In this guide I will show you how to get directions on your iPhone and I will also show you how to use some of the coolest features including public transportation and walking directions.

Get Directions on Your iPhone

1. To begin a search you must first enable search by tapping the Search button at the bottom of the Maps app.

2. Enter a place name or address in the Search bar.

Note: You can also search for an address from your bookmarks.

3. When the place appears on the map, tap the small arrow next to the place name on the map to open the place’s Info page.

4. When the Info page loads swipe down and tap Directions to Here.

You can also tap Directions from Here, but chances are you are trying to get to the place you are searching for.

Making Sense of Directions

The Maps page will display the Start and End address on the top section of the App. The Start location will automatically default to your Current Location which is determined by the GPS.

5. When you are ready to route the directions, tap Route on the soft keyboard.

A. On the Directions screen before you tap Route you have the option of reversing the addresses to switch the Start and End addresses. Tap the double-headed arrow to swap locations,

6. The app will generate a route based on the information you provided. By default the directions assume that you will be using a car to get to the destination.

Tap Start to begin the turn-by-turn directions.

Lots of Options for Directions

Once the directions have loaded you will have several options that you can use to customize the route.

B. If your current location has changed or you wish to change the destination tap the Edit button and enter the new locations.

C. Once the directions are loaded you will have the option to choose which method of transportation you will be using. The options are car, public transit and walking (more on public transit in the next section).

D. Based on the transportation method you chose you will be presented with an estimate time to location.

If traffic is supported in the area you are searching you will also see a hint indicating that the estimate accounts for traffic.

E. The Directions button will be active when viewing directions.

The purple line indicates the route mapped by the Maps app.

F. The Green pin denotes the starting point (current location in most instances).

G. The Red pin indicates the ending point.

7. Navigate the step-by-step directions by using the Previous and Next arrows on the top-right corner of the app.

When you advance to the next turn, the junction will be highlighted by a purple circle enclosing the junction.

A. The Turn # of # of Turns indicates the turn you are on.

B. You can update the directions at any time by tapping the Edit button.

Get A List View of the Route

Some of us prefer visuals when provided with directions, however for those of you who prefer a list of turns for directions you can enable the List view in Maps.

1. Once you’ve generated the directions tap the Turn Page/Map View button on the bottom-right of the screen.

2. Tap the List button to enable this view.

The view will change from a map to a list view of your route. You can tap the small arrow next to the turn to view it on the map.

Get Public Transit & Walking Directions with Maps

If you live in a city with a great public transportation system or simply want to hop on a bus next time you go somewhere; the Maps app on your iPhone will provide you with all the details you need to make your journey hassle-free.

1. Once you’ve generated the directions tap the Public Transit button denoted by the small bus icon.

A. When you do this the map will update to include public transit in your route. You will be presented with the departure time for the bus/train along with estimated cost.

Note: Each turn in the route is denoted by an icon which indicates walking or public transit, so keep this in mind when planning your routes.

2. You also have the option of changing the route to use another bus/train at a different departure time or you can view the departure times for a specific date and time.

Tap the clock icon to set a different departure date and time.

3. The Transit Times page will open. Tap Depart to specify another date and time not listed or…

4. Tap one of the times listed.

Note: Tap Load More Times to explore other schedules.

5. Tap Done to save the changes you made to update the route and the estimates.

You can also get walking directions on your iPhone by tapping the walking icon on the Directions page.

Note: Walking directions are beta so be careful when using this feature to map out your next trip.

In the next section we will show you how to bookmark addresses with Maps on the iPhone.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions (this page)
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

In all its simplicity, Google Maps for iOS is packed with features that are not very obvious due to the streamlined and clutter-free UI the native iPhone app sports.

In this guide I will help you navigate all of the features in Google Maps for iOS while showing you how to use them.

Google Maps for iPhone Guide

In order to speed up loading times due to the large number of images used, I’ve divided this guide into multiple posts so that they load quickly and get you the information you need.

