Apple Fires Manager Responsible for Maps as Eddy Cue Turns to Outsiders for Help

[Lancetx]

and yet there are still fanboys in this forum insisting nothing is wrong with Apple Maps.

And just as many fanboys if not more claiming there's nothing wrong with Google Maps either and that it's the answer to all problems. Both are equally incorrect.

 

[lke]

It is unfair that Scott Forstal was forced out of Apple because of the maps issue and Johny Ive keep his job because of the design issues of the new iphone 5.

I think it is worst the design issues ( bend and scratches ) than the maps issues.


I also think that nobody has to be out of Apple because of the maps issues.

 

[Noodlefarmer]

Ymmv

and yet there are still fanboys in this forum insisting nothing is wrong with Apple Maps.

I think the people who are having problems are having problems. And the people who say they aren't, me included, aren't.

No one is calling anyone a liar. Except perhaps you.

 

[mully1121]

And just because we decide to NOTICE map errors now doesn’t mean they weren’t a fact of life with Google as well. They were and are. Under Google, we shrugged and found the mapping useful anyway. Under Apple, the same kinds of errors are a war crime apparently

Amen, I'm still on iOS 5 (jailbroken) so I'm still using Google Maps. I was using it the other day and it sent me in the completely wrong direction. Another time I was in Washington D.C. trying to get to Baltimore (Camden Yards to be specific) and it sent me to Chesapeake Bay. GPS in general still has issues and I've just learned to accept it and make sure I'm paying attention. Does Apple Maps need to improve? Sure, but is Google perfect? Heck no.

 

[Shade12]

maps sucks

 

[NY Guitarist]

Let's hope they roll out fixes and improvements fast!

 

[Marlor]

...And yet they still haven't fixed the incorrectly named airports around regional NSW, Australia. I've been suggesting the fixes to them since the Beta phase, but nothing has been done. There are still several airports and airfields with transposed names - meaning anyone getting directions to one of them will end up at a totally different airfield, usually 50-100km away.

These are simple fixes, and I've painstakingly suggested the corrections through the in-app correction widget and via email. It suggests they just aren't looking at user feedback at all.

 

[DynaFXD]

So what do you suggest they do? Keep the people responsible on staff and give up?

So, after negotiating with Google and not liking their offer, upper managers make the decision to not retain Google maps and go with their own solution despite not being ready to make that move. And for this, the jr manager who was saddled with the transition gets sacked. Even though there was no way they'd have the time or resources to catch up to where Google was before iOS6 and the iP5 hit the streets. And you're OK with this hack and slash management style?

Not saying what I wrote is what happened. But it sure appears that the problem was the captain ordering 'jump ship' before the life boats were lowered. I have a hard time (from the outside) faulting the sailors for this situation.

 

[mattopotamus]

I like that, and how if you minimize it, it still gives you directions up top, where the time is. If your phone screen is turned off, it turns on to show the next turn and then goes off again. Those small conveniences are great to me.

it really is a clean interface....it just fails in the most important aspect...directions. I live in Atlanta....one of the most populated cities in the US and it has mislead me a lot, a lot!

 

[lobster68w]

What was so good about Gmaps with no turn by turn, when you are driving? Seems a little dangerous to be using it, and having to see which turn is next, by holding the phone, and pressing buttons while driving?

Because they worked?

 

[cmChimera]

Once? Once? Surely you jest

This year? I'd say once. Maps. Otherwise, I'd say they've done quite well.

 

[IJ Reilly]

This is great! I haven't seen this list since the early days of IT.

It is just as true today.

Sadly, and especially in bureaucratic environments. I hope Apple gets this out of their system soon. It's beginning to look like the classic Chinese fire drill over there lately.

 

[Catacang]

The problems with maps are particularly noticeable outside the US.
At least in Europe, Apple should really consider paying Navteq to use their maps and POI since they've been the most complete and updated maps in this part of the world for a very long time.
Google Maps is also a good option, at least better than current TomTom mapping info they're currently using.

 

[ncaissie]

I would hate to say it looks like apple has lost it's grip iOS is everything and isn't any better or different in appearance since the original. Beginning to be prehistoric

LOL Not true. They added a couple of useless apps and changed a couple of icons and destroyed the maps.

