Apple Launches New App Store Feature Section for Alternative Maps

[Rogifan]

Bye bye Scott?

[Small White Car]

All week long I imagine Waze must be wetting their pants with glee just a little bit more each day.

[FlameofAnor]

Originally Posted by junkimchi

Not sure if I approve of this shameless approach from Apple.

I'm not sure you understand what "shameless" means.

[timshundo]

This is a little excessive. Jesus.

[nia820]

Originally Posted by lzyprson

I've seriously had no problems with Maps, and I have used Voice Navigation almost daily since the release... Apology unwarranted!!

No its not unwarranted. Maybe where you live it works. But for most small towns and outside America its horrible. According to apple maps I live in the middle of no where.

[MattJessop]

No 'you're using it wrong'?

I like this new Apple.

[Beezzy]

People will still cry about this.

[mingoglia]

I'm one of the handful here that is frequently very critical of Apple... but I find that I may be in the minority here when I say I'm actually quite satisfied with the new maps/navigation. Yes there's some bugs, but these things will get fixed rapidly. They're not show stoppers from what I've seen. I also think the new interface is very clean and easy to use. I previously used the Mapquest app exclusively and the new Tom Tom based interface is much cleaner and smoother.

I have friends that have been talking about how much they hate the new maps on FB since the release of the new IOS... just has me shaking my head about how emotional some people get. Perhaps my owning a company that builds in house software I'm more tolerant and know the hurdles with initial software releases?

[HawkI55]

As Jobs would say to all you that dislike the maps app "you're using it wrong"

[djphat2000]

Originally Posted by rorschach

I think this is a bad idea.

It's one thing to acknowledge issues and problems, and to be open about what you're doing to fix them. That's a good thing.

It's a whole other thing to say, "Hey, our competitors have a better product. Go check them out and come back to us later." Even if your competitors do have a better product at the moment, you don't actually SAY that.

Not really. As if you didn't like Google maps all those years ago. And if you don't like the current iOS 6 maps. You have an easy way to either get a replacement (for free in some cases) or pay for the one you like best.

This way Apple isn't the one saying "take it and shut up!" Like they are the only ones that do it best. This is different from Steve, but it is a welcomed change. They said they will fix it, and I believe they will. While still making money for themselves and there developers. WHILE keeping the consumer happy with choices. Can't beat that.

[applesith]

Let's get sections for mail, camera, messages, music, phone too!

Apple is making it clear their latest large software launch is a failure and endorsing competitors. Why stop with Maps? The writing is on the wall for their software.

[BC2009]

I think this is Tim Cook's way of diffusing the press. If Apple does these things then what does the press have left to write about? The story suddenly becomes old news.

However, I would like Apple to keep the pressure on the Maps team to get things fixed. I am also glad that I do not work on that team right now. I don't know if this is falling on Scott Forstall or Eddy Cue or both but somebody is getting verbally whipped right now if Tim Cook is writing these kind of open letters and Apple is suggesting alternatives to their first-party Maps.

As an aside: the new maps has been fantastic for me so I cannot complain about it. I love the new features and since this news I have used it more often to see if I could spot a problem, but so far, so good.

[Rogifan]

So basically Apple is saying come to us for great hardware but go elsewhere for software? And we're still supposed to believe Steve when he said Apple is a software company?

[Le0nard0]

This might not be the end of the world for apple. They basically dumped Google, apologized (which is a very big thing in the corporate world). They are now showing they care by up selling other apps. Which will move their uses further away from google. Then they will announce an update to maps, and because of the native built in turn by turn directions, people will naturally fall back to using maps.

They aren't really risking anything here. While at the same time moving their user base away from google maps.

Kind of smart.

[bushido]

this just proves that stating your opinion and having your voice heard can actually matter. people should consider this next time AT&T comes up with yet another new business structure

[osx11]

The majority of iOS users are still using google maps natively.

Clearly they still have deals with google.

[nia820]

Originally Posted by echo2011

how about enabling the downgrade to ios 5.1.1 along with this fine solution?

i agree. I regret upgrading to Ios6 everyday.

[Small White Car]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

So basically Apple is saying come to us for great hardware but go elsewhere for software? And we're still supposed to believe Steve when he said Apple is a software company?

Apple is and always has been a hardware company first. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just teasing you.

So, no, you're not supposed to believe it.

[apollo1444]

I've had zero issues with Apple maps so far! yes I do miss to be able to find businesses and yelp doesn't even work in mexico so I use foursquare other than that it's perfectly fine

[BC2009]

Originally Posted by alent1234

its funny how the fandroids go on about their 30 choices of a web browser and how thats cool. but once you tell them that there is a choice of map apps and transit apps they say it sucks because only google should do it

i never thought of it that way. in one case its a benefit, but in the other case its a failure. that's a very good point. though i would bet that now that Google has released Chrome for Android most "fandroids" would swear by it as the only worth-while browser. I guess this would be more like Google releasing Chrome and then following up with a version that worked like the old "Android Browser" and then directing folks to alternatives in Google Play. so to be fair, its more about what has been taken away and people care more about accurate data than cool features when it comes to maps.

apple is going to get there, but i wish there was some transparency on their road map for doing so.

[Schmitty11]

My roommate is taking a nap, and it taking everything I have to keep myself from laughing my ass off.

[nagromme]

I favor Navigon MyRegion (currently owned by Garmin)—cheap, easy-to-use, looks great, multitasks nicely with music, and unlike Apple/Google/MapQuest/Waze, it works with no cell signal or Internet needed: great for an older disused iPhone or a 3G/4G iPad that has no active plan! I’ve tried it on my old iPhone 3G which has no SIM installed, and navigation does still work.

(But I’m always cautious before updating to the latest version, so I can’t vouch for the recent Navigon update, which adds a transit option.)

Someday we’ll have Apple's ease-of-use and elegance coupled with refined map data that can finally rival Google’s. Someday. They had to start somewhere, and user input is how it will improve—the same way Google improved (with a big head start resulting in a great product today). In the meantime, I’m glad I have options, and I hope one of them soon is Google’s own!

[Skika]

Originally Posted by rorschach

It's a whole other thing to say, "Hey, our competitors have a better product. Go check them out and come back to us later." Even if your competitors do have a better product at the moment, you don't actually SAY that.

Apps available in the Apple app store are Apple's competitors?

Do you read the stuff you write?

[djphat2000]

Originally Posted by applesith

Let's get sections for mail, camera, messages, music, phone too!

Apple is making it clear their latest large software launch is a failure and endorsing competitors. Why stop with Maps? The writing is on the wall for their software.

The writing has been on the wall for Apple for YEARS! Still only words on some virtual wall somewhere.

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by srxtr

This is a new low for Apple...

How so? For all the moaning about the loss of the old maps, it really wasn't that good. It lacked turn-by-turn navigation, which put iOS at a serious disadvantage to Android. Apple tried their own solution, released it too early, realizes it, and is helping people find alternatives in the interim.

This is a lot better response than "don't hold it that way," or "all phones do that."