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PrometheusGeek

macrumors regular
Mar 19, 2012
231
0
This is incorrect though. It might be good for many/most USERS but the US is a small portion of the planet...

Not in terms of actual iOS device owners. The US is 50% of that group, and by far the single largest user market. No other country comes close. In the US, there are 19million iOS device users. In all other countries combined - 20million. The UK is #2 with a distant 3.5million users. It's not unreasonable for Apple - a US country - to prioritize the quality and accuracy of Maps in their home country, which is also their single largest user base by a factor of 6-7x.
 

Archer1440

Suspended
Mar 10, 2012
730
302
USA
The average American travels very little. I travel internationally ~180 days of the year and I can assure you, maps outside the USA is a serious problem for me. Tokyo is a joke as is the rest of Japan. London is a joke. Paris is a joke. These places aren't Slackjaw, Alabama or Broken Bow, Oklahoma- they are key centers for business travelers like me.

And the Google web app does not cut it, especially if, like me, you don't want to log into Google on principle.

These are places with a significant market for the iPhone 5 and this problem is a very big one for those of us who use maps 80% more than the average user. The Great Unwashed don't have a problem because they don't use the app much.

The crux of the problem is, it worked fine before, and now it's broken. "Upgrading" to a broken item is intensely nettlesome for people who use these devices seriously- which isn't most of the people who say it's not a problem.

I don't doubt it will get better, but for Apple to drop Google before their mapping app was ready for prime time was a major cockup for a company with the resources of Apple.

In the words of Steve Jobs, Apple isn't perfect. Smartphones aren't perfect. But breaking something that works well because of corporate anger toward a competitor was stupid.

So I applaud Cook for admitting it. That shows character, which helps with restoring faith. It was smart to admit the problem.
 

OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
Not in terms of actual iOS device owners. The US is 50% of that group, and by far the single largest user market. No other country comes close. In the US, there are 19million iOS device users. In all other countries combined - 20million. The UK is #2 with a distant 3.5million users. It's not unreasonable for Apple - a US country - to prioritize the quality and accuracy of Maps in their home country, which is also their single largest user base by a factor of 6-7x.

Have you got a source for those figures because they seem very low?

400-million.jpg
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,073
5,158
South Cackalacky
I'm just asking you to provide the source that backs up your figures.

Ummmmm...you have a picture in YOUR post. And there are plenty of figures out there talking about how many iPads and iPhones are sold every quarter or year.

If 5 million phones were sold in just the first week, the usual amount of phones sold (total of all models) tends to be around 100 million or so a year. iPads are about half of that.

http://ipod.about.com/od/glossary/f/how-many-iphones-sold.htm

http://www.quora.com/iPad/How-many-iPads-have-been-sold-till-March-2012

Obviously, not all are still in use, so the 400 million listed in your picture is probably about right...I mean...wouldn't the CEO of Apple know?
 

oldcelt

macrumors 6502
Sep 28, 2011
378
59
UK
I searched for Hexham racecourse in Northumberland UK - it guided me to Australia!!!! I didn't believe it.;)
 
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OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
Ummmmm...you have a picture in YOUR post. And there are plenty of figures out there talking about how many iPads and iPhones are sold every quarter or year.

If 5 million phones were sold in just the first week, the usual amount of phones sold (total of all models) tends to be around 100 million or so a year. iPads are about half of that.

http://ipod.about.com/od/glossary/f/how-many-iphones-sold.htm

http://www.quora.com/iPad/How-many-iPads-have-been-sold-till-March-2012

Obviously, not all are still in use, so the 400 million listed in your picture is probably about right...I mean...wouldn't the CEO of Apple know?

You said "In the US, there are 19million iOS device users. In all other countries combined - 20million" in the post I quoted.

Your total of 39 million users looks extremely low when 400 million iOS devices have been sold, even allowing for devices being retired.

You still haven't provided the source for your figures.
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,073
5,158
South Cackalacky
You said "In the US, there are 19million iOS device users. In all other countries combined - 20million" in the post I quoted.

Your total of 39 million users looks extremely low when 400 million iOS devices have been sold, even allowing for devices being retired.

You still haven't provided the source for your figures.

Ummm...I never said that. You must have read that from someone else.

I believe what the other person was quoting was iPhone users only and those numbers would match the 50 million sold per year or pretty close, right?

20 or so million here...the same amount for the rest of the world...pretty close to 50 million approx. phones sold. Add in all iPads, and Itouches sold and still in use...400 million you show is correct as well.
 

OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
Ummm...I never said that. You must have read that from someone else.

I believe what the other person was quoting was iPhone users only and those numbers would match the 50 million sold per year or pretty close, right?

20 or so million here...the same amount for the rest of the world...pretty close to 50 million approx. phones sold. Add in all iPads, and Itouches sold and still in use...400 million you show is correct as well.

