Apple Buys Another Map App, Embark

http://jessicalessin.com/2013/08/22/exclusive-apple-buys-another-map-app-embark/

by _pius • 13 years ago

133 45 13 years ago

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swang2• 13 years ago

Is this why Embark SF shutdown about a week ago?

bradleyjg2• 13 years ago

I use both the LIRR and NYC Subway versions all the time. I hope they aren't shut down.

crazygringo• 13 years ago

NJ Transit too. Likewise, really hope they don't shut down until Apple integrates their functionality.

I mean, they don't need constant connections to servers or anything, but they do need to update their schedules every so often. I don't know if they download from Embark servers, or if it's directly from transportation sites, but I would suspect the former.

harrytuttle• 13 years ago

Tell me when they get even close to Nokia Here on WP...

clauretano• 13 years ago

Sounds like they're getting serious about transit, between Embark today, HopStop on 20 July[0], and Locationary on 19 July[1]. All too soon for iOS 7. Hopefully soon we won't have to hop back and forth between apple maps and random mediocre third party transit solutions --or just use google maps, which most probably do now.

[0]http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-19/apple-said-to-buy-h...

[1]http://allthingsd.com/20130719/apple-acquires-local-data-out...

r00fus2• 13 years ago

Luckily, they can update Maps app without waiting for an OS release. Sure, it'd make a great preso, but I'd prefer they take their time and get it right.

Google maps also has better UX than Apple Maps unless you use Siri. I hope Apple tackles UX as well - perhaps converting Apple Maps to the new flat look and adding more swipe support.

smackfu2• 13 years ago

Luckily, they can update Maps app without waiting for an OS release.

Can they? It's not actually a separate app from the app store like Find My Phone or iBooks. So it would require at least an OS point release, and Apple doesn't seem too keen on doing those for features.

ajju2• 13 years ago

Embark makes some of the best transit apps out there [1]. Given their attention to detail on UX, Apple seems like a great fit for them.

Congratulations to David Hodge and team!

([1] Disclaimer: David is a friend, but I am pretty sure his non-friend users will tell you the same :))

gfosco• 13 years ago

Embark and HopStop are both Parse-powered apps, which allows them to focus on providing a great UX and not have to worry about servers.

Disclaimer: I work on the Parse team.

Come to Parse Developer Day: http://www.parsedeveloperday.com/

JoeCortopassi• 13 years ago

I'm sure Parse has a great team at it's disposal, but once they were purchased by Facebook I wrote them off completely. Absolute last company I want to trust with the system critical infrastructure for my apps is Facebook.

andreasklinger• 13 years ago

If you like transit apps and detailed UX take a look at iPhone/android apps of www.citymapper.com

So far they only launched for NYC and London but they are truly amazing.

They are pretty much the only thing that makes London public transit bearable.

Their mission is: "to save Londoners from London!"

Disclaimer: I know the founders from London quite well.

dmix2• 13 years ago

Looks good. The only app I miss from my iPhone, after moving to Android, is the Transit app: http://thetransitapp.com/

sbuk• 13 years ago

I've been using the version for London since not long after its launch and I have to say that it is the best app of its type. The update notes on iOS are works of comedic art too. I've used the android version as well, which is also excellent.

SandersAK• 13 years ago

David Hodge and co are legends. Congrats.

samstave2• 13 years ago

I use iBart and Caltrain app every single day!

The apps are fantastic!

The only complaint I have about them is that iBart makes train connections too short for some stations. To transfer at 12th street you have to change levels, and iBart gives you one minute to make the connection, but I've only made that connection once. All other times I missed it.

willimholte• 13 years ago

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I am interested in what behavior you expect from the app vs the behavior you are observing.

(I've used iBart a few times, but not in a few months and not to route trips in Oakland.)

