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Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6

I think this was very "big" of Apple. You may or may not agree... your choice.

It seems Apple is damned on both sides of every situation. Cook is acknowledging the problem and letting everyone know that they won't rest until the product is the best. Coming from any other company, I would say that it sounded hollow. Here, I actually believe the man.

I don't think people realize that your precious map program was 2 years behind what it was on Android. Google was intentionally keeping away features from all iOS users just to keep Apple users hobbled: No turn-by-turn directions or Vector map tiles. Those are big deals. People have been wanting turn-by-turn directions forever. And while most people don't have a clue about what vector is, every time they used their bitmapped MAPS app before iOS 6, they were looking at an inferior product from Google.

Apple HAD to break free from Google over this. Painful as it may be, they were doing it so that their customers would at least have the features they need, along with Flyover which is very cool for taking virtual tours. We have vector maps that look terrific and turn-by-turn, which I used and it got me where I needed to be. I've only put in one crowd source and that was because an address was off by about 30 feet.

They're not perfect yet, but people who are holding Apple to the standard of Absolute Perfection as in GOD, need to step back and realize that Apple deserves to be held to a high standard, but not a perfect one. No one is perfect. Can't we give Apple a little latitude? They are trying to make a product that is on their on timetable. One that they are not being held hostage over. And whether you know this or believe it,... they're doing it for you.

Use the maps app. If it's off, use the button to let Apple know how. If we all work with Apple, this will be a distant memory in no time and we'll have the app that the rest of the industry envies.
 
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Favorite quote in this thread:

"Stop using the lowest bidder! Open your wallet and pay for a quality App!"

Apple's Maps would've been pulled from the App Store by now if it belonged to a regular developer. It's that bad!
 
Geckotek said:
You gotta admit streetview is helpful at times. It will be missed (until we have a downloadable Google Maps).
Click to expand...

True. It will be missed and I doubt we will see anything similar in Apple Maps for a very long time, if ever. Downloadable Google Maps won't completely solve the problem either. Why? Because it's not the default map application.
 
bbplayer5 said:
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.
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blakespot said:
I've said it on twitter and I'll say it again: I have had better experience with Apple's new Maps app on iOS 6 / iPhone 5 in the last week than any other time using a GPS prior.

I am new to turn-by-turn directions, late to the party - yes, but I put it to good use in Maps on iOS 6, driving through DC and into MD and it felt like magic. Truly.

Maps on iOS 6 is one of my favorite new features.

That's my experience.



bp
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It's great to see these two rare sensible posts on the first page of this thread amidst the metric ship-ton of anti-Apple propaganda that floods these discussions nowadays.

:)
 
Wow. Now in addition to sucking, he's made the company look like a bitch. Don't apologize.
 
Mjmar said:
Maps aren't even that bad, they're actually quite good in most cases. People need to calm down.
Click to expand...

I don't think they are that bad either. In my opinion, It's just that people have become accustomed to certain features in Google Maps. Apple used Google maps on its devices. I don't have a problem with them creating their own maps, I actually support it. But if you are going to add your own maps, you should at least make sure we have all the features you allowed us to become accustomed to over the past 7 years. Of course we are going to be frustrated.

Apple had to have known this. This is why I think they will continuesly be working on maps and will never be satisfied. If there is one company I know will eventually get it right, it's Apple. I'm willing to walk through the rough paths with them.
 
scottwaugh said:
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
Click to expand...

Apple has stopped signing 5.1.1 this will not work. In order to revert to 5.1.1 you must have the respective shsh blobs and ap ticket saved and be using an A4 device (iPad 2 can revert but It needs 4.3.x blobs as well) If you have never jailbroken or used tiny umbrella there is no going back.
 
Mapping the whole world is not an easy task and to map it accurately is even tougher. its not like you spend billions and just buy things (i mean if google is selling maps then apple can buy but why would they sell). Its a crowd sourced data and they have to bring it to the people in beta form even if they spent 20yrs perfecting it. So they took the risk, there was no other way, even if they worked on it one more year till the contract expires, still they would have to release it in the same state as now, good it happened early, in one year i hope it will get to acceptable level.

Same with Siri, unless it goes to the Millions of people out there it would remain as beta, even after 20yrs of perfecting the speech & AI.

Recognizing Voice is one thing, knowing what it means i a different ball game, thats Siri, its not perfect but i've yet to find any thing equal or better than that.
 
Perhaps Cook suggested using Mapquest or Bing so people could see how crappy the alternatives are.
 
No. They could not have.

samcraig said:
I respect the letter. Despite some obvious spin.

Such as: As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

No - they could have re-negotiated with Google. They chose not to. No harm/no foul - but that doesn't mean they HAD to. Err on omission of truth.
Click to expand...