The first section of the guide which provides you with an overview of the Google Maps app is included on this post. To navigate to other sections of the guide use the links below and those included in each post.

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone (this page)
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

You can skip from section to section simply by clicking on the list of topics above which will take you to the selected section of the page discussing the feature.

Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone

Before we delve into Google Maps it’s important that we become familiar with the application’s interface so that we are all on the same page when referencing buttons, icons, and other application elements.

The two screenshots below are accompanied with notations to help you become familiar with the user interface.

Upper Section of Google Maps App

A. The Search bar is active by default. If you see two address bars instead of one, you are in Directions mode. To return to Search mode tap the Search button (D below).

Search allows you to look for a place by name or address.

B. The Bookmarks button is specific to Google Maps so it is not related to your Safari Bookmarks. These bookmarks are places/addresses that you have bookmarked on your iPhone for later use, more on bookmarking later.

You can access the list of bookmarks by tapping the Bookmarks button on the right side of the Search Bar.

Lower Section of Google Maps App

C. The small Arrow icon on the left allows you to quickly pinpoint your location on the map using your iPhone’s built-in GPS. Tapping the icon twice will change it so that the Current Location (G above) also displays your current heading/direction.

D. When active, the Search button allows you to quickly search for a place or address using the Search bar (A above).

E. If you are looking for directions simply tap the Directions button and you will be provided with a Start: and End: field so that you can plot your directions. See Get Directions.

F. The turn-page or map layers icon allows you to switch between Standard, Satellite, Hybrid, and List views. See Map Views Explained.

It also provides the option to include Traffic information on the maps and the ability to drop Pins and Print the map.

G. The Current Location icon is denoted by a blue dot on the map. This indicates your approximate location using your iPhone’s GPS.

Now that you are familiar with the overall look and feel of Google Maps check out the topics listed below to learn how to use Google Maps on your iPhone.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone (this page)
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

The guide below will show you how to enable additional views when using Maps as well as provide you with an overview of each. We will also cover traffic views in Maps.

Maps Views & Traffic Information Explained

1. With the Maps app open on the iPhone tap the turn-page/map layers button to expose the page.

Note: The default view when you lunch Maps is the Standard view which displays the map without any satellite imagery.

2. You will be presented with a series of buttons, however we are only concerned with Standard,Satellite and Hybrid. We’ll explore the List view when getting directions.

Tap the view you wish to use for the area you are viewing in Maps.

Satellite View: When satellite view is active you will notice that the map changes to a map containing satellite imagery of the location you are viewing.

Hybrid View: Like satellite view, the hybrid view contains satellite imagery, but it is overlaid with a map containing geolocation information like roads, places, etc.

All three views, Standard, Satellite and Hybrid allow you to interact with the map, search for places, get directions and more.

View Real-Time Traffic Information on the Map

One of the things you will probably use the most in Maps for your iPhone is traffic information. When enabled, the feature allows you to get real-time information about traffic conditions on roads and highways that support it.

This option is available in all three views and best of all it’s free!

1. To show traffic information on the map, the turn-page/map layers button to expose the page.

2. Tap the Show Traffic button.

Wait a couple of seconds for the data to load and soon roadways on the map will be overlaid with three colors; green, yellow and red.

Each color describes the speed of traffic found on the roadway from green (fast) to red (slow).

In the next section we will show you how to find your current location on the map as well as determine your heading.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explaines (this page)
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

Most of the time when you are searching for a place using Maps the Current location indicator is not visible on the map.

If you open maps and can’t see your location on the map follow the instructions below to find yourself.

How to Find Yourself on Maps

To find yourself on the map is fairly simple.

1. All you have to do is tap the small arrow icon on the bottom-left corner of the Maps app.

When you do this, the map will automatically center on your location indicated by a blue circle.

Determine Your Heading to Follow Directions Better

2. If you tap the small arrow again you will notice that the icon will switch to an arrow with a cone in front of it.

When active you will notice that not only does the small blue dot tell you where you are it also provides you with information about your heading, that is your orientation.

