14 DAY TRIAL // Onavo is a company that develops data compression technology and analytics to help you get up to 5 times more from your data plan. They set out to determine whether or not Apple’s new Maps application was actually better at something compared to Google’s Maps. And what they discovered blew their minds.
The people at Onavo were intrigued by the backlash caused by Apple’s new Maps application, and decided to look at something that industry experts and iPhone users had not yet considered.
They set out to answer five burning questions about Apple’s new mapping service: “Is it possible that Apple Maps is actually better for iPhone users? Is the app more data efficient? Will using Apple Maps actually help users save their precious and limited megabytes, as well as being more responsive and faster to operate?”
The answer, as Onavo puts it, “is an enthusiastic YES!”
The company’s team of data experts set out to compare the amounts of megabytes sucked by both Apple Maps and Google Maps.
After comparing a few scenarios, Onavo investigated how both apps use data over the iPhone’s cellular connection. Their findings were surprising, to say the least.
The data Onavo evaluated proved that “Apple Maps is up to five times more data efficient than Google Maps.”
Skipping the numbers (which you’re more than welcome to see for yourself at the Onavo blog), we learned from Onavo that Apple scored an overwhelming data advantage in Standard Map views.
For those asking why, the answer is very simple. “…because of Apple’s use of vector graphics,” says Onavo.
“Instead of downloading map tile images every time users zoom in or out of a map view, Apple’s vector graphics approach resizes dynamically, resulting in the drastically reduced data usage we observed, as well as smooth resizing and fast responsiveness,” says the analytics firm.
Onavo’s study also including an analysis of the satellite view comparison. They also make a good point regarding why data consumption is so important.
Onavo concludes that “while iPhone users and industry experts may still be waiting for the perfect map app, at Onavo, we recognize that Apple Maps brings something needed and fantastic to iPhone users: a map app built to make it faster, more inexpensive and more efficient for users to get around. And that is pretty Maptastic!”