Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6

[adbe]

You know that the only reason that you are new to turn by turn navigation is because apple denied you access to it for many years? It's been standard on all android phones for 5 years+

Reading comprehension fail, or do you just not understand that Apple believe customer privacy to be one of their USPs?

 

[globalist]

I'm sick of seeing people post "Steve wouldn't have done that" and "this would never have happened if Steve was still around". Just move on. He's dead. He's not around any more so there's no point keep mentioning him.

I quite like the 'new' Apple. Admitting your product is crap is good in my book. It means they are going to put a lot of resources into correcting it and making it better as soon as possible.

I'm sick of seeing people post stuff like: "I'm sick of seeing people post "Steve wouldn't have done that" and "this would never have happened if Steve was still around". Just move on. He's dead. He's not around any more so there's no point keep mentioning him."

Now if Steve Jobs were around, this maps fiasco... Oh well.

 

[FlatlinerG]

First step, admitting there is a problem. Check.
Second step, providing a work around. Check.
Third step, explaining how this is a brand new app and will get better as more and more use it while providing more and more feedback. Check.


Good letter though.

 

[RoboCop001]

I'm on an iPhone 4 so I can't really test the Turn-by-Turn, although the directions themselves seem to be accurate.

I'm in Toronto and the only "problem" I had was noticing some incorrect markers on the map, such as a gas station that no longer exists. I've notified Apple with the "Report a Problem" thing and let them know that it's no longer there. I haven't used it extensively, but my tests and real use have been on par with iOS Google Maps.

Anyone else in Toronto, perhaps that has major problems? It would be interesting to know how much the experience varies from person to person within the same city.

 

[nefan65]

No it's not....dear god.....

If you buy an iPhone for $500 and say "Oh man this maps app sucks, what a waste of $500" you're an idiot. You should've just bought a GPS.....

There are hundreds or other things that $500 device does....stop acting like one app has suddenly rendered your phone completely useless.

Jesus....the sky is falling!

This is the case with a lot of these discussions. There's another thread about it lacking LED notifications [ala BB/Android]. Somehow a phone lacking this feature is the end of the world.

You can never please everyone, and people will complain. Some people could win $1 million in the lottery, and complain how they had to pay taxes on the winnings.

 

[chiefpavvy]

Whine...any cheese with that?

Apple Maps will improve, in time this entire thing will be a glimmer of a speck on a distant hill.

And yes Siri's new turn-by-turn is fantastic. I still prefer Navigon but that's only because I'm out of cellular coverage at times; Otherwise the default navigation would be more than sufficient for my needs. I really like the visual display and the re-routing is lightning fast.

 

[hasanahmad]

Not to sound like an (a), but I honestly don't think Steve would have allowed Maps to be released in its current form. Steve would have never apologized like Tim. That's one way you can tell those two apart.

Bing, Antennagate, iTunes for Windows, Siri, no multi tasking (iOS1-4)....

if Bumpers for iPhone 4 was not an apology I don't know what is.

 

[sazivad]

I can not even IMAGINE the CEO of another tech company telling you to use someone else's service because they want you to have the best experience possible.

This just in from Larry Page: "Y'know, if you value ease of use over number of features, why not use iOS instead of Android?"

 

[jrswizzle]

I don't see why it's okay that we have to wait for premium maps. I have them on 5.1.1. If I upgrade to ios 6, I must then wait for apple to catch up. How is this okay for a premium device? What other manufacturers produce software updates that downgrade features? I personally don't care about turn by turn and am pleased with apples dated iteration of google maps in 5.1.1. This is coming from someone who has maps on an android device as well.

Then by all means, keep 5.1.1. You're assuming they just decided to swap out GMaps for their own product on a whim. While they may have had a choice, it wasn't a good one. As has been reported Google wanted concessions from Apple for basic features Android had like tbyt and vector-mapping that Apple didn't want to allow (and I'm glad they didn't).

The point is, there are plenty of options. Apple needed to move away from GMaps in order to have control and update their maps app like they wanted. I don't understand why people are faulting them for doing what is in the best interest of their company.

Guess what.....it's not all about you.

 

[a0me]

Lets be real. Maps is "ok" now, but give it about 6 months and its going to be all you use. I personally use it a lot and have never had an issue with it.

The problem is not the app itself but the underlying data (the maps) itself.
There's no way that Apple can fix this in 6 months, unless they ditch their current partners and start working with mapping companies which know what they're doing.

 

[Gruber]

Isn't that self criticism a bit to harsh? I actually love using Apple maps as it works much faster on my 3GS and the results in Germany are at least up to Google maps...

Rubbish. I live in downdown Berlin, and Apple has that address relocated to a village outside of town. Also, practically all POIs that I search for do not yield results. Apple Maps is not only worse than the first version of Google Maps, it is also behind OpenStreetMap, and practically unusable for me.

Using Google Maps in the browser is much slower than the original, and misses StreetView.

Since Apple does not allow me to roll back to iOS5, I am seriously considering to switch to Android.

