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OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
Okay...up arrows...up votes...whatever...

I'm defending common sense.....I refuse to defend the stupidity of people.

If everyone knows how bad Apple maps truly are (especially in certain areas of the world) then I have very little sympathy for their getting lost when even Apple has offered up alternatives, most of which are free.

Being sick of these stupid reports of "nearly dying" or "could of/would of/should of" scenarios and complaints on here is getting old.

Even I don't trust Apple Maps enough to use them blindly when I might be late or am worried about possibly traveling into a dangerous area....and they have been perfect for me.

Most normal people do not spend hours on internet forums discussing technology, so they may not realise the Apple Maps app is unreliable and shouldn't be trusted.

Apple have a reputation for turning out good quality products so it's understandable that people will use their apps in good faith and expect them to work.
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,071
5,147
South Cackalacky
Do me a favor...in the article, they quote one couple going from Adelaide to Mildura.

Try those directions on Apple Maps and see if you would have trusted Apple maps even after it asked for you to make the first turn. :p

Momma always said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

I've always said...if it screws me up once, I'll be pissed off too, but hasn't happened yet due to living in the US...and maybe lucky as well.
 

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
My word. I had never noticed those up arrows before! Seen it on other forums, but as "rep" where you click a little pair of scales and can leave a message.

You miss the point. Apple maps are ****. Sure, they work well in some parts of the world, but taken as a whole they are pretty awful and importantly significantly worse than the product they replaced. Given how bad they are (and they really are), it was natural for people to be pissed off, and to say they were pissed off. It didn't really help for you (and others to be fair) to come on and try to excuse/justify/minimise every issue. It just makes you look like a desperate apologist.

Maps are just not good. Apple to their credit recognised this pretty quickly, and Cook fired those who were responsible. No one doubts that Apple have the resources and the will to get their **** together and improve things, but still, apple maps has been a cock up of frankly epic proportions. Until this whole thing happened, I thought all the talk of "apple fanboys" was just those who preferred android getting their panties in a twist, but I have to concede they were correct. There are people for whom any criticism of apple, no matter how valid, has to be challenged and if possible explained away. It is tedious. I am a massive apple fan, am too locked into their ecosystem to really make moving to android an option, but having invested so much into apple I feel quite entitled to say when they have made such a massive error.

You aren't defending common sense. You are flogging a dead horse, for reasons I can't fathom. Do you have apple shares or something?
 

The Phazer

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,997
930
London, UK
If everyone knows how bad Apple maps truly are (especially in certain areas of the world) then I have very little sympathy for their getting lost when even Apple has offered up alternatives, most of which are free.

Oh please.

There are people in the world who don't know who the Pope is, never mind who the mapping provider on their phone is.

For a normal, everyday user who has no interest in technology all they know is that they used to have a maps app that worked great, and installed an "upgrade".

Are they really supposed to be as aware that it was a change in provider and subsequently ruined the information changing the routes from a reasonably popular tourist information spot to leading them into dangerous territory?
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,071
5,147
South Cackalacky
Come on...are you really "defending" the people who got lost?

Look at a map (even Apple Maps :p)

Driving from Adelaide to Mildura has about TWO possible routes...on major roads...these people are idiots....and they're blaming a phone.

----------

I can't try it just now, my iPad running iOS6 is at home and my iPhone is still on iOS5 (because I subscribed to this thread back in June). ;)

Best post in a month! :D
 

m00min

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
419
90
Best post in a month! :D

I agree. Maybe if people weren't in such a hurry to update their device the nanosecond the new IOS gets released they wouldn't be getting lost right now :p Updating right away is even more silly when there's no way to downgrade. Of course this doesn't help people who bought new devices, but if I'd been thinking of upgrading to an iPhone 5 this would have held me off doing that. Maybe if Apple saw a dip in cash flow they might take more care, fat chance of that though.
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,071
5,147
South Cackalacky
I agree. Maybe if people weren't in such a hurry to update their device the nanosecond the new IOS gets released they wouldn't be getting lost right now :p Updating right away is even more silly when there's no way to downgrade. Of course this doesn't help people who bought new devices, but if I'd been thinking of upgrading to an iPhone 5 this would have held me off doing that. Maybe if Apple saw a dip in cash flow they might take more care, fat chance of that though.