Are you saying that your train arrives at 12th Street at noon and iBart tells you to board a train leaving 12th Street at 12:01? Would you prefer iBart tell you to board the next train? (Not sure about schedules, is that about 15 minutes later?)

prawn4• 13 years ago

In Switzerland, train connections are optimised for minimising time and allow for distance between the platforms in question. It's stunningly efficient.

samstave2• 13 years ago

Precisely.

It just needs an update that a realistic transfer at some stations require N amount of time minimum between trains to account for walking between platforms. Although the only issue I have had this far is specifically at 12th

bradleyjg2• 13 years ago

I don't know about SF and BART, but in NYC it's not just a matter of telling you to board the next train. Since there are multiple possible routes from A to B it may well be that needing to take the next train moves one route from optimal to suboptimal.

So yes, ideally the app would know that you can't walk a city block and two flights of steps in one minute and nix that as a transfer option. Bonus points if it told you which part of the train to get on to minimize the transfer time.

potatolicious• 13 years ago

Yeah, pretty much. The problem with all transit apps (including Google) is that they only consider x/y distances for estimating walking time. Getting yourself out of a 5-story hole in the ground to catch a surface bus, for example, may appear as a nearly-zero walk to the transit planner.

mmanfrin• 13 years ago

Shortcut to a huge buyout: develop a map app that generates local, personalized content for users, then start a bidding war between Apple and Yahoo.

jmduke• 13 years ago

I would pay a non-trivial amount of money for an app that, amongst other things, told me which coffeeshops in my area has the least traffic.

malandrew• 13 years ago

Just look for Yelp 1-star reviews on coffeeshops. I reckon that should work. I know this sounds like a facetious answer, but any app that does what you asked for would probably return results that correlate with the quality of the coffee.

ajju2• 13 years ago

They have been working (very hard) on this for 4 years. If that's a shortcut, what is a long cut?

untog2• 13 years ago

I use the Android version of Embark. Oh dear. Time to find a new app (that doesn't repeatedly crash, hopefully)

An interesting purchase- Embark doesn't have any valuable data, or user details, etc. I can only assume Apple bought them because they have great UI/design instincts, and might be able to help rescue Apple Maps.

Kudos to them for achieving their goal - giving away an ad-free transit planning app could only have one aim, really.

prawn4• 13 years ago

Can you try Transit Times? Office friend of mine makes that and works very hard on it.

ondrae• 13 years ago

They make great apps. I don't know if it got implemented, but I heard rumors they were working on some really cutting edge routing tech too.

bumbledraven• 13 years ago

Article says Embark is a YC company. Congrats on the exit!

aroman• 13 years ago

I for one am really happy to see Apple getting really serious about all this mapping and transit data. Competing with Google on this front is going to be a win for the consumer, I believe.

droopyEyelids• 13 years ago

'Grats guys. I absolutely love my Embark Metra app. The absolute least friction to getting what I want to know-- thanks to a lot of insight into, thought about, and work on how I'd use it no doubt.

swang2• 13 years ago

Everyone saying Apple is finally taking Maps seriously: shit does that mean they brought their C game against Google?

Their serious "A" game against Google was what you saw with the first version. And it stunk. Just terrible. It wasn't that they weren't "serious" about Maps. Apple just completely dropped the ball. Terrible data, no bus/transit routes without third party apps (if this wasn't a huge red flag for, "we are not ready to release Maps" I don't know what is), and an icon that subconsciously told their users to drive off a bridge.

They assumed users would give them a pass on their lack of data because they would be too busy being wowed by the Flyover views. Well they were wrong.

glhaynes• 13 years ago

Their serious "A" game against Google was what you saw with the first version.

Not sure why you'd say this then list its obvious and avoidable failings. Failings which contributed to an SVP being ousted and a huge amount of investment being made to catch up. Seems more like they came out with their "C" game and are now trying to ramp it up to their "A" game.

JofArnold• 13 years ago

I love Embark. Even though they've stopped supporting it in London - and it comes up with that blasted "we've stopped supporting it" message every time - it's still one of the best travel apps around. Well done guys.

Apple Buys Another Map App, Embark

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