Maps is not the only problem with iOS6; it just draws the eye away from the rest of the mess. iTunes Music Match is even worse than before, and the new Youtube App does no longer interface with my AppleTV. The AppStore's search function has been addled. I feels like Apple has lost its emphasis on perfection and QA.

 

[Terrin]

I don't see why it's okay that we have to wait for premium maps. I have them on 5.1.1. If I upgrade to ios 6, I must then wait for apple to catch up. How is this okay for a premium device? What other manufacturers produce software updates that downgrade features? I personally don't care about turn by turn and am pleased with apples dated iteration of google maps in 5.1.1. This is coming from someone who has maps on an android device as well.

Apple does it all the time. It did it with OSX and Final Cut Pro X. Essentially, Apple releases a better foundation to build from. Then quickly rolls out improvements. Moreover, Google kills off products that some people like all the times. Microsoft does the same.

Moreover, you already know the map app is an issue for some people. So if you are happily using 5.1.1, keep using it. Or why don't you try downloading Map Quest, which is 1) free, and 2) better than Google's Maps on iOS.

 

[nrose101]

I have to say I am impressed with Waze in the past. Guess I will have to redownload for now.

 

[hasanahmad]

The problem is not the app itself but the underlying data (the maps) itself.
There's no way that Apple can fix this in 6 months, unless they ditch their current partners and start working with mapping companies which know what they're doing.

lol do you even know anything? Apple is using the SAME companies Google is using for maps data

 

[samcraig]

Remember, Apple didn't enter the search business. Google entered the mobile devices business.

You can stop quoting soundbites anytime.

Google's plans to enter the cell business dates back to 2005. When did the iPhone come out? Are you suggesting that Google bought Android with no intention to go into the cell business? Or that they would buy it and change their mind because Apple wanted them to?

Further - Apple didn't enter the search business. Yet. The world keeps spinning and companies change. I am sure back in 2007 Steve would have said "We're not entering the Maps business"

 

[theSeb]

Apparently, it's not that humorous in China where the new Maps is leaps and bounds better than the previous Google offering.

It actually works quite well in England where I live. Oh well.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Many eyeballs use maps. There's a future money-making reason for Apple's switch, however premature the product.

 

[harveyhanson]

Got to say I have not found a single problem with it yet in Yorkshire, works perfectly, lets not expect perfection globally, a few mistakes here and there is not going to kill them, the only thing they should have done is to have had google maps on the app store at the same time, but if Google didn't have this ready (assuming it wasn't Apple being sneaky) then its hardly Apple's fault.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

"Why don't you just give everybody a Bing web clip? Okay. Great, let's give everybody a Bing web clip."

 

[Oletros]

Google Maps data are updated on a yearly basis. they used to be updated on a monthly basis from 2004-2008 when they were new.

I don't know where you have seen that they update in a yearly basis

 

[cotak]

So he didn’t realise that Maps weren’t up to Apple’s high standards before releasing them?

I think this is one CEO who's not interested in having his finger in every pie, in a bad way.

Jobs would have used the beta himself and told the team they were Bozos and to go back to the drawing board. Cook was more likely simply looking at the bottom line and the strategic aspects of where Apple's going.

 

[webpoet73]

I just watched the end of WWDC 12 and one of the API's that Scott Forestall talked about was "Transit" and said that 3rd parties do it very well and that Apple isn't going to build transit into maps but rely on the Transit API.

With all the hoopla around iOS 6 Maps losing transit maps, it seems as if Apple planned for this.

http://www.youtube.com*/watch*?v*=cC1TIis*-cmI

About 40:30 mark, Scott talks about transit maps. Probably nobody remembers this nugget.

 

[adbe]

Not to sound like an (a), but I honestly don't think Steve would have allowed Maps to be released in its current form.

Yes he would. Why on earth would you think otherwise?

Steve would have never apologized like Tim. That's one way you can tell those two apart.

Hard to say, but I certainly received enough mea culpas from Apple re MobileMe, and quite a few free months to offset the serious suckage that was the first eight months of Me's all too pathetic a life.

 

[Qfic]

Well at least Tim Cook is not as deluded as the majority of fans on this site.

Major props for the honesty and in the near future I expect to see some evidence of his promise to improve. Maps accuracy may gradually increase with usage, but that does not make up for lack of features and sheer robustness of data provided by competitors.

I remain a happy apple user for now, but the age of pure dominancy is surely over, it'll be interesting to watch strategies shift.

 

[danimal99]

Stop defending him. He knew this would happen. He knew their maps weren't ready. But in order to further piss off google, Apple rushed an inferior product out the door. You can't honestly believe that he looked at apple maps a few weeks ago and considered it ready to ship.

Apple is some how capable of making amazing products right alongside terrible decisions. Tim had the power to delay apple maps another year and he didn't. Luckily for him they still sold a crap ton on phones so the Board probably doesn't care about this blunder.

So you'd rather they wait until the contract ran out to start using their maps app and gathering data? Yeah, that's a good idea. :rolls eyes:

You're all a bunch of spoiled brats. Like the other guy said, we used to "navigate" around with no maps at all, and somehow we survived.