Second best post in a month....:p
 

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
I agree. Maybe if people weren't in such a hurry to update their device the nanosecond the new IOS gets released they wouldn't be getting lost right now :p Updating right away is even more silly when there's no way to downgrade. Of course this doesn't help people who bought new devices, but if I'd been thinking of upgrading to an iPhone 5 this would have held me off doing that. Maybe if Apple saw a dip in cash flow they might take more care, fat chance of that though.

"It just works"

Apple sold itself as being distinct from Microsoft in that it's products were especialy user-friendly. People bought into this and apple's market share soared. It is simply no defence to then say users are at fault for not being technically proficient enough to have researched and found out that the update that their phone was prompting them to make would take away a muck loved and used feature and replace it with a significantly inferior one.
 

m00min

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
419
90
"It just works"

Apple sold itself as being distinct from Microsoft in that it's products were especialy user-friendly. People bought into this and apple's market share soared. It is simply no defence to then say users are at fault for not being technically proficient enough to have researched and found out that the update that their phone was prompting them to make would take away a muck loved and used feature and replace it with a significantly inferior one.

Technically proficient my arse. My 65 year old mum told me on the release of IOS6 she wasn't updating her iPhone yet, she wanted to wait for the guinea pigs to try it first. Guess what? She's still running IOS5. She isn't particularly technical, she just doesn't believe all the marketing fluff put out by a company who's main aim is to part her from her cash. It was on the main news, it's not like she had to go searching for information.
 

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
Technically proficient my arse. My 65 year old mum told me on the release of IOS6 she wasn't updating her iPhone yet, she wanted to wait for the guinea pigs to try it first. Guess what? She's still running IOS5. She isn't particularly technical, she just doesn't believe all the marketing fluff put out by a company who's main aim is to part her from her cash. It was on the main news, it's not like she had to go searching for information.

Good for your mum! My dad hit the upgrade button to get rid of it, despite my warning him not to upgrade. Now he is ****ed off he's lost google maps (doesn't like the web version).

Saying its all ok because your mum managed it is as rubbish as claiming apple maps are great because they work in San Francisco. Apple marketed themselves on "it just works". They profited on the back of that trust invested in them. Then they have the phones pop up prompts to upgrade that many people will simply click ok to, then finding they've lost a major feature they liked.
 

m00min

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
419
90
Good for your mum! My dad hit the upgrade button to get rid of it, despite my warning him not to upgrade. Now he is ****ed off he's lost google maps (doesn't like the web version).

Saying its all ok because your mum managed it is as rubbish as claiming apple maps are great because they work in San Francisco. Apple marketed themselves on "it just works". They profited on the back of that trust invested in them. Then they have the phones pop up prompts to upgrade that many people will simply click ok to, then finding they've lost a major feature they liked.

Do you believe everything you are told? By a company with a vested interest? If so you have no one to blame but yourself. Yes, it sucks that Apple cocked up their maps, but claiming that somehow you, the customer has no responsibility to READ UP ON WHAT YOU'RE INSTALLING is just silly.
 

Heb 7:4

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2011
115
0
Do you believe everything you are told? By a company with a vested interest? If so you have no one to blame but yourself. Yes, it sucks that Apple cocked up their maps, but claiming that somehow you, the customer has no responsibility to READ UP ON WHAT YOU'RE INSTALLING is just silly.

I don't, no. But I'll let my Dad know he has no one to blame but himself. I'm sure that will help. Probably what Tim Cook should have said in his letter too eh?
 

Idefix

macrumors 6502a
Jul 10, 2012
523
72
Basic fact: any app that generates this amount of extremely bad publicity is a disaster.

