iOS 6 Adoption Uptick Due to iPhone 5 Release in China, Not Google Maps?

[Asia8]

iPads being used by flight crew as navigational devices.

[Triple Click Me] Maybe not so factual... but a good laugh none the less.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by shurcooL

Out of the 7-10 people I know with iPhones, only one purposefully held back on iOS 5 because of maps. And she did so mainly because she relies big time on Transit Directions, which Apple Maps doesn't have at all.

But the excellent Transit does.

[ArtOfWarfare]

My take away from the story:

71.5% of iOS users are now running iOS 6. Which means developers releasing iOS 6 only apps today will likely be reducing their sales volume by no more than 28.5%. Also, there's that trend line in the article showing that the percentage of people who won't be able to use the app is going down by around 1.5%/month.

And now the always fun look at Android's latest OS uptake statistics:

http://developer.android.com/about/d...rds/index.html

Let's see... 50.6% of Android devices are still running Gingerbread (released 2 years ago,) and of those who aren't running Gingerbread, about 1/3 are running older... leaving just 34% of users running a version of Android released within the past year.

[MDomino]

Seriously, WHO CARES?

[TheRainKing]

Originally Posted by SnowLeopard2008

Using your own logic, just because YOU have an issue doesn't mean there is an issue for everyone else. In some places, Google Maps is terrible too. In others, it's awesome. Same with Apple Maps. Everyone seems to forget that a few years ago (or more I forget...) some people using GPS devices drove into oceans and off cliffs and other sorts of sticky situations. These GPS devices uses the same map data provider as Google and Apple does. In some cases, the same data points and locations databases. Google Maps is more extensive yes but that doesn't Apple Maps universally terrible.

I personally use Apple Maps. I have friends who live outside the US and they have used both Google and Apple maps on Android and iDevices. They have told me it's roughly the same and both have "issues" in certain areas. As a whole, they all seem to think that Apple has the better UI. None of my friends are "techies".

Originally Posted by Plutonius

Actually, it also works the other way too. Just because Apple maps is bad for you, don't assume everyone else is having problems. The truth is that many people aren't having problems with Apple maps and like Apple maps.

Originally Posted by Swytch

Same can be said about google maps... which I think is his point, if apple maps has issues, then so does google maps (in my area google maps is horrible)

You three are missing the point, and putting words in my mouth. I never claimed that everyone had issues with Apple Maps. I was simply stating that some people DO have issues with it. This is just a fact. I don't see where the debate or argument is.

Did I claim that Apple Maps was completely useless for everyone? Did I claim that Google Maps was perfect for everyone? NO!!!!

Originally Posted by NoNothing

I have navigated for over 4000 miles using both iOS 6 maps and an Google's Android navigation (Gingerbread) (side by side). Apple has had one mistake with a misplaced road. Google's maps has had 3 errors with mis-named roads. (Google's POI database is simply great).

The navigation interface on iOS 6 maps is better than the navigation on the Android maps. I miss traffic flow data on the iOS 6 Google maps app.

From my experience, it is an "issue" far over-blown by media and analysts. Both systems have errors and have areas of improvement.

You can't use your own experience to define whether it's an issue or not. The fact that it blew up in the media, received a lot of negative press, and Tim Cook himself apologised for it, is proof that it's an issue. Even if only 20% of the people who upgraded to iOS 6 had problems with Apple Maps, that's still a lot of people. Put yourself in their shoes, if you were somewhere in the world where Google Maps had good coverage, and then you upgraded to Apple maps only to find that the coverage was quite poor in your area, you would be a little bit upset. That very scenario happened to a lot of people, and I think they have the right to call it an issue.

[TMay]

Originally Posted by MDomino

Seriously, WHO CARES?

I could speculate that most iPhone users probably don't use maps, or don't use maps frequently enough to care one way or another. I suspect that other than trying to find the ACME Clay Tablet store in their place of residence, people pretty much know how to get around and have a productive life without much use of maps at all.

I just want to know vaguely where something is, or reference a landmark. I can figure it out from there.

Turn by turn navigation is useful when you aren't a native or are in a visitor in an unfamiliar area. I get that.

[cdubb80]

Originally Posted by RobHague

Google maps wasn't that important it seems an exaggeration to me that anyone could hold off just based on that. If it was deadly vital you could just go to the mobile site.

I have had zero issues with Apple Maps anyway, I downloaded the new Google Maps but its in a folder for emergencies with other apps like Waze. I was in London a few days ago and decided to give Google Maps a spin when I got lost, and it was giving me confusing directions. Switched to Apple Maps and it was much clearer. How is that for irony?

I moved to Australia this summer where apple maps sucks. I held off on updating to ios 6 on my iphone/ipad and so has my wife.

[NoNothing]

Originally Posted by TheRainKing

Even if only 20% of the people who upgraded to iOS 6 had problems with Apple Maps, that's still a lot of people.

That is the point. 20% is very very very high. I would suspect it is closer to 1% and you have very serious astro-turfing by both Samsung and Google to keep it high in the media spotlight.

I have had as much issues with Google maps as Apple maps. That is a fact.

You don't see Google taking flack for routing UNDER THE G$%#^ GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE do you? For a while, 5 months back, they would try and route you under the Golden Gate Bridge on a road floating on water.

Did that make the front page of every single tech write-up on the planet?

[firestarter]

Thank goodness we don't pay for this shoddy journalism, and the piss poor command of English on the front page ("suggesting that suggesting", really?).

Oh, except I do...

[a0me]

It would be interesting to see a breakdown of iOS 6 adoption and Google Maps downloads by country. Apple Maps may be OK in the US and Canada, but there's a lot of countries where they're not.

