Apple CEO apologizes for sorry state of iOS 6 Maps, recommends Bing, Google in the meantime
Company admits it "fell short" on commitment to "deliver the best experience possible"
Users who have made the leap to Apple's iOS 6 either through software update or the new iPhone 5 have found out the hard way that Apple's new Maps service has been anything but useful compared to trusty ol' Google Maps it really wanted to replace. On the bright side, it's literally lead to a whole new world in the palm of your hands. Apple has finally broken silence with CEO Tim Cook issuing an apology over the buggy state (to say the least) of the iOS Maps service, and a promise that the company will make things right:
To our customers,
At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.
We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.
There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.
While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.
Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.
Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO
So not only an apology, but a less-than-subtle recommendation of competing services in the meantime, including Google Maps! To be sure, it's really not that hard to get Google Maps back onto iOS 6: just hit the mobile version of the site and download the app.
(Image Source: The Amazing iOS 6 Maps)
Source: Apple
Section: Media Players & Services
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At the very least, Google should be in charge of creating the apps that Apple use to access the Google services, but even then perhaps put incentives for accessing it on an Android device.
TBH Apple aren't exactly the shining example of innovation even then, they too have admitted to stealing technology. Contrary to popular belief, Apple did not invent the mouse, Apple did not invent multitouch.
Here's a quote from Jobs regarding that:
Interesting from somewho who cries wolf because another company 'stole' an Apple patented feature.
Thing is, Apple recently have just been a marketing company and to me they do market their products brilliantly well, but the thing that annoys me is how hypocritical some of these big companies are.
As for the accuracy, I haven't personally experienced any issues. From what I hear, however, I'm in a pretty small minority on that front. Once this gets straightened out for everyone, though, the app itself is pretty great (if a bit overdue).
Sadly ever since SJ stepped down the company has gone downhill. I'm not saying that he was the "big" face but a lot of things have changed before then. They aren't operating the business as they used to anymore.
All being said, I'm surprised that they have taken the initiative and admitted that they messed up and that they are doing everything in their power to fix it. By advertising their competitors they are saying "they did it better than us", takes a lot for a company to do that.
I find all of this surprising. I find it surprising Apple screwed up beyond words and I find it surprising Tim Cook took the time to write an apologize letter and post it in the Apple website.
I read somewhere that only 10% of the people who have used Apple Maps are happy with it. Personally, I have never been much of a map user (except when we travelled to Miami and we got lost - The Google Maps app saved us a lot back then.
I have seen the jokes about this. Hilarious. I have also seen screenshots of misplacements happening haha so no doubt people wouldn't be very happy with it.
I also find it surprising that more developers didn't test this thoroughly (I would have but I installed the betas in an iPod Touch instead of my iPhone
Finally, I trust they will fix it. I think it's better to improve a product once it's out based on user feedback, even if that means dealing with a lot of backslash. I trust Apple is still the company that focuses a lot in product quality. They are getting more and more maps engineers so this should be one of the best maps out there in a short time (I estimate around 6 months to a year).
Doing something like that wouldn't be a smart move though. A lot of people use Google services in iOS. Gmail, Youtube (with or without the app), some prefer to sync contacts with Google rather than iCloud... It would be a huge market loss for Google if they decided to do it.
Either way I have no plans to update my iPhone 4 to the new iOS. I had enough problems with the jump to 5, and none of the new features are particularly interesting to me.
Apple are becoming increasingly monopolistic bullies and from what I heard, reception for the iPhone 5 has been mixed... mind you, Apple have stopped being the bigtime innovators of technology that brought success following the 90s.