So it is like having a compass and your current location at the same time.

If you tap the small arrow again it will stop updating your current location.

How Accurate is My Location?

The accuracy of your location is dependent on several factors. The most important is GPS reception. The GPS reading will always provide you with the most accurate reading.

The second factor is cellular/Wi-Fi reception. This is used when the GPS radio cannot acquire a signal and so Wi-Fi and cellular tower data is used to determine an estimated location.

You can determine the accuracy of the location by the size of the ring around the blue dot on the map.

The larger the circle round the blue dot, the greater the inaccuracy and vice versa. When only the blue dot is present, you can be sure that the location is as accurate as it is going to be.

In the next section we will show you how to find a place or address using Maps.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading (this page)
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

In this section we will search for a place by name and address. I will also show you how to use Street View on the iPhone so that you can check out the place you are searching for in more detail.

Search for a Place on the iPhone

In this example we’ll search for a local McDonald’s by entering mcdonalds in the search bar.

Note: The Search button must be active in order to perform a search on Maps.

1. Tap the search bar and use the on-screen keyboard to enter the place you are searching for. You can also enter an address if you wish.

Note: If you want to search for a place close to your existing location you need to tap the small arrow button so that the iPhone can find your real-time location.

2. When the place you are searching for appears on the map tap on the location you wish to inspect.

Search for a Place with Multiple Locations

Note: When you search for a place by name, especially a place with multiple locations. All locations close to the current view of the map will be displayed.

Tip: If you wish to locate a McDonald’s in another area you can add the zip code or city to the search string.

Get Information About the Place

3. To learn more about the place you are searching for tap the small white arrow on the right of the place name (screenshot above).

This will open the Info page which provides details about the location like phone number, website address (if applicable), and address.

Note: You can tap the phone number to place a phone call or tap the home page to open the place’s website in Safari.

Access Street View for a Place or Address

One of the coolest features on Maps for the iPhone is the ability to view pretty much any location at street level the same way you can on Google Maps on your desktop.

On this guide I will show you how to access street view when you search for a location on the iPhone.

1. Once you’ve located a place on the map tap the location to choose it and then tap the Street View icon denoted by small figure to the left of the place name.

Note: You can only use this feature where Street View is available. When this feature is unavailable the Street View icon will appear dark and will not activate when you tap the icon.

As soon as you tap the Street View icon the screen’s orientation will switch to landscape mode and you will be presented with the location’s street view.

A. You can examine your current position on the map by viewing the mini map on the right side of the screen. Tapping the small map will take you out of Street View and back to the previous map view.

B. While in Street View you can use your finger to swipe and change your viewpoint. Simply tap and swipe in any direction to explore the surrounding areas.

C. You can also tap the arrows on the street names to move along the road or simply double-tap the street name to move in either direction.

Note: You can zoom in while in Street View by double-tapping the location you wish to zoom into. This is a great way to explore details about a specific location.

Feel free to explore surrounding areas, your house and those places you haven’t been to yet.

In the next section we will show you how to get driving directions on your iPhone.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address (this page)
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

Maps for the iPhone truly provides a complete mapping using experience. You can bookmark places you frequent, access those bookmarks, add an address to an existing contact or create a contact from an address on the map.

Follow the instructions in this guide to take your Maps experience to a whole new level.

Bookmark a Place or Address in Maps

In this section I will show you how to add a bookmark from a place you located on the map.

1. Tap the small arrow next to the location name to open the Info page.

2. Swipe down to reach the bottom of the Info page and tap Add to Bookmarks.

3. Enter a name for the bookmark you are adding and tap Save.

The location you selected will be added as a bookmark.

Map a Bookmarked Location

In this section I will show you how to map a location that you’ve bookmarked in Maps.

Please refer to the second screenshot from the section above.

