Apple Launches New App Store Feature Section for Alternative Maps

[pacalis]

Their was nothing wrong with Google maps, it worked fine for the times I used it. I only ever use TomTom for my car though as it is miles better then anything Google or Apple can make.

But whilst I have no problem with Apples maps, I fail to see any point in launching it when it's a half arsed effort that cannot offer the same coverage or features as what it's replacing? It is a very bad image to say, 'hey look we got rid of something you use and works to make our own, but it doesn't work?'

They need to fix it quick, it can't remain in beta like Siri did for x amount of months as users have had the alternative working fine for years. If Apple cannot fix it then they really should let users use the full Google maps again.

Apple should have bought TomTom a year ago and had that team build the thing right.

Instead Tim's cutting corners and hording cash - not a premium approach.

 

[faroZ06]

Except you still can't set a defaults map app...
Oh well, let's just hope Apple fixes this quickly. It's getting really embarrassing.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Glad it's not the "You're looking for the wrong address" defense.

 

[smoledman]

Already Tim Cook proves himself to be not a total douche like Jobs.

 

[sinsin07]

again you can't default it !!! Are you people really as thick as you appear ?

Who's more dense, the people looking for alternatives or those stuck on the lack of features and dumbfounded about what to do now.

Not a question.

It appears that your set on being lost.

 

[faroZ06]

I take it you're a google fan.

I agree with everything he said, and I'm not a Google fan.

Actually, I think it's anticompetitive how Google (also Apple and other large companies) can provide free services, picking up the costly tabs for them, which kills competition from smaller companies. Google is the biggest offender in this respect.

 

[G51989]

True. Apparently they heard you. Still no downgrade path or a interim return of Google maps yet. Whatcha gonna do now? File a class action against Apple?

Apple must have heard someone, or they wouldnt come out and pubicly apologize for Maps and how terrible it is. Then reccomend products other than their own

 

[stewy]

I really don't think this is as big of a disaster as people think and they should really be mad at Google for not having an app. We heard rumors of this coming well over a year ago.

You take fanboyism to a whole new level. Now it's google's fault apple released a sub-par app. Your sense of entitlement is astounding. You want Google maps? Go get a gs3.

 

[ipedro]

This was a good move. It diffuses the problem: "Don't like Apple maps? Here are options". Out of the 100M on iOS6, I'm betting that a tiny percentage will use other options because the built in Maps is just more convenient.

For people who live in areas with significant problems in Maps, they're not left out in the cold,but for the majority of people, Maps will work just fine and Apple will buy themselves some time to work out the kinks.

I haven't found many problems in Toronto -- nothing significant, just some misplaced pins -- but the ones that I did report have been fixed. Apple is definitely working around the clock on this.

 

[Don't panic]

This was a good move. It diffuses the problem: "Don't like Apple maps? Here are options". Out of the 100M on iOS6, I'm betting that a tiny percentage will use other options because the built in Maps is just more convenient.

For people who live in areas with significant problems in Maps, they're not left out in the cold,but for the majority of people, Maps will work just fine and Apple will buy themselves some time to work out the kinks.

I haven't found many problems in Toronto -- nothing significant, just some misplaced pins -- but the ones that I did report have been fixed. Apple is definitely working around the clock on this.

this is really good to hear.
non of the ones i reported have been fixed yet .
i don't know if it helps, but i am re-reporting them every day

 

[apolloa]

To further add to that...

From the lab: Lumia 920 low-light shootout with Nokia 808, iPhone 5, HTC One X and Galaxy S III
"The 920 took the cake, without question, but the iPhone didn't fare too poorly itself, snatching up nearly as much light as the Nokia device. The 808 PureView also performed quite well, but the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III yielded unusable results."
Engadget 9-26-12

I hadn't read that, thanks. Great to see it nor far behind the Nokia

Apple should have bought TomTom a year ago and had that team build the thing right.

Instead Tim's cutting corners and hording cash - not a premium approach.

