How do you expect to do that without mass consumer use? It would be nearly impossible to release a perfect map product day 1 without help from consumers. No turn-by-turn on the native Maps app (on a smartphone, no less) is simply unheard of. Apple's Maps solution is 100 times better than Google Maps for me. It will soon be the same for others (I am assuming like yourself) who are currently getting inaccurate maps.
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Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6
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How do you expect to do that without mass consumer use? It would be nearly impossible to release a perfect map product day 1 without help from consumers. No turn-by-turn on the native Maps app (on a smartphone, no less) is simply unheard of. Apple's Maps solution is 100 times better than Google Maps for me. It will soon be the same for others (I am assuming like yourself) who are currently getting inaccurate maps.
What's he supposed to say in that letter, "You're all idiots, the app is fine!" He's the CEO, he needs the public to think that Apple sympathize with the problems people are having. That's all this letter is doing. It's not like work stopped on the app and then after the backlash they said "oh ****, we better start fixing it" As is the case with all software it is never a finished product. I'm a developer and having used the first beta of the maps app I can tell you it has come a long way since then and it's only going to get better.
Then get an Android and stop crying. I'm getting really tired on hearing your whining. You're worse than my little sister.
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Sounds like interesting testing you've done. Speaking of Ontario, I'm wondering why the small borough of Hamilton (north of Coburg) still shows up on the map even when the map is zoomed out. I could understand the city of Hamilton still showing up when the map is zoomed out (which it doesn't actually), but not the tiny borough of Hamilton!
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Steve would have checked that all locations were perfect pixel by pixel and debugged each line of code. That's why there were never any problems with any apple products or software when he was around.
Actually, Steve would probably have told customers that they are looking at their maps wrong and then fired most of the maps team.
Bottom line -- dumping Google was the key word thrust this change. Googles hurt is way worse than Apple changing the app. Locking Google out of the Apple universe and cutting off its farming of data from Apples customers is brilliant. As a stockholder I am completely satisfied with Apples move. Brilliant. Sticking it to Google while maybe pissing off its core users is the price they had no choice to pay. Shut up whiners. Thank you Apple
Everyone keeps saying this, but how will just using it make it better?
Using alternatives only works well with OSes like Android where the user can specify which app is the default for a requested action (map, navigate, etc).
It won't help in iOS for all the apps that still call the default Maps app.
No, you buy me one Android instead, and also introduce me to your sister, you'll see if she still whines as she does with you.
I am impressed with Tim, right response given the problem people are facing around the world .
Now given Tim has acknowledged the issue and now apologied, I am even more impressed with the apologists on here.... Wow.... Just wow! I know the meaning of cult loyalty now!
I still hope Tim is kicking some butt behind the scenes
Now given Tim has acknowledged the issue and now apologied, I am even more impressed with the apologists on here.... Wow.... Just wow! I know the meaning of cult loyalty now!
I still hope Tim is kicking some butt behind the scenes
Short, sweet, to the point. I wish he'd discussed this at the iPhone 5 event, but you live and learn sometimes.
Interesting that his solution for those that need (or think they need) Google Maps was the same thing I've been recommending since iOS 6 was released.
Interesting that his solution for those that need (or think they need) Google Maps was the same thing I've been recommending since iOS 6 was released.
The u.s. makes up a very small portion of the world's population and, as I understand it, there are tons of problems there too.
A big slap in the face to the apologists. Tim Cook himself not only admits his app needs improvement, he even goes as far as saying the competitors have better solutions. Even Bing! Big slap in the face.
Or what? You're going to stop using apple products? Stop whining and go but a windows phone.
Bottom line -- dumping Google was the key word thrust this change. Googles hurt is way worse than Apple changing the app. Locking Google out of the Apple universe and cutting off its farming of data from Apples customers is brilliant. As a stockholder I am completely satisfied with Apples move. Brilliant. Sticking it to Google while maybe pissing off its core users is the price they had no choice to pay. Shut up whiners. Thank you Apple
So, there aren't enough android devices out there to farm data from? I don't think this will hurt Google.
I do hope they submit a Google app, I'd even pay for one, as would millions of others I'd bet.
You and your buddies are very fortunate and extremely lucky. What are the odds that you'd have no issues given what we know about how poor the map app has shown to be?
Enjoy.
Firstly, Maps really is a disaster.