Google has made clear that they will NEVER provide turn-by-turn directions on the iPhone. They did not in 2009. They would not three years later. Are you saying that Apple should just hold out another decade or two?
 
scottwaugh said:
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...

thank you for your help.

How long before I cant go back to 5.1.1 ? You don't know.
How long can I remain with it ? You don't know either: because what happens when you go to a genius bar with your device is that they have you update it to the lastest iOS before anything.

So I'm not even free to stick with an outdated iOS.
But yeah, I should because else Mr Apple wants me to use a non-functional program while I bought their devices with a functional one, and because they claimed to provide one.

This deserves a class action and this should cost a lot.
 
All was well with Google Maps on my iPhone 4S as well as various Android phones I have laying about from high end to the most basic of what you could call a smartphone with a 240x320 portrait display. Even my old BlackBerry could pinpoint my location with a Java release of Google Maps (which also had street view) all in a app with less than a 1MB footprint.

Apple Maps tells me I live underwater instead of a far more comfortable place to live.

This is quite the serving of humble pie for Apple. I'd still like to have YouTube back on my iPad. Using the scaled up iPhone app just plain sucks...

The company most people love to hate (Google) is still enjoying what services they provided pre iOS 6 and those who use the apps they already have for the iPhone. Now who will step up to the plate?

Google with an updated YouTube app(with native iPad support) and a maps client?

Apple with a hurried dot release of iOS 6 with major fixes on Apple Maps and no YouTube on the iPad.

I do hope either way, YouTube gets updated soon and that Apple Maps has mass transit locations. This is a much needed feature for me and I'm sure many others as well.
 
JGowan said:
I think this was very "big" of Apple, jerks. All of you, sneering and chiding are pathetic.

I don't think people realize that your precious map program was 2 years behind what it was on Android. Google was intentionally keeping away features from all iOS users just to keep Apple users hobbled: No turn-by-turn directions or Vector map tiles. Those are big deals. People have been wanting turn-by-turn directions forever. And while most people don't have a clue about what vector is, every time they used their bitmapped MAPS app before iOS 6, they were looking at an inferior product from Google.
Click to expand...
Way to alienate your audience by referring to them as jerks. :) And then you call them pathetic too?

You also need to get your facts straight. Or at least present them accurately. Apple's contract with Google did not include features that didn't exist before they made the agreement. Turn by Turn, etc all call after the original agreement. When discussions began for a new agreement - Google presented their requirements and Apple made a decision based on what they thought best. It wasn't Google intentionally holding out on anything to cripple iOS users. That's not only ridiculous - but inserting your own emotion into a situation which wasn't emotional - but business.
 
Lochias said:
Google has made clear that they will NEVER provide turn-by-turn directions on the iPhone. They did not in 2009. They would not three years later. Are you saying that Apple should just hold out another decade or two?
Click to expand...

Never been confirmed, just like that google once offered turn by turn around 2009 and apple didnt want it as it liked to push its app store and turn by turn in there.


If apple had paid I have no doubt google would have opened its back end for turn by turn navigation, but the logic these days with apple is more "if you are not with us ..."
 
OllyW said:
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. :)
Click to expand...

or, people likes to create troubles.

for example, if i put "85 5th avenue, manhattan, NY, NY" i get the correct manhattan address, if then i change manhattan to brooklyn without updating the search, then the map points at manhattan, but the window say brooklyn.

i can have the application appear to mix up new york and london, but what is the point?
 
RemE said:
Google had them over a barrel by holding back the turn by turn navigation
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*citation needed*

EDIT: Just read the AllThingsD article about it. It says:
[Google] asked for in-app branding. Apple declined. It suggested adding Google Latitude. Again, Apple declined.
Click to expand...
That is CLEARLY Apple's fault. Why the hell would Google let anyone else use its flagship product without the Google branding?
 
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Roessnakhan said:
Jeeze, guys, I respect the man for actually posting this letter - something Steve Jobs would have never done. I've been a pretty harsh critic of Maps, and still will be after this letter, but I respect the man for admitting there's a problem.
Click to expand...

Not entirely true.
I can think of at least two examples where Steve wrote a letter of apology to the customers.

1) iPhone's launch: 2 months later they lowered the price by 200 bucks.
Steve gave back 100 in form of a gift card for the Apple Store.

2) iPhone 4's launch: Antennagate: Free bumpers if you found them to be necessary for your use case.


Glassed Silver:mac
 
Lochias said:
Google has made clear that they will NEVER provide turn-by-turn directions on the iPhone. They did not in 2009. They would not three years later. Are you saying that Apple should just hold out another decade or two?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, millions of iPhone users don't care about turn-by-turn but depends on the accuracy of the maps themselves, the POI and public transport info.
Apple could have kept Google Maps as it was, without adding any feature, and developed simultaneously their own dedicated turn-by-turn app. Problem solved.
 
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