Nokia Pulls 'HERE' Maps App for iOS, Citing iOS 7 Changes That 'Harm the User Experience'

[macfacts]

Think again:

Fragmentation: when the developer needs to support obsolete os shiping with 'new' phones.

Progress: when the devoper needs to update their apps for the latest os that ships with the latest phone.

iOS 6 will never be shipped again with any phone. No fragmentation zes moi.

Is the end result not the same? On Android, it is more work for developers to make sure new apps work on older devices and thus might result in less (quantity and quality) apps for Android.

With iOS in this situation, the app is disappearing from the app store. Apple is making it so devlopers have to do more work to make older apps work on new OS. Less apps for iOS but many people are just making excuses like "ive never used that app, so no big deal."

In both cases it is more work for the developer because of having to support more than 1 version of the OS. Stop trying to find technical reasons why it is different.

 

[avanpelt]

Nokia had a maps app on iOS?

 

[roadbloc]

Wow. So much hate for Nokia today.

 

[marioguarneros]

I didn't even know this app existed, I guess Apple and Google offerings are pretty much all I needed so I never looked at a third alternative.

When there are already two big players competing with your app you really need to shine and wow to stay in the market, clearly Nokia didn't deliver.

 

[Todd B.]

Does anyone even use this app? Google doesn't seem to have any problem producing quality apps on iOS.

Google Music, Gmail, heck, even Chrome with their boneheaded default auto full screen and auto refreshing tabs beg to differ.

Heck, how many are even updated to use the new keyboard? I think Google Search still uses the old one even though it's claimed to have been updated - unless it's changed recently.

 

[Someyoungguy]

Is the end result not the same? On Android, it is more work for developers to make sure new apps work on older devices and thus might result in less (quantity and quality) apps for Android.

With iOS in this situation, the app is disappearing from the app store. Apple is making it so devlopers have to do more work to make older apps work on new OS. Less apps for iOS but many people are just making excuses like "ive never used that app, so no big deal."

In both cases it is more work for the developer because of having to support more than 1 version of the OS. Stop trying to find technical reasons why it is different.

Not the same. On both platforms developers must support the latest OS. On Android, they must also support almost all prior versions.

 

[Nevaborn]

Is the end result not the same? On Android, it is more work for developers to make sure new apps work on older devices and thus might result in less (quantity and quality) apps for Android.

With iOS in this situation, the app is disappearing from the app store. Apple is making it so devlopers have to do more work to make older apps work on new OS. Less apps for iOS but many people are just making excuses like "ive never used that app, so no big deal."

In both cases it is more work for the developer because of having to support more than 1 version of the OS. Stop trying to find technical reasons why it is different.

Except Apple isnt making it harder. App developers just need to support the latest OS, if anything Apple pressures people to upgrade their devices to remain compatible with apps. But this is generally acceptable every 24 months,

Android is fragmented and your app must be compatible with several OS builds and hardware configurations as you cant be sure of the support these 100's of android phones will receive.

But the key thing is this is not some kid in their bedroom being pressured to develop app updates... This was a massive company that released their app and never bothered to do an update for it.... Not Apple's fault. As developers they had acces to early OS builds and trsting tools, however they chose not to and after 12 months of neglect have pulled it.

 

[coolfactor]

I just wish Apple would get rid of the terrible apps that haven't been updated for years/don't work....
EG just automatically get rid of apps that haven't been updated for 2 years or longer etc.

I wonder if this is or should be factored into the search ranking? Older apps get a lower ranking even if they are a closer match to your search. I would love that! It would allow those apps that are new and kept up-to-date to continue to bubble to the top of the brew.

 

[Nevaborn]

I didn't even know this app existed, I guess Apple and Google offerings are pretty much all I needed so I never looked at a third alternative.

When there are already two big players competing with your app you really need to shine and wow to stay in the market, clearly Nokia didn't deliver.

Same, never even knew it existed. Looks dated anyway.

 

[Konrad9]

Apple didn't remove Google maps. Apple just didn't renew their agreement to use Google Maps as the default app for iOS, and Google in turn released it as a 3rd party app.

Same with Youtube.

Apple had a year remaining on their contract.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/25/3...t-on-google-maps-contract-google-maps-ios-app

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Apple-Google-Maps-iOS-iPhone,news-16109.html

http://www.edibleapple.com/2012/09/...act-with-google-had-one-year-remaning-report/

http://appleinsider.com/articles/12...of_google_maps_contract_in_switch_to_ios_maps

Would you like to try again?

 

[coolfactor]

Android is fragmented and your app must be compatible with several OS builds and hardware configurations as you cant be sure of the support these 100's of android phones will receive.