But credit where credit is due - they've messed up before, but this is a quicker and more prominent acknowledgement than previously.
But... It's a bit generic. A fuller explanation of A. How it came to be released in such a state, and B. What steps, other than "user feedback will improve things" is actually being done by Apple and its partners to improve the data.
But... having said that, Maps does look very good aesthetically, and the vector engine works beautifully.
If ( although obviously its currently a big if!) all things data wise were more equal, I'd prefer Apple Maps over Google any day.
But credit where credit is due - they've messed up before, but this is a quicker and more prominent acknowledgement than previously.
But... It's a bit generic. A fuller explanation of A. How it came to be released in such a state, and B. What steps, other than "user feedback will improve things" is actually being done by Apple and its partners to improve the data.
But... having said that, Maps does look very good aesthetically, and the vector engine works beautifully.
If ( although obviously its currently a big if!) all things data wise were more equal, I'd prefer Apple Maps over Google any day.
Reminds me of the Microsoft lawsuits in the early 2000's. The results meant you can now choose alternative apps as defaults in Windows. Apple needs to be sued over this as well I think.
Sometimes I wonder about Apple's current management, not just the senior figures, but their middle-management advisors too.
This is a terrible letter. In all seriousness, I could've written a much better document.
There are three glaringly obvious key points missing.
He says,
"The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you".
Well that's all well and good, but there is not nearly enough detail here. I have yet to see anyone report that an error has been corrected. Even those which have been widely discussed in the media, like the town in Austria where every street name is the same highly offensive word.
The letter should have made a clear commitment on how customer feedback is actioned with defined timescales for the correction process. With an apparently massive task ahead to correct many areas, this would provide some much needed assurance to people that their efforts to assist will be swiftly rewarded.
Secondly, having read articles by many cartography/mapping industry experts on this recently, the majority seem somewhat surprised that it has gone as spectacularly wrong as it has.
Being late to the game, Apple's core data is not sourced from the same #1 players that Google's enjoys, but despite this, the product really shouldn't be this bad.
Some speculate and I agree that Apple have found it more difficult to integrate all of the data layers into a cohesive product than they had first believed. I wouldn't be surprised to see a reasonable update before Christmas which improves the situation to an extent, realising greater potential from the existing data.
Tim could (and should) have eluded to this in his email.
Finally and this may by wishful thinking, I'd have like to have seen Tim's request for customers to assist to improve Apple Maps, alongside an offer to allow us to choose our integrated mapping system for iOS and iOS apps out of any of those Tim mentioned.
Had those three key points been in the letter, I'd have believed things were moving in the right direction and Apple were truly claiming responsibility with a plan for action.
As it is today, nothing much has changed, although I have to concede it is much better than Schiller's (paraphrasing), "Aluminium scratches - just deal with it" approach.
This is a terrible letter. In all seriousness, I could've written a much better document.
There are three glaringly obvious key points missing.
He says,
"The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you".
Well that's all well and good, but there is not nearly enough detail here. I have yet to see anyone report that an error has been corrected. Even those which have been widely discussed in the media, like the town in Austria where every street name is the same highly offensive word.
The letter should have made a clear commitment on how customer feedback is actioned with defined timescales for the correction process. With an apparently massive task ahead to correct many areas, this would provide some much needed assurance to people that their efforts to assist will be swiftly rewarded.
Secondly, having read articles by many cartography/mapping industry experts on this recently, the majority seem somewhat surprised that it has gone as spectacularly wrong as it has.
Being late to the game, Apple's core data is not sourced from the same #1 players that Google's enjoys, but despite this, the product really shouldn't be this bad.
Some speculate and I agree that Apple have found it more difficult to integrate all of the data layers into a cohesive product than they had first believed. I wouldn't be surprised to see a reasonable update before Christmas which improves the situation to an extent, realising greater potential from the existing data.
Tim could (and should) have eluded to this in his email.
Finally and this may by wishful thinking, I'd have like to have seen Tim's request for customers to assist to improve Apple Maps, alongside an offer to allow us to choose our integrated mapping system for iOS and iOS apps out of any of those Tim mentioned.
Had those three key points been in the letter, I'd have believed things were moving in the right direction and Apple were truly claiming responsibility with a plan for action.
As it is today, nothing much has changed, although I have to concede it is much better than Schiller's (paraphrasing), "Aluminium scratches - just deal with it" approach.