Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6

[Fishticks]

Originally Posted by schittfan View Post
OPEN LETTER TO TIM COOK

Give us Google Maps App back.
I PAYED for that when I bought my iPhone 3G, my iphone 3GS and my iPhone 4S: Google Maps was advertised by Apple, on Apple ads and Websites, and everywhere, it is part of what I paid for.

I payed for it, I bought it, I own it.

Apple has no right to remove it from my devices with their update if I can't have it back on the Appstore.

Give it back. NOW.

How about...NO

How about another letter of apology and YES.

 

[iWon't]

It'll get better but . . .

Data gets refined,
Information gets more detailed,
Errors are removed,
Satellite imagery is improved.

What concerns me is the design decision to make maps with so little contrast.

Even if everything else is sorted we'll still be peering into the screen trying to make out the beautifully rendered, now correctly informed details.

 

[Worldinmii]

Its funny how when a POI is wrong on Apple Maps, its also wrong on Google Maps, yet you don't hear anyone bitching about Google.

Let's face it, Apple is one of the top brands out there that's being looked at from every angle. So one slip up, and they get called out on it. Tim is doing very well handling the criticism.

However, in the letter I would've pointed out what's being done and how users can help make our Maps a better application. Then state you can search for other maps in our App Store.

Listing which maps are available is a big no-no.


And if Google is so 'perfect' as everyone claims, then why is my house located in the wrong spot. It's listed 5 houses away. Yet I submit a request each and every year and Google has done absolutely nothing to fix it. I even submitted paperwork from the township as further evidence of the errors.

I completely agree! I have gotten lost on Google Maps a few times, it's not perfect either and I definitely haven't heard people complaining about it as much as they have about Apple maps! For sure Apple maps needs to get better, but I have NO doubt that it will!

 

[NiKeZz]

I've had zero issues with mine so far. Even went on an 11 hour trip through Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisville and Nashville. Never ran into a single mishap and the turn by turn was spot on. I think some of you are complaining just to complain.

 

[Rogifan]

It's not paint, and it doesn't "chip". Bang it around enough and you will ding through to the bare metal, which is why I wouldn't have tried anodizing aluminum in the first place. Just leave it bare metal like the first iPhone. But this isn't the first anodized aluminum surface they've put out. ipod nanos were packaged like that and they looked pretty good to me. I recall they showed Steve Jobs a black anodized macbook pro once and he rejected it after a few days because it developed a sheen on the palm rests from skin oils.

Anyway back on topic, at least they owned up to the deficiencies on apple maps and are working on it. I mean, whaddawant? Google maps had a multi-year head start on them.

Aren't all colors iPods anodized aluminum?

 

[Doombringer]

Oh Tim, open letters are great but naming the competition is a no no mate. Old Stevie would have erred on the side of caution.

The alternative is keeping quiet and saying nothing is wrong?

Apple has to offer its customers an alternative, plain and simple, no minced words. Maps are something its customers have come to rely on, on their iOS devices... often working them into their daily lives.

 

[duffman9000]

You make a point.

And you even forget about Siri.

And that isn't the biggest miss either: it's not starting a Maps application years ago and throwing a ton of money into it. Like Nokia. It may not best Google, but it's much better than Apple Maps.

 

[Qfic]

Right. Only an idiot would need a map being from, living, and traveling through New York.

While your attempt at a troll is cute, saying 'well you should know everything about where you live' exposes the level of thought your capable of. Nice try.

 

[tCruzin4lyfe]

I haven't had one issue with Apple's Maps but its nice to know they're working to improve it for those who have had issues.
Also I saw someone mention that he needs to apologize for the scratching and chipping lol. If you received the phone like that then return it, other than that it's your problem, take care of it.

 

[scottwaugh]

OPEN LETTER TO TIM COOK

Give us Google Maps App back.
......
......
Give it back. NOW.

It's Apple's Map App (Apple built it and licensed it to you), they just used Google data to power it, so if they want to drop it in the next release that's up to them.

If you don't want to use Google Maps web in the meantime, then just roll your phone back to iOS 5.1.1.

Here's how:

http://www.sdtimes.com/blog/post/2012/09/23/How-to-roll-back-to-iOS-5-%28if-necessary%29.aspx

 

[shortcrust]

I'm in London and it's fine. Try again, troll.

Do you think everyone who feels disappointed by apple maps is a troll?! I'm in Sheffield and it's appalling. Simply not fit for purpose. I think you'll find the 80% of the UK population who don't live in London will agree, except of course for those blind apple disciples who can see no wrong. From what I've read a fair few in London aren't that happy either.

The CEO admits it's not up to scratch and still we see on here a chorus of defiantly defensive bleats from satisfied users who apparently don't have sufficient powers of empathy to see beyond their own narrow concerns.

 

[Buckeyestar]

Thats because you are deluded and don't live anywhere of significance where street view and transit directions are a must.

If you can't find a place without street view, you've got problems.

 

[Geckotek]

Wow. Consumers really have become a spoilt and whiny bunch. Louise CK was right.

The man wrote an open-letter of apology AND suggested third party options. But STILL that isn't enough for some.