 

[Centient]

I think the people who are having problems are having problems. And the people who say they aren't, me included, aren't.

Well stated.

I've had enough problems with Maps, to the point that I don't trust it and won't use it until there is evidence that it's improved.

In fact, my spouse relies so heavily on the Google Maps app (hasn't liked other map and navigation apps we've tried), that I haven't upgraded her phone to iOS 6 yet.

 

[Nunyabinez]

So, after negotiating with Google and not liking their offer, upper managers make the decision to not retain Google maps and go with their own solution despite not being ready to make that move.

You condense a lot into that statement, and by so doing miss the entire issue. Google refused to offer parity in features to Apple without forcing Apple to make concessions that they felt they couldn't make. Granted, the full terms of the negotiation haven't been made public, but it wasn't just minor haggling over some minor issues.

Faced with the predicament that Google put Apple in, Apple made a choice that in the long run will be very beneficial for Apple, despite the pain they (and us) have had in the short term. Could Apple have handled it better? Yes, but they would have had to start working on a map app long ago and at some point would have had to put it out there with its imperfections to get crowd sourced improvements.

As far as firing someone, realize that many of these people make huge amounts of money, often millions of dollars. If you don't deserve to get fired when you screw up, then why do you deserve to get millions when you don't? If I had paid someone millions of dollars for a product that pissed many of my customers off, you can bet that person would be out the door.

 

[samcraig]

In a statement just released, Richard Williamson said that Apple will be lost without him.

Eddie Cue released a statement in response, "No. We were lost with him."

 

[Apple Corps]

It is unfair that Scott Forstal was forced out of Apple because of the maps issue and Johny Ive keep his job because of the design issues of the new iphone 5.

I think it is worst the design issues ( bend and scratches ) than the maps issues.


I also think that nobody has to be out of Apple because of the maps issues.

iPhone 5 = best launch iPhone in history I believe. We have several in the family and have not had any bend or scratch.

 

[V.K.]

I've seen this kind of post before with snapshots at the same zoom level. With Apple Maps, you need to zoom in to get more detail. Like it or hate it, it means that maps are clear and clutter free until you zoom in for more detail. Here is a zoomed in shot at a portion of the map you've posted.

who says this is better? this is a choice of course but I much prefer the one that google made in this instance. I want to be able to see traffic directions on several streets at once instead of having to zoom in to every one of them individually. This is opposite of user friendly.

But all of this is minor stuff. Even if that part was the same on google and apple maps and even if the data on the apple maps was 100% accurate I would still go with google maps because of the extra features: street view and integrated public transit data. I find both of these absolutely indispensable in a large city such as Toronto. I use both all the time and won't give them up. Flyover is nothing but cool eye candy while street view is actually useful. Not updating my ipod touch to ios 6 till new google maps app is released.

 

[ncaissie]

Apple needs to save face and put the Google app back. It’s like they purchased the data from Tom Toms first year of Map devs.
Anyone else think Tom-Tom did this on purpose?

 

[avanpelt]

The people who say Apple Maps is just fine must be scratching their heads and wondering why heads are rolling.

 

[ncaissie]

When I select my location it says I’m a block away. Also the 3D make the sat view all wavy like the buildings and roads are all hills. Try zooming to Ottawa Ontario and select 3D. Also the sat pictures are so blurry you can barley make out the buildings.

 

[chiefsilverback]

For the last couple of years I've been using TomTom's iPhone app with no issues and one of my favourite features was the fact that it allows you to search google to get the address of your destination!

Is Apple Maps unreliable if you plug in an actual street address? The few times I've done a street address I've had no issues...

 

[gluckett]

For those who have had good luck with Maps, I'm happy for you. I for one do not trust it for directions after a quick test I did though. I asked it for directions to the Target store that is about a mile from my office. In the picture, the store is the big white building top to the left of the red destination pin. The route in blue are the directions it gave - had me making a u-turn and stopping in the middle of a busy 4 lane highway...

 

[Centient]

Is Apple Maps unreliable if you plug in an actual street address? The few times I've done a street address I've had no issues...

Yes. That has been my experience on multiple occasions.

This is not to say that it's been wrong every time, but it's led me astray more often than other navigation/map apps that I've used.