Google does not offer a feature like this. You can ask for directions using transit, sure, and those directions will take into account arrival times. You can also get a list of arrival times when you tap on a specific bus station, which is useful in some situations, but you won’t get a quick list of upcoming times. to arrive at all the stations near you, which is better if you’re trying to decide between several options. Google should probably steal this feature, because it’s too nice to have.

Integrating Apple’s Ecosystem

I’m a fan of flirting Apple Shortcutsthe automation platform built into Apple devices. Example: I added a “Save my parking” button to my phone’s homepage. I can’t create a shortcut like that for Google Maps because Google doesn’t offer any kind of Apple Shortcuts integration. This is just one example of how Google won’t go out of its way to integrate into Apple’s ecosystem.

And then there are the integrations built into Apple’s apps and features. The calendar app on my Mac and iPhone defaults to opening maps when I tap an address. Siri defaults to using Maps when I ask for directions. When an Apple app offers directions it works through Apple Maps. You might call it unfair, sure, but Google is doing the same thing with Android. Google Maps is tightly integrated with the rest of the company’s mobile OS, and that integration will make life easier for people who use native services.

Just Cleaner

Courtesy of Justin Pot

Google Maps, over time, has more and more things linked to it. Nothing makes this more obvious than opening both apps and noticing the difference. Apple Maps has a smaller toolbar, fewer buttons, and in my opinion the geographic references offered by the map itself are more likely to be useful (probably because, unlike Google, they have fewer paid ads ).

Now, I’m not the first person to point out that an Apple application is cleaner than a Google one, and I’m the first to admit that the extent of this difference is subjective. But I think Apple’s design does a better job of staying in your way, which is important when you’re trying to get around.

My pointing out these things does not mean that Google Maps nothing better than Apple Maps. Google’s platform has a huge head start in terms of information about businesses, for one thing, and even after a decade Apple hasn’t caught up. I noticed this especially on a recent trip to Peru, where Apple Maps was useless. I’m sure people will contact me pointing out other things that are better on Google, which is great. I just want to say that Apple Maps is great now and that in some ways I find it better than Google Maps.

If you haven’t tried Apple Maps in a while, I highly recommend you do. You might be surprised.