Smartphone advances change GPS and hiking app landscape
Posted: Sep 18 2024 2:33 pm
Apple's new iOS 18 includes topographic maps as a standard basemap in their system-default Maps app. From day 1, the map also includes hiking trails from all 63 US national parks (and will presumably add more as time goes on). Apple's updated Maps app includes the ability to download the topographic maps for offline use as well as recording and saving routes, naming them and adding personal hike notes to them. These features directly challenge some of the most dominant hiking apps by providing a free* alternative to popular paid app options.
I've long-since believed that standalone GPS devices had gone the way of the dodo bird due to the increased capabilities of and user-friendliness of smartphones and their accompanying apps. Dominant players such as Garmin responded to this market shift by focusing on backcountry satellite communication options, something that is quickly becoming another feature that smartphones are capable of without the need for separate hardware or monthly connection fees.
With increased popularity of outdoor recreation, if Android follows Apple's lead and implements a native hiking map option in their operating system (and they both expand mapping and usability further) not only could it put the final nail in the coffin for widespread consumer use of standalone handheld GPS and satellite communicators, but it may also take a significant chunk out of the paid hiking app market, whose remaining strengths will focus more on the social aspect and the more specialized functions of mapping, tracking, and recording.
Apple, as it often does with their implementation of things, has dumbed down their hiking map features to prevent a hiker from accidentally hiking off-trail. (If you want to hike off-trail, apparently Apple Maps is not going to help you get there!) If Google enters this space with their maps I would expect a bit more freedom, but it would also probably mean the end of the line for a significant chunk of hiking app users. FWIW, I currently think the Apple Maps hiking feature is currently a steaming pile of poop. But I do expect it will improve as time goes on. In addition to national parks, in Arizona it has Water Wheel Falls included by default. So there's that.
At least for the near term, apps like Route Scout - GPS Topo Mapper will still be waaaaaaaaaay better for capabilities that Apple Maps simply does not provide. As the mapping landscape evolves, RS should still provide power-users with specialized capabilities that the mainstream phone makers don't dive into.
There are a number of articles online about Apple's new map capabilities for hiking, but this one, in particular, covers the market particularly well: https://www.hereandthere.club/post/apple-takes-a-hike
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/09/ ... the-world/Detailed National Park Hikes and Topographic Maps
Users can browse thousands of hikes in U.S. national parks — from Acadia National Park in Maine, to Yosemite National Park in California, to Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska — on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. To find the perfect trail, users can filter hikes by route type, length, and elevation, and follow along with turn-by-turn navigation to help them stay on track.
I've long-since believed that standalone GPS devices had gone the way of the dodo bird due to the increased capabilities of and user-friendliness of smartphones and their accompanying apps. Dominant players such as Garmin responded to this market shift by focusing on backcountry satellite communication options, something that is quickly becoming another feature that smartphones are capable of without the need for separate hardware or monthly connection fees.
With increased popularity of outdoor recreation, if Android follows Apple's lead and implements a native hiking map option in their operating system (and they both expand mapping and usability further) not only could it put the final nail in the coffin for widespread consumer use of standalone handheld GPS and satellite communicators, but it may also take a significant chunk out of the paid hiking app market, whose remaining strengths will focus more on the social aspect and the more specialized functions of mapping, tracking, and recording.
Apple, as it often does with their implementation of things, has dumbed down their hiking map features to prevent a hiker from accidentally hiking off-trail. (If you want to hike off-trail, apparently Apple Maps is not going to help you get there!) If Google enters this space with their maps I would expect a bit more freedom, but it would also probably mean the end of the line for a significant chunk of hiking app users. FWIW, I currently think the Apple Maps hiking feature is currently a steaming pile of poop. But I do expect it will improve as time goes on. In addition to national parks, in Arizona it has Water Wheel Falls included by default. So there's that.
At least for the near term, apps like Route Scout - GPS Topo Mapper will still be waaaaaaaaaay better for capabilities that Apple Maps simply does not provide. As the mapping landscape evolves, RS should still provide power-users with specialized capabilities that the mainstream phone makers don't dive into.
There are a number of articles online about Apple's new map capabilities for hiking, but this one, in particular, covers the market particularly well: https://www.hereandthere.club/post/apple-takes-a-hike
* If you consider the default map app as free after you pay $429-$1599 for pocket computer, then, yes, it's free.Overall, it’s an interesting development that I’ll be watching closely, and additionally a tremendous validation of the growth and size of the outdoor recreation industry. That Apple is even dipping its toes into the space speaks volumes about the trend in hiking’s popularity – both for good, and for bad.
