New Job Listings Point to Continued Work on Transit Options in Apple Maps

maps_icon_ios_7Apple today posted two new job listings on its website, seeking to fill engineering positions related to public transit. The company is looking for a Maps Public Transit Engineering Manager and a Public Transit Software Engineer, who will join the Maps team to work on building and improving a Transit Routing platform "at a massive scale."

As a member of the Transit Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps. You will design and implement functionality that will be used by millions of users worldwide.

In addition to these job listings, Apple has posted other transit positions on its website over the past few months and has also acquired multiple mapping companies focused on transit, including HopStop and Embark, two companies with apps and tools developed to provide subway, bus, train, taxi, walking and biking directions.

As noted in the job listings, Apple is working to build these services into its own mapping service, incorporating accurate, real-time information on public transportation routes into the Maps apps for iOS and Mac.

Apple's lack of public transit information was one of the major criticisms the company faced after its in-house mapping service debuted in 2012. Discontent with the lack of features and the inaccuracy of the Maps app prompted both a reorganization of the company and an apology letter from Tim Cook.

Alongside its work to introduce transit options to Maps, Apple has also aimed to improve the accuracy of the service. Over the past several months, Apple has hired a multitude of Ground Truth experts to fix location-based issues such as the error that caused Australian drivers to become stranded after receiving faulty directions.

Despite Apple's efforts, problems with Maps are ongoing. Recently another location-based error caused Maps to direct drivers in Alaska onto an airport taxiway.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

ryuok Avatar
140 months ago
Still no where close to Google Maps
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jayse Avatar
140 months ago
Everyone whines and moans about Apple maps being 'utter crap' and compare them to Google maps.

When Google released their maps, they weren't problem-free, although over many years of evolutionary improvement, they have become so well sorted and polished they've become the benchmark for portable mapping.

Lets all quit the Apple Maps bashing and give them a chance, the same chance Google had to improve their maps. Maybe then, people might finally get off their high horse and appreciate something for once in their life.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
140 months ago
Apple Maps is beautiful on OSX, but totally useless in the UK. Since the day it was released a medium sized town near me has had completely the wrong name and it STILL hasn't been updated!!

The other day I was in Birmingham and asked for directions to a Nandos. It took me to the furthest one away, walked past 3 other ones in the city on route!! Last time I ever use Apple maps for any directions to points of interest.

If i type in Starbucks it thinks my nearest one is two cities away, there are two down the road from me :/
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Phazer Avatar
140 months ago
Oh, I have been waiting for this for a while. Little by little, Apple is starting to make Maps look like an attractive competitor against the Google alternative. Only time will tell, but I am hopeful!

No, it really isn't.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tiger8 Avatar
140 months ago
Everyone whines and moans about Apple maps being 'utter crap' and compare them to Google maps.

When Google released their maps, they weren't problem-free, although over many years of evolutionary improvement, they have become so well sorted and polished they've become the benchmark for portable mapping.

Lets all quit the Apple Maps bashing and give them a chance, the same chance Google had to improve their maps. Maybe then, people might finally get off their high horse and appreciate something for once in their life.

I can argue that the 1000+ responses here bashing Microsoft and calling them 'unoriginal' and 'late in the game' for the Surface and Windows 8 are the same. Talk about double-standards!

Sugercoat it all you want, Apple Maps is utter crap, an embarrasing failure that cost a few people their jobs, and in this day and age, if they can't come up with something that's up to standard, they are better off outsourcing like they did with the original iPhone. I mean they still have 'Twitter' and 'Facebook' built in integration so it's nothing new to keep other providers 'plugged in'.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spetsnazos Avatar
140 months ago
what NEW feature does Apple Maps offer that isn't in Google Maps? So far Google Maps is more accurate and does a better job.

I see no reason to use Apple Maps.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)