Tim Cook Calls Apple Maps Launch His 'First Really Big Mistake' as CEO

[I7guy]

Apple will be losing a lot of people using Maps by putting Ads in the app, I’m not buying the privacy thing anymore honestly once they added ads in the App Store ,Apple Maps and Google Gemini is part of Apple now it seems

It’s my opinion most people won’t care about the ads. It’s mostly the vocal MR minority. But all of that notwithstanding, privacy still reigns supreme at Apple.

 

[HouseLannister]

Siri was released the day before Steve Jobs died.

Siri was released February 2010. iPhone 4S shipped the day before Steve Jobs died

 

[Apple.Fanatic]

Apple Maps and then Apple Intelligence come to mind as the two biggest software mistakes. I tried Apple Maps over 8 years ago, and after so many bad experiences, I've used Google Maps ever since. Reflecting on that, I realize that was the start of myself using more and more Google services over Apple.

 

[The_Gream]

You know Tim Cook will be John Ternus’ boss in his new position of chairman of the board, right?

I actually think, Tim Cook, will take a more hands off approach. I think the first couple years will be a little rough for Ternus, as everyone gets used to his way of doing things. Though, after the teething phase, not only do I believe the hardware will be great, I think he will also double down on software, because I believe he knows that both have to be amazing together.
Ternus, has spent like his entire adult career working for Apple, with some of that being under Steve.
Tim Cook did a fantastic job with what he had over all, and is leaving Ternus in a position to excel.

Pieces are moving, the supply chain is pretty rock solid etc. The puzzle boarder has been completed, now it’s up to him fill it in.

Edit: fixed fat finger / autocorrect error

 

[citysnaps]

I was told here at MR that Tim’s successes were hand me downs from Steve. That a monkey could run Apple and do a better job. It then follows the failures were Steve’s also, including Apple Maps.

And many here conveniently not remembering the many flops released by Jobs.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Right, nobody wants to have their music library relegated to a 3rd party app like a 2nd class citizen and lose out on all the integrations that come with having your files a part of the device’s native music library. Apple will let you import AAC, ALAC, MP3, WAV, maybe even WMA?? Which is relevant on what planet? But FLAC is always excluded and nobody seems to have any excuse or explanation.

I realize this has become a niche issue that less and less people will care about nowadays that streaming is the primary means of listening for so many people, but this is something that should have been resolved long before that transition happened. They’ve neglected the local-music user experience for those who care, for far too long.

On the other hand, you can literally bulk convert FLACs to ALACs with XLD. I’ve been doing this for years.

 

[dwaltwhit]

I don't think project titan was a failure. I think if they had continued to push it to market it would have failed, but spending on research and development shouldn't count as a failure, especially if it leads to other innovations.

 

[Gasu E.]

Funny, he blamed that on Forstall and fired him for it.

The guy in charge of software is the primary guy in charge of software quality. The CEO doesn't manage software validation. The Software Head is responsible for getting that set up. The CEO's failure may have been putting the wrong guy in charge of Software. But if the CEO should get fired, the Software guy clearly should be fired first.

 

[dwaltwhit]

And many here conveniently not remembering the many flops released by Jobs.

I think that's the nature of nostalgia. As humans we subconsciously "forget" those things.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple will be losing a lot of people using Maps by putting Ads in the app,

Define “a lot”.
There are over a billion iPhone customers.

I’m not buying the privacy thing anymore honestly once they added ads in the App Store ,Apple Maps and Google Gemini is part of Apple now it seems

Ads have been in the App Store since 2016. That was 10 years ago.
I’m not sure what any of this has to do with privacy, these ads aren’t like Facebook or Google where they track you, they are just paid search results.
The labels were doing paid search results within iTunes long before the AppStore existed, this is really nothing new.

 

[avheatherim]

I always tell people Apple Maps tried to kill me. 😆 Shortly after the rollout I was driving in VERY rural northern Minnesota, in the late evening. Very dark. It tried to tell me to turn onto a "road". Didn't see it and drove past. I pulled a U-turn to go back and look for the turn I missed. Lots of trees... maybe a dirt road? Didn't see it. Another U-turn and going VERY slowly... looked again... the spot it wanted me to turn at was actually a HUGE drop-off/ravine. Pulled the TomTom out of the glove-box and laughed about it the next day.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple Maps and then Apple Intelligence come to mind as the two biggest software mistakes. I tried Apple Maps over 8 years ago, and after so many bad experiences, I've used Google Maps ever since. Reflecting on that, I realize that was the start of myself using more and more Google services over Apple.