[cdubb80]

Originally Posted by NoNothing

That is the point. 20% is very very very high. I would suspect it is closer to 1% and you have very serious astro-turfing by both Samsung and Google to keep it high in the media spotlight.

just like media talking about gun control in the US, eh?

So 1% of the world versus multiple countries in multiple continents (Australia, Europe, South America).

America counts for 99% of the world now?

[Rad99004]

IOS 6 Adoption rate for IPad 1 0%
IOS 7 Adoption rate for IPad 2 0%

OK I guess we will have to see what Apple does but if the trend continues I will have to rethink my next purchase. Just still doesn't seem fair to allow 3GS to get IOS 6 and not iPad 1.

[Hitch08]

Originally Posted by TheSlush

Apple was "bragging"? Do I detect some negative bias, MacRumors? Tsk tsk, that's unlike you.

The use of the word "bragging" caught my eye as well. Strange.

[BaldiMac]

Originally Posted by TallManNY

Your misunderstanding what was reported. It was a 29% increase in unique iOS adoptions over their baseline day. So if on Monday 100 new devices, then Tuesday 110, then Wednesday 120, then Thursday 129, so they reported an adoption rate increase. The percentage was a percentage of new adoptions, which turns out to probably include new devices. The 29% had nothing to do with total iOS users.

That explanation makes a lot more sense, but I would say the numbers were misreported and mispromoted. From the original post:

MoPub CEO Jim Payne, who had this to say:
"We observed since the launch of Google Maps for iOS 6 a 30 percent increase in unique iOS 6 users, and we think it's related to Google Maps."

From the graph:
"29% Growth in unique iOS6 users"

[alvindarkness]

Originally Posted by TheSlush

Apple was "bragging"? Do I detect some negative bias, MacRumors? Tsk tsk, that's unlike you.

No its exactly like Jordan Golston, who still writes like this is a personal blog. I was about to comment on exactly the same thing, but you beat me to it.

Most other macrumors staff are more neutral in their tone. In this case "bragging that", could've been replaced with "stating that", or "reporting". At least he has improved a *little* since starting here.

[pirateyarrr]

Originally Posted by NoNothing

20% is very very very high. I would suspect it is closer to 1% and you have very serious astro-turfing by both Samsung and Google to keep it high in the media spotlight.

Yes, I totally can have confidence in your 1% number that you've pulled completely out of your nether regions and shown off to all of us with absolutely nothing to back it up but your own fanboi delusions. Bravo.

[shurcooL]

Originally Posted by Swift

But the excellent Transit does.

Can you post a link please? I'm not finding it based on the name.

[mrsir2009]

Not to mention the fact that it's Christmas soon...

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by BaldiMac

These numbers just don't make sense. iOS 6 adoption was at over 60% within a month. Even assuming that it plateaued there, we are talking about around 240 million iOS 6 users. A 29% increase would be around 70 million additional iOS 6 users in 3-4 days.

This isn't explained by new device sales unless Apple is going to have a heck of a blowout quarter!

!

iOS 6 runs on the iPad 2-3 plus iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4s in addition to the preloaded iPad 4, Mini and iPhone 5. All together that could be that many devices

----------

Originally Posted by goobot

Their numbers are probably just completely wrong. I don't know how they collect their data put do they check to see if they may be counting any devices multiple times?

These companies count based on apps that use their ads and guess based off that. Who really knows if they are correct

----------

Originally Posted by Asia8

Image

iPads being used by flight crew as navigational devices.

Lame.

----------

Originally Posted by TheRainKing

You can't use your own experience to define whether it's an issue or not. The fact that it blew up in the media, received a lot of negative press, and Tim Cook himself apologised for it, is proof that it's an issue.

A PR issue but not necessarily a real issue with the tech. Tim made the statement because folks were demanding a reply by Apple. Nothing more

[demodave]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

Image

This past weekend, Apple issued a press release bragging that it had sold more than two million iPhone 5 units in China over the first three days of availability.

Really, I hadn't noticed that Apple was "bragging". More like they were just making a press release. Don't get too comfortable in your new chair, big guy. You might not want to tick of your reading public. This is, after all, MacRumors, not AndroidRumors.

[stevedun]

Honestly, a ton of people held off on the upgrade because of the "maps issue". Remember, MOST iOS users are not the tech enthusiasts we are. All they need is a report (or even rumor) that there is a problem with the upgrade and they will wait.

Just take a look at Samsung's most recent ad campaign bashing Apple over the maps issues. This is a company with a lot of money and heavy investments in marketing. They wouldn't be dumping money into an ad campaign if A) the issue wasn't resonating with consumers and B) this wasn't a perceived weakness in Apple's offering. Did that ad do a thing to change your opinion of Apple/iPhone? If you answered no, then you don't think like the people who were holding out for the Google Maps app, but rest assured, they're out there.

[GoldenJoe]

That google maps attribution was laughable. I'm surprised people actually posted the story.

[Mackan]

Very interesting analysis... No.

[SnowLeopard2008]

Originally Posted by TheRainKing

You three are missing the point, and putting words in my mouth. I never claimed that everyone had issues with Apple Maps. I was simply stating that some people DO have issues with it. This is just a fact. I don't see where the debate or argument is.

Did I claim that Apple Maps was completely useless for everyone? Did I claim that Google Maps was perfect for everyone? NO!!!!

I stated the same thing and yet you have some kind of problem with that. You took offense when someone implied that Apple Maps isn't an "issue". That is what the debate/argument with you is about. Seriously, go read your own post.

[eyehop]

The only people likely to upgrade an OS based on what map app runs on it are those at blogs like this. The vast majority could care less and won't notice much difference. We all need to remember to pop the bubble of our own making before we scratch the surface.