As I understood it I thought the amazing new maps app was going to have some sort of TomTom integration? I'm guessing not now though. Apple shouldn't just buy everyone, they should work with them.

 

[guspasho]

Yes. If you want/need something bad enough you'll find a way to get it. Crying on MR about the loss of GMaps won't get you what you claim you want.

Apple didn't give me everything I wanted so instead of crying on these boards in addition to an iphone 4s and 5 I got a Galaxy Note. I have what I need, how about you?

Clearly you do not have what you need, otherwise you would not be posting here seeking it.

 

[tito2020]

Apple needs to bow to google till they fix there maps.

 

[sinsin07]

Clearly you do not have what you need, otherwise you would not be posting here seeking it.

What is there to seek here? Certainly not Google maps. LOL

If things were clear for you, you'd find another solution.

 

[apolloa]

I think I would say the maps issue is going to be easier to fix then the Siri issue.

 

[iGrip]

I think the apology was really unnecessary

Well, if and when you become one of the movers and shakers at a multi-billion dollar worldwide corporation, then Apple might seek out your opinion, and might even follow your advice.

As of now? Not so much.

 

[KentuckyHouse]

Google really dropped the ball by not having a standalone Maps iOS App ready to go. I still find it hard to believe they were truly blindsided by the change with Apple's public record of acquiring mapping assets over the past few years.

You can't be serious with this comment. How did Google drop the ball? By not catering to iOS users? Why would they? You can bet Google is sitting back laughing about this. All it does is drive customers toward Android phones so they can get a mapping service that actually works. Apple chose to end their agreement before the contract was up and now they have to lie in the bed they've made.

It amazes me how people around here are so blinded by their unmitigated love for Apple that they blame Google for "dropping the ball" and not having a solution ready when iOS 6 was released. How about calling a spade a spade and admitting Apple released a not-ready-for-primetime piece of software? BTW, how could Android have even known how crappy Apple Maps would be out of the box?

Apple screwed up and this message from Tim Cook is the proof. I have no doubt they'll fix it, but blaming Google is just fan boyish.

 

[iGrip]

The premium (in this case Google maps) was broken. Hasn't been updated (on the iOS side) since it came out. It's been the same since day 1. Apple wanted more then what they got from Googles maps application.

The crappy old app you lament was coded by Apple. It is an Apple product. Google did not make the old app. Apple made the non-updated-since-it-came-out product you seem to dislike.

And now Apple's new app sucks worse than Apple's old app.

 

[tann]

This is a new low for Apple...

EDIT: Don't get me wrong, I love the new Apple maps, and while I'm sure there are lots of people affected negatively by the bad data their software is perfect and I have yet to come across a problem with it. In fact, I'm going to sell my Garmin GPS Navigation system and use the money to buy myself car accessories for my iPhone 5.

I feel this whole situation is overblown and Apple shouldn't have had to take this unnecessary step. I mean, aside from Google, who has decent map data? Garmin? TomTom? I've had problems with all of them.

It's not at all overblown. A new map that shows my city as covered in clouds on satellite view is just not good enough.

 

[SgtPepper12]

You can't be serious with this comment. How did Google drop the ball? By not catering to iOS users? Why would they? You can bet Google is sitting back laughing about this. All it does is drive customers toward Android phones so they can get a mapping service that actually works. Apple chose to end their agreement before the contract was up and now they have to lie in the bed they've made.

It amazes me how people around here are so blinded by their unmitigated love for Apple that they blame Google for "dropping the ball" and not having a solution ready when iOS 6 was released. How about calling a spade a spade and admitting Apple released a not-ready-for-primetime piece of software? BTW, how could Android have even known how crappy Apple Maps would be out of the box?

Apple screwed up and this message from Tim Cook is the proof. I have no doubt they'll fix it, but blaming Google is just fan boyish.

Business is usually not about purposefully hurting the competition, it's about making money. The first is only done when it leads to the second.

