Before the early 2000s, travel used to be an entirely different ballgame. Those from Generation X and above will remember paper maps probably less than fondly.
They could be big and cumbersome, which made it difficult to navigate if you didn’t have someone else to sit shotgun and tell you which tiny winding lines were the road you were supposed to be taking.
By the mid-2000s, Google Maps changed all of that. Instead of searching for your destination and plotting a course on a big paper map, you could input where you were and where you wanted to go into Google, and it would plan the route for you.
At the time, being able to print out a simple list of directions with nearly zero effort felt revolutionary; and Google Maps has come even further since then. Younger Millennials and Generation Z likely don’t even remember when you had to print Google Maps instructions.
These days, everyone has a smartphone. Instead of bugging your friend to stop sleeping on your road trip and help you navigate, you can let the Google voice assistant tell you exactly where to go.
While Google may be one of the most popular map apps in the world, it's not the only option. Apple offers Apple maps for iPhone users, and Microsoft created Bing Maps in an attempt to gain on Google’s considerable market share.
If you’re interested in how these two compare, read on.
What Is Google Maps?
First introduced in 2005, Google Maps is a mapping service that provides detailed information on traffic routes and geographical regions worldwide. Offering several services through its website and app, Google Maps has become a useful tool for many people, from the general public to people in the business world.
Features Of Google Maps
Google Maps offers a variety of features to facilitate travel, such as satellite imagery, street maps, traffic patterns, and route planning for traveling by foot, car, bicycle, or public transportation. Particularly for a driving school, these features are invaluable in planning efficient and safe routes for student drivers.
The mapping service features expand beyond simple travel & navigation, also offering;
- 360° panoramic views of streets and buildings
- Reviews for restaurants and hotels
- Street Views to explore any place in detail
- Detailed information about landmarks, businesses, parks, and other attractions
- Save favorite places and the ability to share with friends
- Embedded Maps
- Indoor Mapping
- Location sharing and editing, and
- With an Android device, you can download offline maps to use when you do not have internet access.
Google Maps: Pros & Cons
Whether you are researching your next travel location, local restaurant reviews, or creating a map for your clients, the numerous features of Google Maps can be experienced by all.
Despite all of its benefits, the mapping service has a few hiccups that can frustrate its users. Google Maps lacks coverage in certain locations, usually in remote areas, leaving users turning to other applications looking for detailed information.
The other area that Google has yet to address with its mapping services is the intricacies of route planning. Failing to reliably offer the most direct route, up-to-minute information (fairs, road closures, accidents) has left users turning to other applications.
Bing Maps Directions: How To Use Them
Bing Maps, originally created by Microsoft, is designed to compete with Google Maps, Using the Bing search engine to find a user’s location to plot their location, and route on a map.
Bing Maps, similar to Google’s mapping service, provides directions, traffic information, as well as aerial photographs of many major cities in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia, making it one of the most popular services used today.
Features of Bing Maps
Bing Maps, like Google Maps, provides a number of different features and tools, including:
- Traffic Conditions
- Public Transit Routes and Schedules
- Street View
- Directions
- Satellite Imagery of Earth and terrain views
- Local Search Results
- Driving Mode
- Detailed information about landmarks, businesses, parks, and other attractions
A unique feature Bing Maps offers is the “Along the Route” option. While traveling, users will be alerted of points of interest (POI) on their planned route they may want to visit.
Bing’s “Along the Route” is not limited by a single category, providing POIs across multiple categories, giving it a step up on Google’s “Search Nearby” feature that is limited to a single category.
Difference Between Google Maps and Bing Maps
Google maps and Bing maps are two of the most popular map services in the world. But they have some major differences.
Google Maps has better quality satellite and aerial images that incorporate more locations because of its use of satellites. Google also has more features such as traffic information, more detailed location information, maps of indoor locations, and embedded maps.
Bing Maps, although coverage is not expansive, does provide an easier application for users who are looking for POI.
Wrapping Up
Although Bing may be a more popular and effective option than people realize, there’s just no contending with Google. Google Maps is by far the most popular mapping service online.
As one of the main sources of information for just about anything, just about anywhere in the world, Google services will always be at an advantage over its competitors.
Google and Bing Maps FAQS
What Are Google Maps?
A desktop and mobile device mapping and navigation application. Using satellite views provides users with travel routes, live step-by-step directions, and detailed information on countless locations.
What Are Bing Maps?
A mapping and navigation service, using Bings’ search engine, that allows users to plot their route, attain directions, and find points of interest along their travel route.
What Are The Advantages Of Google Maps?
Google Maps is a helpful tool for individuals and businesses. They provide the ability to map a route to an appointment or a weekend getaway and businesses can create and embed maps of their office location or events.
Google Maps also offers the ability to research destinations around the world, map indoor locations and retrieve 3D views.
Are There Any Cons When Using Google Maps?
Despite the wide range of uses the application offers, Google Maps does fall short in a few areas.
Directions often do not reflect the most direct route, construction, or road closures. Google Maps has also yet to give the same attention to remote areas and users are often left with limited information.
How Is Google Maps Different Than Bing Maps?
Both services offer map services. Google Maps, takes advantage of Satellites and provides more information covering more locations than Bing.
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One major advantage of Bing maps over Google, at least in Great Britain, is the ability to view Ordnance Survey maps. You can go from the normal Bing map, or aerial view, to the 1:50 000 OS map of the same area. Zoom in, and it changes to the 1:25 000 version. Excellent for planning walks, hill climbing etc, as all the detail, including contours, is there, just as on the paper map, or those downloaded from OS for a fee. I use this feature a lot, great for exploring other areas. I think the feature is only available if you are in Great Britain. Don’t know if other countries have similar features for their equivalent maps.