This is why you should rarely apologise for anything. It's something that's simply wasted on most people.

LOL, that bit is this forum in a nutshell.

 

[a0me]

Yeah because he had nothing to do with the Cube, or the fat Nano, or FCX, or MobileMe, or iPhone 4. Good god can you really be that delusional?

The G4 Cube is one of the most iconic, beloved computer ever created, and the iPhone 4 is still seen as one of the best iPhone released to this day.
I won't argue that MobileMe (or most other online services launched by Apple) didn't suck but leave the Cube and the iPhone 4 out of this.

 

[wgnoyes]

Aren't all colors iPods anodized aluminum?

The new ones are. Previously, they were stainless steel polished backs.

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

OPEN LETTER TO TIM COOK

Give us Google Maps App back.
I PAYED for that when I bought my iPhone 3G, my iphone 3GS and my iPhone 4S: Google Maps was advertised by Apple, on Apple ads and Websites, and everywhere, it is part of what I paid for.

I payed for it, I bought it, I own it.

Apple has no right to remove it from my devices with their update if I can't have it back on the Appstore.

Give it back. NOW.

Apple knows that 80+% of it's users will take anything apple gives them. They'll bitch and moan, come to a forum like this and puff out their chest. The iOS owners will claim it will get better, and maybe next year in iOS 7 it will be perfect (wishful thinking), ect ect, ect. But Apple know's your not gonna return your device.

 

[rwilliams]

Maps has worked rather well for me thus far. But on a couple of occasions, when calculating the route and the estimated time of arrival, it was WAY off. Like 15-20 minutes off. Fortunately, I knew how to get where I was going and was only testing the navigation capabilities, and after starting the trip, it eventually (but slowly) started adjusting the time of arrival.

 

[Qfic]

If you can't find a place without street view, you've got problems.

Again, saying 'you should know everything beforehand' is pitiful. Cute, but pitiful.

 

[OllyW]

i call BS on this one.
i just run your exact search and i get the correct address.

the program does have major problems, but you are not helping the discussion by posting fake maps

We've had similar results in some of the other Maps threads. A number of members from the UK reported three totally different results for the same search term "Newport" (Wales, Isle of White, Shropshire).

It must have a shuffle mode.

 

[eleven59]

Apple Maps is to Replacement Refs as Google Maps is to Professional Refs.

At least the NFL came to its senses.

and yet every year, even professional refs get calls wrong and thousands of fans complain about a missed or wrong call....

google isn't without its wrong locations too (just recently said a bank was where it isn't), or tom tom with its odd choice of directions

 

[Geckotek]

If you can't find a place without street view, you've got problems.

You gotta admit streetview is helpful at times. It will be missed (until we have a downloadable Google Maps).

 

[MuppetGate]

I hate the term "fanboy" but if we're going to use it it seems to me it applies most to Steve fans whose job these days appears to be re-writing history.

I guess that's what happens when someone you idolize passes away; you're memory goes on the fritz.

Jobs put Schmidt on Apple's board of directors, so he's partially responsible for the birth of Android.

 

[MordechaiCarver]

iOS 6 thinks Manhattan is Brooklyn....

How will the poor hipsters find their way.... oh my!!!


For all of you who say they have NO issues.... How did Apple get this wrong?!?!

NYC is as big a city as you can get...


When you can't get a large city like NYC correct, then an apology should be forth-coming. If NYC is so off, I can imagine how bad other (smaller, rural) cities must be portrayed.

.

Actually, I got the map to show the correct address (just left off the 'ny' part). Maybe we just have to change the way how we enter addresses (hey...things change...new "norm" and all).

 

[Brazuca]

iOS 6 thinks Manhattan is Brooklyn....

How will the poor hipsters find their way.... oh my!!!


For all of you who say they have NO issues.... How did Apple get this wrong?!?!

NYC is as big a city as you can get...


When you can't get a large city like NYC correct, then an apology should be forth-coming. If NYC is so off, I can imagine how bad other (smaller, rural) cities must be portrayed.





.

It finds it just fine for me.

 

[RemE]

I give Apple a break on this. Google had them over a barrel by holding back the turn by turn navigation and other new feature so they had to bite the bullet.

That said I use Garmin and CoPilot for nav, Copilot has the best realtime traffic re-routing and great GUI. Garmin is much more expensive but has some great "photo real" turn assist capabilities and has Navteq maps which are very accurate.

But last night I tried searching for my daughter's tutor, a small buisness office in our area.

Garmin, CoPilot (both use local search powered by google) as well as google maps could not find this company.

Apple maps found it easily, and then directed us there and the turn-by-turn experience was decent.

So I guess I would say that I got more than I paid for from Apple Maps and with 100 million users and growing, plus Apple's full attention, it will have resources applied that any developer would envy.

Let's pick a real issue, like...

As a mobile user wouldn't you expect Apple to care about the user experience regarding SMS support over headsets??? Android phones can whisper your text messages into your bluetooth headset for some time now. The response I get over and over from headset makers is "Sorry the Apple API doesn't allow this"

WTF Tim??? This is a communication device and mobile hands free access to text messaging seems like a REAL ISSUE, without frickin SIRI being manditory, if you don't mind.