Maybe you've identified why Nokia had to drop iOS support... all of their development investment is being put into the platforms (with an "s", aka Android) with greater market share, rather than the platform that is used the most by its user base.

Typical spec-thinking board of directors... biggest numbers, flashiest lights. Sad.

 

[Technarchy]

Apple had a year remaining on their contract.

So? Apple still didn't renew their contract, and Google still released maps as a third party solution.

Last I checked Google maps is still in the app store, so how was it "removed"?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

So? Apple still didn't renew their contract, and Google still released maps as a third party solution. Last I checked Google maps is still in the app store, so how was it "removed"?

Really? Are you serious? Yes, it's still in the store. But it wasn't there for a long time between it being killed off as an integrated solution by Apple and when Apple finally gave in and let it be launched as a third party app. There was quite a time gap there. It seemed a "last resort" as the bashing against Apple's Maps app relative to Googles maps reached a peak and even Tim Cook somewhat capitulated (wasn't there a formal apology about it not being up to snuff). Then, Google Maps was allowed a place in the store. Google didn't know if they would ever be allowed into the store so they we not pouring max resources into it until they became reasonably confident they'd get in. When they did launch, it jumped to #1 and stayed there for a good while. In my own case, I use Apple maps fairly regularly (because it's default and integrated). But when I want to be sure about someplace I haven't been, I also run the Google Maps app. I see it as very nice to have both options but somewhat sad that it takes both options as well.

 

[Technarchy]

But it wasn't there for a long time

Google knew about Apple maps for half a year. A lack of planning and development on Google's part constitutes no urgency for Apple

when Apple finally gave in and let it be launched as a third party app.

When did Apple ever prevent, delay, or interfere with Google's ability to make a deploy Google maps as a third party solution?

Then, Google Maps was allowed to launch in the store.

When did Apple ever prevent, delay, or interfere with Google's ability to make a deploy Google maps as a third party solution?

And it jumped to #1 and stayed there for a good while.

Good...then you agree it was not "removed".

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

When did Apple ever prevent, delay, or interfere with Google's ability to make a deploy Google maps as a third party solution?

WOW! Jobs has been dead for a while but the RDF lives on and on...

http://www.eweek.com/mobile/google-maps-app-for-apple-ios-not-likely-to-get-apple-approval-report/

http://www.imore.com/google-workers-skeptical-about-maps-app-approval

http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/20/googl...approval-it-is-solely-up-to-apple-to-approve/

Do you need more? Many of us lived in that gap between Apple Maps taking over and waiting for Google Maps to return. Great that you blame that on Google but that's not how some of us saw it.

2 months later: http://mobile-web.me/google-to-launch-google-maps-for-ios/

3 months later: http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/13/google-maps-a-big-win-for-apple-kind-of/

And even some of the Apple faithful waited: http://mashable.com/2012/12/19/ios-6-google-maps-adoption/

Good...then you agree it was not "removed".

And I didn't say that. It was removed. It was ejected by Apple in favor of the Apple Maps app. We had to be without it to miss it. We had to be without to choose to stay with iOS 5 until it was available for iOS 6. It jumped to #1 because it was removed and then the hordes jumped on it as soon as it was available in iOS 6.

 

[Michael Goff]

While I agree in full, good luck on finding adoption of that concept here. I do think this would be an even better site though if more of that existed here.

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How about "You're holding it wrong." While not vague spin, did you find that disingenuous as well? Or can only non-Apple entities be disingenuous in how they spin their decisions? It's a very old PR tactic to be vague in rationale for decisions that could be viewed as net-negative for users. It's been used for years (forever?) and will be used for years to come. Apple will use it too when it serves Apple's purposes.

Oh, I gave up on others agreeing with me a long time ago.

Only because most of the **** out there is ****, doesn't mean you are a hater, when you call it **** out loud.

Apple also gets their rightful amount of hate, when they are wrong and also when they are not wrong. Like when they did a complete rewrite of FCPX to make the most use of modern hardware like that in the new Mac Pro. A trash can that can live edit 4K video is nothing to be too angry about. But they had a Maps-gate with iOS6.

Don't present your opinion as facts. Whether something is crap or not is an opinion. And when the basis for whether or not some people think it's crap is whether or not Apple made it? People get called out.

Somebody actually argued that Google Maps is crap compared to Apple Maps. No, I'm serious. Somebody argued that a map that at one point told you to drive into a river is the better one.

