Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6

I read this in Tim Cook's voice...

Personally, I have had no issues with Maps. In the first iOS 6 beta it was pretty terrible (just because no businesses were marked yet so search wouldn't work well) but since then it has gotten significantly better. I'm sure it will keep getting better.

Maps would get better they would start approving corrections.

I've submitted a few and have yet to see them pop up.

Roessnakhan said:

Jeeze, guys, I respect the man for actually posting this letter - something Steve Jobs would have never done. I've been a pretty harsh critic of Maps, and still will be after this letter, but I respect the man for admitting there's a problem.

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Yeah cool but we've paid loads of money for that stuff. I don't give a crap what he's saying, just want to use reliable and stable services.

Not sure I like this move.

Apple usually waits at least a week for a "crisis" to calm down before responding (recent examples are Antennagate and the wifi location thing), and that usually suits them well.

In this case, though, I think the timing is odd. The cacophony of Maps outrage has been dying down. As news cycles go, this was clearly on its way out. The message was pretty clear: The Maps are kinda lousy, but they'll get better soon.

I think Tim Cook's letter just drudges this back into the headlines -- right when it was starting to calm down.

Side note: I love reading how the Tim Cook has put his own tone into these notes. Completely different tone from Steve's letters.

phr0ze said:

Apple Maps is to Replacement Refs as Google Maps is to Professional Refs.

At least the NFL came to its senses.

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OH SNAP. (love the NFL reference)
/Vikings fan

A little damage control never hurts. I think Tim did a good job and his statement seems honest.

While the new maps app isn't perfect, I wouldn't consider it bad. It Just needs work.

I respect the letter. Despite some obvious spin.

Such as: 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.

No - they could have re-negotiated with Google. They chose not to. No harm/no foul - but that doesn't mean they HAD to. Err on omission of truth.

In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations.

I wonder how many of those searches are legit vs people trying to show how bad Apple Maps is.

They've (Apple) been working on maps for 4 years. You think that in 6 months they will turn it around from where it is now to something better than Google maps?

Don't know what you're smoking but I'd like some of it.

antoniojg25 said:

i actually used the map yesterday for the first time and i being having the iphone 5 since it came out and you know what it was freaking great i cannot complain. Tim Cook said the right thing by apologizing and we expect the best from apple give them time guys and don't be surprise that in 6 months or maybe less than that they could better than google guys . geez so many people complaints but they still use the phone right smh on some of you guys.

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looks like the dumb people are out of the Bush works knowing nothing about crowd-sourcing and user data.

This letter was probably drafted months ago - they knew exactly what the public reaction was going to be (how could they not, given how many issues there are?) and this is just a part of the PR machine response, which will have been carefully planned.

Roessnakhan said:

Jeeze, guys, I respect the man for actually posting this letter - something Steve Jobs would have never done. I've been a pretty harsh critic of Maps, and still will be after this letter, but I respect the man for admitting there's a problem.

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Nothing is gained by this letter other than official record of Apple putting out a failed product. Stock is going to take a big hit as a result. Tim should have stayed quiet and let their engineers work to fix it.

What happened to Apple Maps team allegedly being under lock down to fix this? Clearly they are saying it can't be fixed and to use a competitor. This is not a good thing.

Tim Cook

I completely agree with Tim Cook! I don't expect the new version of maps to be ten times better than google maps but everything has to start somewhere! I'm sure that when google maps launched it was terrible only years of use and customer feedback will make this a better app. I don't understand why people complain, everything changes for better people are dumb and just don't adapt to changes.

It can get better as much as it can, I still miss Street View well handy when going somewhere new for the first time.

If Tim wanted to offer us a real alternative to the new maps he would release the old apple maps. This would work for me until Google releases its map app in 3 months. I'm concerned that Apple showed such poor judgment in releasing beta software and not calling it such.

I've checked a few of the things Google maps always got wrong, and Apple Maps seems to have them right. I'm not saying it's a perfect product, but for my use (finding locations in the US) it's not the debacle it's been made out to be.

blakespot said:

I've said it on twitter and I'll say it again: I have had better experience with Apple's new Maps app on iOS 6 / iPhone 5 in the last week than any other time using a GPS prior.

I am new to turn-by-turn directions, late to the party - yes, but I put it to good use in Maps on iOS 6, driving through DC and into MD and it felt like magic. Truly.

Maps on iOS 6 is one of my favorite new features.

That's my experience.



bp

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Good to hear...I'm in MD/DC and use my Garmin for GPS, but I do look at the iOS maps for traffic before I get on 270...

kevinof said:

They've (Apple) been working on maps for 4 years. You think that in 6 months they will turn it around from where it is now to something better than Google maps?

Don't know what you're smoking but I'd like some of it.

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actually they have been working on just 2 years.


Keyhole technologies which was bought by Google was working on KeyHole maps since 1999. Google bought Keyhole in 2004. in 2004 the state of Google Maps was as bad as the current Apple Maps so Apple has been able to achieve what Keyhole/Google did in 5 years in just 2 years

A small positive

I think this is a positive sign--it indicates that Apple is taking the issues seriously. The fact that Cook went so far as to suggest using other products impresses me. Of course, this still doesn't address the issue of integration into the OS---if Yelp, for example, calls up a map, it will still be Apple maps. But give it time, it will be fine.

paul8 said:

If Tim wanted to offer us a real alternative to the new maps he would release the old apple maps. This would work for me until Google releases its map app in 3 months. I'm concerned that Apple showed such poor judgment in releasing beta software and not calling it such.

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APple is biting the bullet. they WANT you to use the new Maps to crowd source. If they just put Google Maps back in people will not use Apple Maps at all let alone a little

jroadley said:

It can get better as much as it can, I still miss Street View well handy when going somewhere new for the first time.

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I bet that sooner or later Google will fill that gap with a separate app.

I like it how Tim Cook recognized the mistake. It shows character. Steve would never do this.

Marketing Genius...

Many are correct. Steve Jobs would not have allowed this. This is their first trial at independently creating maps and they should not have to apologize for it.

But, I have tried Google maps, Bing, and MapQuest. I rely on maps and use them every day. They all have their downsides, but Apple is not far from the the mark and this is just their first product.

His comments could direct some customers to other mapping services, but more than likely, those customer have already switched. There is little downside. However, many may try the other services and find they are lacking as well, only to be more thankful for the Apple offering. It could be pure marketing genius.

For those that complain about the scuffing. You just spent $700 on a new phone, even if it was subsidized with a phone plan. You might want to take better care of it. It costs less than $30 for protective film. I agree than anodized aluminum was not the best choice, but throw it in your pocket with a set of keys and it is going to get scratched.

Tiger8 said:

Yikes! You know things are bad when Tim Cook is recommending BING!

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Apple and MS has been on far better terms with each other than Apple and the others lately, I remember even Steve Jobs mentioned Bing rather than Google in relation to search at a keynote once. I find it more remarkable that Cook recommended Nokia since the general attitude towards Nokia among Apple and its fans seems to be that it's an irrelevant has-been that isn't even woth talking about.

It seems like Apple has been apologizing alot lately, but does it mean they screw up more now or does it mean that publicly admitting mistakes was out of the question under Jobs?

hasanahmad said:

looks like the dumb people are out of the Bush works knowing nothing about crowd-sourcing and user data.

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Looks like the ignorant people are out in force thinking this maps problem is that easy to fix.

Google has a whole lot more than crowd sourcing and user data going into their maps, as should any self respecting map operation.

Apple. It just doesn't work.