In this case hurting the competition probably gets a few thousands of people to buy an Android, while losing 100 million (100 million) iOS customers. I don't know, but this certainly doesn't sound like making a lot of money. So I guess Google's hesitation is some sort of vengeance. Business decisions with motivations like that are usually very bad.

It's like Samsung would just stop delivering displays and chips for Apple, so their whole production plan is messed up, because they are pissed over the whole court thing. They'd go bankrupt, I guarantee.

Let's see how this turns out.

 

[joueboy]

After Apple left out their iPhone 3GS & 4 users with the added features, Tim Cook wants users contribution to improve their mapping service? Way to go screwing your customers yet you ask them to help you out!? Apple is way too arrogant yet shameful to ask help from their customers. I cant wait for that standalone Google Map with turn by turn on AppStore so I can help improve their service in return.

 

[iGrip]

Ummm. No. How much did you pay for the Maps app again? In fact how much you paid for iOS6 (excluding buying a new iPhone 5).

I'll tell you how much... zip, zilch, nada.

It is well known that with Apple software, you get what you pay for.

----------

Now Apple releases an app that needs more work, that didnt cost anyone A PENNY and people are crying about a couple of bugs??? Jesus Christ. Granted the App had some bugs, (the maps it pulled for my house had me on another state), but I use Waze, so no buggy.

It's not a big deal.

When you click on an address in an ad, does your iPhone bring up Waze? Or dies it bring up apple Maps and show the address in some other state?

 

[G51989]

Apple: We want turn by turn. You've had it for years.

Google: LOLOLOL? NO. HAHAHAHA. DROID DOES.

Apple: Alright, we're going to do our own app and YouTube is no longer a baked app in iOS. We're removing both of them.

Google: HAVE YOU PLAYED WITH GOOGLE GOGGLES!? AMAZING. IT'S REALLER THAN REALITY. Wait what? You're dropping our apps? We still have a year left on our contract? Why's that? Our apps are awesome! They look exactly the same since 2007, so people KNOW how to use them. Maps show so much traffic information, you can't see the rest of the map! People will think they're in Mexico with all the Green and Red. Tim, I love you man. Why you do this? Why you want to remove Google maps?

Apple: I'm Phil Schiller, not Tim Cook. Your apps are overrated and outdated. They were good in 2007. Many people will complain initially that Apple's map isn't perfect, but in the end, our product will be superior to yours. We'll have to issue a ridiculous apology to the internet trolls and annoyed critics, but it's O.K.. In a year, no one will remember this and our users will be better off not dealing with Google's restrictive fist.

Are you even aware that the Maps and Youtube Apps were made be Apple and not google? Google just supplied the data.

It probably went something like Apple wanting the Android Google maps App, for free. So google probably told Apple to get fisted and walked away. And that would explain why they are not in a rush, or might never put out an iOS app. If Apple would not allow them to run ads? Whats in it for google? Nothing.

 

[Rogzilla]

After Apple left out their iPhone 3GS & 4 users with the added features, Tim Cook wants users contribution to improve their mapping service? Way to go screwing your customers yet you ask them to help you out!? Apple is way too arrogant yet shameful to ask help from their customers. I cant wait for that standalone Google Map with turn by turn on AppStore so I can help improve their service in return.

I don't get this attitude. "The new features that cameout with the newest software upgrade that I couldn't/shouldn't have possibly considered when I bought my iPhone 1/2/3/4/5 years ago still aren't available to me! Nothing has changed!"

When I got my iPhone, I didn't think about what features it might have in the future. I only cared about what features it had when I got it. If a software update comes out that gives more recent phones more features than mine, why does that matter? My phone still does all the things it did when I got it. Everything else it got with iOS 6 I see as bonus!

 

[croooow]

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Does "Map Apps" only show up in the App Store app when you are running iOS 6? I have an iPhone 4 running 5.1.1 and I do not see it.