 

[Dionte]

Oh no, I actually used their app #ByeNokia

 

[N64]

iOS 7 changes harm the user experience in most apps
All those buttons... ruined. Also, why do you guys hate this app so much? It has an offline mode, which looks cool.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Michael, again great post. But I think you made those last "Somebody" references singular. When it comes to Apple adoration or bashing everyone else, it's never singular here. The majority sees everything Apple does as exactly right.

Even when Apple flip flops on its own stances, the crowd just flip flops with them. When a change against Apple's stance is first rumored, it's bashed to no end: "99% would never", "that's stupid", "who would want that?", etc.

Then the rumor appears to be gaining steam and the stances shift into "I don't think I'd like it but I'll have to see one", "wait & see", "I'm kind of warming up to the idea". etc.

Then some parts, etc leak and the rumor looks highly likely and the stances shift into "while I still have some doubt, it's looking better and better to me", "If anyone can get that right, its Apple", etc

Then Apple rolls it out as rumored and it's "shut up and take my money", "best _______ ever", "I'm already in line for it", etc

Then about 2 years later, it's "Apple invented _________." Someone might post some evidence to the contrary and then about 20 guys will call them a troll, "that's not even close", etc.

Rinse, Repeat. Rinse Repeat.

 

[KanosWRX]

LOL blaming it on iOS 7, that's a good laugh. More like no one cared, they didn't even bother to update it. I tried it when it first launched and it sucked, much better alternatives, Google Maps, Waze..

 

[Technarchy]

WOW! Jobs has been dead for a while but the RDF lives on and on...

http://www.eweek.com/mobile/google-maps-app-for-apple-ios-not-likely-to-get-apple-approval-report/

http://www.imore.com/google-workers-skeptical-about-maps-app-approval

http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/20/googl...approval-it-is-solely-up-to-apple-to-approve/

Do you need more? Many of us lived in that gap between Apple Maps taking over and waiting for Google Maps to return. Great that you blame that on Google but that's not how some of us saw it.

2 months later: http://mobile-web.me/google-to-launch-google-maps-for-ios/

3 months later: http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/13/google-maps-a-big-win-for-apple-kind-of/

And even some of the Apple faithful waited: http://mashable.com/2012/12/19/ios-6-google-maps-adoption/



And I didn't say that. It was removed. It was ejected by Apple in favor of the Apple Maps app. We had to be without it to miss it. We had to be without to choose to stay with iOS 5 until it was available for iOS 6. It jumped to #1 because it was removed and then the hordes jumped on it as soon as it was available in iOS 6.

Please, make a point and stop posting drivel links.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1453855/

No one has any idea when Google maps was submitted. The original story from summer and early September were both debunked by the above. Google was playing PR games, and it went no nowhere.

Apple did not renew Google's contract for default mapping functions, and Google made their own third party app. That's all there is to it.

----------

LOL blaming it on iOS 7, that's a good laugh. More like no one cared, they didn't even bother to update it. I tried it when it first launched and it sucked, much better alternatives, Google Maps, Waze..

That's really all there is too it. It really is that simple

 

[powerbooks]

Google vs Apple Maps

Just to be clear:

Both sides dropped the ball.

Apple was tired of waiting for Google to upgrade the map ability before iOS6. It had no turn by turn driving direction, remember? While Android map held an advantage because of that.

After Apple released their own map, however bad it was, it at last got the capability, which in turn pushed the Google map update to include this function.

Now the Apple Map is not as bad as it was used to be perceived, and I noticed significant slowdown on Google Map app than before. So most of the time I default to Apple Map.

Neither is perfect, but both are better than "Here".

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

So I post third party articles to illustrate "the point" and you reference MacRumors to counter? That is the point. This crowd is extraordinarily biased. Quoting this crowd in supporting your point- whatever THAT might be- is fully making my point.

 

[lordofthereef]

So, most of you in this thread are {insert emotion here} because Nokia didn't throw themselves under the bus by saying "nobody used our crappy app so we waste landed it".

Those low life good for nothing folks at Nokia should be honest and admit when they make bad decisions just like all of those other companies out there... Oh wait... All companies try to redirect the blame for failure in any way possible.


On a side note, in seeing a lot of people ibterpret Nokia's statement as saying "iOS 7 is horrible". The way I read it is that changes in ios7 made the user experience of Nokia's app horrible. Those are two different things entirely. The latter scenario is essentially Nokia admitting they don't want to update their app without specifically going out and saying it.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I never understood Nokia's plan here in the first place. If you're not going to be the first to do something, you better be the best at it. They were neither first nor best.

I realize I'll get boo'd over this again, but I think Apple Maps is the best. It's so freaking fast/fluid and the 3D makes it so easy to navigate cities when you're on foot. It's what Google's street view should have been, but done right.