell maps + navigation devices for money and then the times change and now nearly everyone already owns a smartphone with built in gps + some car manufacturers provide sat nav as a default + another company is giving access to a map away for free, well then your business is in trouble.
I’ve never even heard of ads in TomTom or Garmin, since I stopped using a dedicated sat nav once I had a smartphone, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was one of the things they tried to stay afloat after smartphones became ubiquitous.
They were just way waaay to expensive to update. I remember having to jail brake it and sideload updates.
2024: year of the openstreetmaps
This is possibly the worst thing to add to turn by turn navigation. Especially when I’m in a hurry.
Oh wait, I don’t drive. But still, this can affect lots of people who do.
Well, this might be something that drives me to Waze (also owned by Google and which may also end up with these). But it’s yet another thing that would potentially drive me back to Apple.
Edit: never mind on Waze, I forgot they already do something like this. Although for whatever reason it doesn’t seem quite as invasive.
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.
I love organic maps and openstreetmaps. The biggest thing missing is satellite view. I like to wander around and explore an area on maps before visiting. OSM has more interesting/relevant details and better visual color coding than the vector street map on google. Google has a satellite map, which is non-negotiable for me especially if I need to quickly orient myself while driving in a new place. I use three layers loaded into qgis for planning trips: OSM, google maps satellite, and a topographic map from USGS. I sometimes use organic maps on my phone if I don’t have access to a computer with qgis. I rely on Google while on location because organic maps lacks a satellite feed.
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.
I’m sure congestion info on the maps is valued by some, but not all. Many people just use maps to navigate unfamiliar places.
Then using Google maps is the worst choice. It will algorithmically guide you into the lake
Well that kind of comes as a result of the whole ‘tracking your every move’ part
I mean, I feel like that’s going to happen regardless if you’re using an Android phone. I don’t think using a different app for GPS navigation is going to change that. I’m not saying we shouldn’t push for more stuff to be opt in and allow people to have their privacy maintained, but in the market right now, the app you use for GPS isn’t changing who is tracking you.
Sure but…that’s not the point. It’s easy to find alternative maps or navigation apps.
It’s really not. Not usable ones. I’ve tried so many open map Alternatives and they suck. Wildly outdated, streets that don’t exist anymore, streets that do exist not on the map, nonsensical directions, extremely poor voice navigation directions, not knowing about tons of addresses so even if I just give it the raw address it still can’t find it and I have to basically go find the address on Google and then manually place a pain in the open map.
I’m not even in a weird place, this is just around Washington State mostly between Everett and Tacoma. The answer I always get is “oh well if you see something wrong submit a correction”. Ignoring the fact that that is wildly unhelpful if I’m somewhere new and don’t know where I’m going, if I had the time to sit there and build Maps I would just build my own God damn map.
Would desperately love to replace Google Maps for my navigation, especially lately but nothing else even comes close
Have you tried the navigation apps by the old school navigation unit brands ( TomTom, Garmin etc.)
Unless you can’t spend some money on this thing you “desperately” need to replace, those are better for navigation than any map app.
Let me rephrase, I’m desperate for a more open, not garden locked solution. Paying for Garmin and tomtom is just paying for a different corporation locked solution.
It’s the same way I’m desperate for a replacement for Plex. But the closest thing, jellyfin, is terrible. It fails to match media, fails to play back certain files, and a bunch of other issues that Plex just does not have. Despite that I have donated to the project, I want to get away from plex and support something open. I want to get away from Google and support something open. But I need to be able to have a minimum amount of functionality.
That’s how I know you’re really young, you spend brain cycles and time to wish for something that doesn’t exist instead of simply accepting there is no better solution right now, and make the best of what you have. I feel silly for trying to engage with you. You say you want better navigation, I tell you how to get it, then suddenly something else is the priority. It’s the same idiotic way of thought that the “I won’t go vote against fascism, because I wish there was a better democratic candidate” clowns apply to an imperfect situation. Despicably silly. Sorry.
Magic Earth gives you live traffic info, and is based on Openstreetmap. Not open source though (unlike OsmAnd and Organic Maps).
I suspect they were already doing this just to populate data. There are times I got sent on god-forsaken routes and persistently had the route I had selected overwritten with new ones. At least this tells you what it is and lets you choose.
Magic Earth works really great for me :)
This is the last product I still make sacrifice to keep it working on my degoogled devices, because lets be honest, this is the best (“free”) GPS there is out there. I’ve tried so many others but nothing comes close. I dunno what I’ll do if (when) they launch this kind of crap here…
Organic Maps is good enough for most cases. Did you try that?
One of their last few products that was actually quite good. I bet gmail is next.
What do you mean? Gmail been injecting ads disguised as email in your mailbox for ages.
To be fair, it only happens on the Promotions tab for me. They don’t inject anything on my normal inbox (at least on PC).
I saw these on my wife’s browser and was completely appalled. I am not receiving them for some reason, but I’m also running privacy badger and ublockO.
Ok google take me to Liverpool.
I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that. Today you are going to Vape Palace in Swindon, sponsored by CryptoPonzi++: you put the coins, we loot the coins!
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.
I have been using Kagi as an alternative search engine for over a month now and can’t see me going back to Google anytime soon. Googles results are just full of adverts and garbage.
who even likes adverts?
Advertisers
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.
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”
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
I dont think it’s unique to the US, companies in other countries have to play the same game or be lost to obscurity.
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!
Thats a test destined to fail
As far I knew it was already a thing, kind of. They know what you search for and route you near those things… and make sure the businesses show up on the map.
But somehow they are still going to do it.
“Google have borrowed this idea form Waze” doesn’t Google own Waze ?
"Google has been testing this idea in Waze "
Last I knew, yeah. Google bought them years ago. Moreover, I don’t remember that “feature” being in Waze before Google acquired them. Those ads were the biggest reason I dropped Waze a while back.
Have never seen an ad on waze
Is this a joke?
Half the icons on the screen are Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s and any time you stop at a light a banner add covers have the screen.
You don’t see ads if you use Waze on Android Auto
Haven’t used Waze in like 8 years, but it was bloated and then.
Maybe it is regional?
Must be. All i get are popup exit warnings when sound is off
If you’re using a device or network-wide ad-blocker like I do, then you won’t see them. When I try to use Waze on somebody else’s phone, the ads are unbearable.
Stallman was right