1. Tap the Bookmarks icon located on the right of the search box.

2. Tap the bookmark you wish to map from the list of bookmarks.

A. You can Edit the bookmarks list by tapping Edit. While active, Edit mode will allow you to rearrange the order of the bookmarks as well as delete them from the list.

B. You can map bookmarked locations, recent searches and addresses attached to your contacts. Tap the appropriate button to activate the page.

View and Clear Recent Map Searches

If you’re concerned about your recent searches giving you trouble don’t worry.

C. You can clear the list by tapping Recents to view the list.

D. When the list appears tap the Clear button to delete the items on the list.

You will be asked to confirm. Tap Clear All Recents when prompted to clear the list.

Share Locations on the iPhone

Find a great Italian restaurant and want to share the address with someone?

Locate the restaurant on the Map (or any place you wish to share).

1. Tap the small arrow next to the location name and tap Share Location on the place’s Info page.

2. You will be asked to choose how you wish to share the location: Email or MMS. Choose the message type and write your note. That’s it.

The recipient will use an address they can click on which will either open Maps or their favorite mapping application.

Create New Contacts from a Location on the Map

Adding a contact from an address on the map is an easy way to keep track of clients, places of interest and other information.

Locate the place you wish to add as a contact or a place you want to append to an existing contact.

1. Tap the small arrow next to the location name and tap Add to Contacts on the place’s Info page.

2. You will be asked to choose how you wish to save the location: Create a New Contact or Add to Existing Contact.

Choose how you want to save the address. If you create a new contact, enter the pertinent information and save the new contact.

If you are appending the address to an existing contact you will be presented with a list of contacts on your phone.

Select the contact to append the address information to and save the information.

We’re waiting for new features expected in iOS 5 for maps which we will cover when the new OS is released for the iPhone. Until then stay tuned.

ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

• Navigating Google Maps on the iPhone
• Map Views & Traffic Information Explained
• Find Me On a Map & Determine Heading
• Searching for a Place or Address
• How to Get Directions
• Bookmark Your Favorite Places & Addresses (this page)
• Print a Map from Your iPhone – iOS 5 feature, coming soon
• Choose Other Routes – iOS 5 feature, coming soon

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3.

Now on Google Maps you’ll be able to check-in to different places as well as rate places when you’re on a Place page. See the new buttons below:

With last month’s update for location history in Google Maps 5.3, you were able to see your location history for everywhere you’ve been. Now you have the ability to change your home and work locations so you can find out how much time you spend at either place.

The final new update to Google Maps 5.5 is a redesigned transit station page.  You can now see upcoming transit stations better to help plan your route. The redesign includes upcoming departures for different lines, all of the transit lines serving the station, and links to nearby stations.

Google has now started a tour around the US to visit college campuses and educate them about Map Maker. Their first stop on the list was the University of California at Berkeley.  A lot of UC Berkeley was already mapped, but students gave their local knowledge by fixing building boundaries, adding campus dorms and moving location markers. No words yet on where they will stop next. I’d had to assume they would be going to larger campuses, rather than small, at least for the time being.

Add your local knowledge to the area you live in by visiting Google Map Maker.

Google Map Maker has been around for a while now, but hasn’t been available to the United States. Before Map Maker, only 15% of the world had detailed local maps, but now since it’s been accessible, over 183 countries cover nearly 30% of local towns. Places like the IIT of Bombay have already seen great improvements and details to their local maps.

Now you can make any adjustment to Google Maps with Map Maker, whether it’s adding a road, fixing the name, description, or location of a place or whether it’s adding your favorite shortcut to class; the possibilities are endless. If you know your local area well enough head on over to Google Map Maker to help improve your community and help others understand it as well as you do.

The final new feature added to Google Maps 5.3 is the ability to add your own personalized ratings for a specific place. Previously, Google Maps would pull data from reviews to figure out different aspects of a restaurant or business. Now you can add your own custom ratings for businesses and locations such as the type of food, what type of services a business does or any other kind of input you’d like to add to the rating.