Sorry, I had confused you with the other member. :eek:
 

SlCKB0Y

macrumors 68040
Feb 25, 2012
3,426
555
Sydney, Australia
I suppose the question is, are the maps that ship with iOS6 worse than the old Google version in iOS5?

Yes.

For you... But not for the majority of users.

You're now claiming that the majority of users are having an equal or better experience with Apple Maps under iOS6 compared to iOS 5?

----------

Apologists? Not at all. The truth is (as is demonstrated by actual data)

This one study you keep citing is extremely suspect and you seem to completely incapable of critically analysing a data source.
 
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Tom G.

macrumors 68020
Jun 16, 2009
2,340
1,389
Champaign/Urbana Illinois
I do not know what experiences others have had with Apple maps, nor do I care that much, I care about what's on my iOS devices because that's what I use.

On my iPhone and iPad I have had very little problems with maps here in central Illinois. I rarely used the Google maps in the earlier versions of IOS because I did not consider it good enough. It took forever for it to load and it was always slow in lagging. For that reason I spent a goodly amount of money for an app to buy Tom-Tom Navigator.

My experience with Apple maps is that they are in some ways better than the Google maps because they load faster. I'll still use Tom-Tom Navigator, because I think it's superior.

No matter what map app you use it will never be 100% correct. You have this thing above your neck and between your ears called a brain, and your's post to use this to help find your way. It is the ultimate direction finding tool, and if you can't find your way without an electronic device then you should not ever leave home.

In the end I guess that I would say that Apple maps while not 100% great are certainly good enough. Especially considering what you paid for that app.
 

cyks

macrumors 68020
Jul 24, 2002
2,090
8
Westchester County, NY
No matter what map app you use it will never be 100% correct. You have this thing above your neck and between your ears called a brain, and your's post to use this to help find your way. It is the ultimate direction finding tool, and if you can't find your way without an electronic device then you should not ever leave home.

In the end I guess that I would say that Apple maps while not 100% great are certainly good enough. Especially considering what you paid for that app.

So when someone gives you an address, you plug it into Apple's Maps, and guides you to a place a few miles away, how would that thing between your ears know it was way off?

I'm not sure what you were going for when you mentioned the price, but, considering the new maps broke numerous 3rd party apps, built in features, and promised functionality, I'd say the price would be the full cost of the phone.

If returning it or downgrading to iOS 5 were options, I'd be much happier, but, since they're not, I lost much of the usefulness I had just over a month ago.
 

SlCKB0Y

macrumors 68040
Feb 25, 2012
3,426
555
Sydney, Australia
It is the ultimate direction finding tool, and if you can't find your way without an electronic device then you should not ever leave home.

Electronic or not it's still a map. You've never tried to navigate a foreign city where you don't speak the language?

How does your "ultimate direction finding tool" navigate you in that situation without a map?
 

sueperdave

macrumors newbie
Nov 10, 2011
24
0
I do not know what experiences others have had with Apple maps, nor do I care that much, I care about what's on my iOS devices because that's what I use.

On my iPhone and iPad I have had very little problems with maps here in central Illinois. I rarely used the Google maps in the earlier versions of IOS because I did not consider it good enough. It took forever for it to load and it was always slow in lagging. For that reason I spent a goodly amount of money for an app to buy Tom-Tom Navigator.

My experience with Apple maps is that they are in some ways better than the Google maps because they load faster. I'll still use Tom-Tom Navigator, because I think it's superior.

No matter what map app you use it will never be 100% correct. You have this thing above your neck and between your ears called a brain, and your's post to use this to help find your way. It is the ultimate direction finding tool, and if you can't find your way without an electronic device then you should not ever leave home.

In the end I guess that I would say that Apple maps while not 100% great are certainly good enough. Especially considering what you paid for that app.

Please say you are joking in the bold.
Is that to read...you are supposed?

That is too funny!
Talking about using your brain...oh the irony.
 

Transeau

macrumors 6502a
Jan 18, 2005
869
13
Alta Loma, CA
Tell me again why Apple's Maps is so bad?

I thought Google had amazing maps that couldn't be topped?
 

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VPrime

macrumors 68000
Dec 19, 2008
1,722
86
London Ontario
That is not what made apple maps bad.. the problem was it would give bad directions, certain address wouldn't exist or in the complete wrong spots.
Major landmarks missing or placed incorrectly.

The graphic glitches were the least of the problems for apple maps.
 

sahnert

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2003
498
57
Seattle
That is not what made apple maps bad.. the problem was it would give bad directions, certain address wouldn't exist or in the complete wrong spots.
Major landmarks missing or placed incorrectly.

The graphic glitches were the least of the problems for apple maps.

Oh, you mean like this...?

Google too puts points of interest in the completely wrong place like in this example near my home town.

While I don't think Apple maps are perfect, they have never given me wrong directions in several months of usage, while I have had the experience of Google's maps directing me to the middle of nowhere more than once.
 

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