No way to get around that...

And, guess what? Apple could have mitigated the disaster by re-instituting the old Google Maps--and simply letting people choose which would be default.

Instead, Apple keeps the disaster going...
 

m00min

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
419
90
I don't, no. But I'll let my Dad know he has no one to blame but himself. I'm sure that will help. Probably what Tim Cook should have said in his letter too eh?

You probably should, maybe he'll remember that next time. I don't mean to be crappy but it's similar to people losing their data when a computer goes bang. They haven't backed up and it's gone, they only tend to make that mistake once. Hell, I did it, lost a load of work in college when the floppy disk got corrupted, now I back up frequently. No amount of telling people they need to actually look after their tech sinks in, until they lose something important.

Apple are absolutely responsible for the crappy map data but the end user needs to either look at what they're installing or call a geeky family member or friend to advise them. It's just simple self-preservation. I help out my mac/ios owning family members (I draw the line at dealing with PCs, it takes up too much time). They've all been told, "don't just hit update, call me and I will advise you".
 

KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
Basic fact: any app that generates this amount of extremely bad publicity is a disaster.

No way to get around that...

And, guess what? Apple could have mitigated the disaster by re-instituting the old Google Maps--and simply letting people choose which would be default.

Instead, Apple keeps the disaster going...

Good grief...are we still on this....

People if you have an issue, then report it and move on.

----------

I can't try it just now, my iPad running iOS6 is at home and my iPhone is still on iOS5 (because I subscribed to this thread back in June). ;)

Are things getting better in England yet?
 

Idefix

macrumors 6502a
Jul 10, 2012
523
72
And it's especially hard to move on when you get the feeling that Apple is still treating the disaster with contempt...
 

nikomakhos

macrumors member
Sep 23, 2012
61
0
Technically proficient my arse. My 65 year old mum told me on the release of IOS6 she wasn't updating her iPhone yet, she wanted to wait for the guinea pigs to try it first. Guess what? She's still running IOS5. She isn't particularly technical, she just doesn't believe all the marketing fluff put out by a company who's main aim is to part her from her cash. It was on the main news, it's not like she had to go searching for information.

Maybe the main news talks about Apple Maps in USA, but I think I've only seen one news story about it in my own language and that was on a computer related site, not something that an average person would read.

That being said, I've pretty much given up on Maps as it's gotten pretty clear that Apple is not taking it very seriously. As so many others, I too reported a few incorrect places around my house 3 months ago when iOS6 came out and none of them have been corrected yet.
 

KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
It's hard to move on when problems we've reported months ago still haven't been fixed.

I understand that, but a majority of the people are having no issues with Apple maps.

Google is not coming back....at least not as an inline app.

We have forgotten that google maps is not perfect. My wife had major issues if Google maps in Washington DC while the beta version of Apple maps was correct.

That doesn't mean that google maps is a complete disaster.
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
I understand that, but a majority of the people are having no issues with Apple maps.

Google is not coming back....at least not as an inline app.

We have forgotten that google maps is not perfect. My wife had major issues if Google maps in Washington DC while the beta version of Apple maps was correct.

That doesn't mean that google maps is a complete disaster.

I beg to differ. The only people who don't have problems with Apple maps are those that reside in the States. If you don't already know by now, Apple maps outside US is , quoting others, "a total poop".
 

Mxbzz

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2012
364
180
I beg to differ. The only people who don't have problems with Apple maps are those that reside in the States. If you don't already know by now, Apple maps outside US is , quoting others, "a total poop".

Even Apple Maps in the States is pretty shoddy. More specifically, the POI locations are just horrible. I was looking for directions to a school in San Francisco and it took me nowhere near the right destination.
I also wanted to use Apple Maps to check transit prices for the BART metro, but instead was directed to install another app. Google Maps on Safari is not nearly as good as thr native app. All in all, while Apple Maps looks simplistic and clean, it fails at the fundamentals (in my experience anyway)
 
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