And truthfully, it just proves that more than anything Apple is a hardware company.
Considering that Apple Maps launched only two years after Ping and that only launched two years after mobile me, there has been a long, running theme of Apple, not getting Internet services quite right the first time.
Apple Intelligence is not unique in that way, it’s just a continuation of what has happened in the past. And this is something Apple has struggled with since the Steve Jobs days. Even Apple‘s first attempt at TV services in the late 2000s with iTunes rentals and the first generation Apple TV was kind of a failure because streaming services immediately started to dominate, meaning Apple had to change their entire strategy for the Apple TV.
Keeping this in mind, it makes sense why the new CEO is their hardware chief. That’s where they are and always have been the strongest.

 

[citysnaps]

I think that's the nature of nostalgia. As humans we subconsciously "forget" those things.

Especially when that "forgetfulness" helps bolster their negative TC narrative.

 

[surfzen21]

Apple maps will be better with Ads.

I want to know which companies are bidding for my attention and Tim is giving me what I want. 😂

Bid for my attention you peasants 🙃

 

[JM]

I liked how the original app icon seemed to suggest you drive off a bridge

View attachment 2624335

Oh but people did because of maps, didn’t they?

(It seems just a few posts up avHeatherim almost did) 😳

 

[MrRom92]

On the other hand, you can literally bulk convert FLACs to ALACs with XLD. I’ve been doing this for years.

I am glad you’ve found something that works for you however as has been well documented online so many times, ALAC is not an appropriate substitute for FLAC as they are not entirely equivalent file formats, and support for their own half-baked proprietary competitor does not excuse them for failing to support what the market has actually adopted as standard. I can convert FLACs to WAVs and MP3s too, but there is a reason those file formats aren’t primarily used in the first place.

Someone within Apple’s leadership should answer for why things are the way they are.

 

[allpar]

Just piling on the idea of Maps being the best:
1) Hard to find local ground view photos
2) UX a hot mess for finding local businesses a hot mess
3) Yelp is a crap partner whose info is out of date or spammed to hell
4) Controls are too hidden
5) Jumps in and out unpredictably
6) When looking for stuff in another locale, keeps jumping back to your current location

I use it because I don't want Google to know everything about me but it stinks.

 

[MrENGLISH]

Firing Forstall was actually his first big mistake.

I 100% agree!

 

[abowlby]

Vision Pro, Apple Intelligence, Liquid Ass and the ongoing otherworldly tragedy known as Siri as well.

Still, he delivered bigly yuge on Apple Silicon, AirPods, Apple Watch and shareholder profits. Many such cases. Bigly...ChYna.

 

[zemoleman]

He should add Tahoe to his list of flubs....

 

[CATiNTHESTORE]

- first biggest mistake: Apple Maps
- second biggest mistake: Main AI feature for selling iPhone 16 which is doesn’t exist even now
- third biggest mistake: Liquid Glass
- greedy biggest mistake: to go from 2 years of model iteration to 3 years of model iterations.
- iPhone AIR: it is just a mistake in the existing configuration.

From innovation company to the regular company which will release Touchscreens MacBook and sloppyFoldable iPhones… From unique products to the based niche products. We need more revenue to lick asses of shareholders - this is now the Apple era…

Ohh wait I forgot to mention this horrible ads. Apple Marketing team might have a reservation in hell!

 

[bartszyszka]

A lot of people don't give Apple Maps a chance to this day because of how it was when it first launched (I personally use it more often than Google Maps)

 

[jbc25]

Honestly the most interesting thing about this article is hearing that they invited Forstall back for the 50th party. I love it.

 

[visualseed]

Sorry to disappoint you Tim you have made a lot of mistakes hopefully your replacement has a vision to innovate

I expect very little to change, but everyone will praise the exact same decisions from Ternus as “innovative” simply because he’s a “product guy.”

 

[mretondo]

Funny, he blamed that on Forstall and fired him for it.

No that's not what happened. He wrote a joint open letter apologize and he signed it and want Forstall to sign it but Forstall refused. Tim had no choice but to fire him and I liked Forstall but that was was unacceptable.