Tim Cook Publishes Open Letter on Maps for iOS 6

[steve-p]

It's not even bad. It works great here in Vegas. I don't like this negative publicity that just snowballs. Like "antennagate". I wasn't affected by it either. People just love to complain together. ****

So if it works for you it must be perfect worldwide, right

 

[JayJayAbels]

Oh right, because when we are talking about a top of the line technological mobile device the prevailing argument is 'People used to get around fine without them, so should you!'
Um, excuse me, no. I buy technological devices not because I depend on them, but because I want the luxury of having to go about my day focused on other things, not my train schedule or doing research beforehand on what cafe my buddy is talking about meeting up at. Get real son and stop making excuses for multibillion dollar corporation.

No you need to stop crying over a single map application.

No one cares about your "luxury". Get off your pedestal.
Even "multibillion dollar corporations" are allowed to make mistakes.

All of this is #1stworldproblems. Use Apple Maps, find a bridge and get over it.

 

[thasan]

It's not even bad. It works great here in Vegas. I don't like this negative publicity that just snowballs. Like "antennagate". I wasn't affected by it either. People just love to complain together. ****

+ media likes anything to do with apple.
reports like crazy when its positive and jump in joy when its negative..

 

[ablashek]

If they truly want to improve Maps, they need people to use it... not just ios folk.

They need to launch a website (without the need of an icloud account), create a Desktop App, and launch full blown API's for other developers to integrate the service into their own apps (everything from GPS enabled devices to embedding code in websites, to even business apps that need to search something).

This is the only true way people will improve it by use. Anything short is just ********.

 

[mr_flibble]

Yelp integration?

I live in Calgary (Alberta, Canada) and what Apple maps lack here are POI's. For example when I type "Gas station", it only shows 7 (!) gas stations located in downtown, nothing else. However when I type the same phrase in Yelp it finds them all. Now if Apple Maps are integrated with Yelp, can't they get their POI's imported? I'm surprised to see such a discrepancy here, where is the problem?

 

[quickmac]

Steve would have never allowed this to happen...

and by not allowing this to happen, I mean allowing Apple to admit they did something wrong and allowing Apple to openly apologize to users. Instead he would have told users they were holding it wrong while using maps.

 

[mikeinternet]

I can understand that points of interest and accuracy take time with real crowd sourced info. What is keeping me from upgrading is that they decided they wanted turn by turn navigation do bad that they sacrificed features we already had like walking and transit directions. Loosing street view is also a disappointment.

 

[Namjins]

Don't think you understand the situation. The maps were expiring in a year. Apple took the risk of releasing their maps a year before Google Maps expired because they would have a year of user based data to improve their maps. They did it so they could get the issues out of the way earlier than later. If they waited until next year when Google Maps expired, they would have had to add Apple Maps anyway. The Maps are fine the only thing not fine are the POI and incorrect data, the best way to improve that is user input.

I agree with your opinion 100%

 

[babyj]

A half hearted apology that just isn't good enough.

This was all about getting rid of a Google app and replacing it with their own. Apple didn't care about providing an equal or superior replacement, just with getting rid of the competition.

Apple could have given Google more notice and they could have waited until they were ready to make the change. Apple didn't care about the effect on their customers as again, this was all about getting rid of the competition.

It doesn't bother me too much as I mainly use a navigation app rather than the maps app. But this kind of thing is becoming more and more frequent, Apple are becoming complacent due to the record sales numbers they keep posting.

Apple need to get their act together. If they don't, by the time this hits their sales it will be too late for them to do anything about it. For me, Windows is becoming a more and more more attractive platform.

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Enough with the complaining. Who upgrades to a new OS on their phone that features a new v1.0 maps application and then bitches when they encounter problems? . . .

Someone who for years has trusted the Apple mantra, "It just works" perhaps?

I say now that the head of Apple has admitted there are serious problems (when we all know how hard it is for them to apologise) then enough with the defending . . . . and on with the improving.


PS - it doesn't deserve to be called v1.0 and Apple has now essentially admitted that.
It's Alpha / Beta product at best.

 

[dotme]

Wow. so if I understand...

Cook does not apologize, and people find fault because Apple is in "denial", unaware that their maps have issues, and are living in their reality distortion field.

Cook apologizes but doesn't offer anything helpful other than "Wait a year, it'll get better" and people find fault because he's acknowledging the problem but not offering a solution other than "too bad for you, we'll fix it eventually".

Cook apologizes and offers workarounds for people who are genuinely upset with their iOS service and people find fault because he's refering people to competing apps.

IMO, the guy grew some nuts and 'fessed up. I appreciate that. I also don't see a problem with him suggesting alternatives. It's honest, and shows Apple leadership values customer goodwill wants customers to be happy.

Refering customers to alternatives isn't always bad for business. Not long term business, anyway. Long term business is more about relationships and trust than just making the quick sale. Apple still wants fans, not just customers.

Hey - Macy's had "Miracle on 34th Street" where their Santa sent customers to other stores. Apple now has "Miracle on Infinte Loop".

 

[OSMac]

Apology accepted, but would have been better if it corrected the mistake by putting Google Maps back?

 

[BigZ243]

In using maps and navigation since the first beta I have to say my experience has been very positive. I have had one instance where it did not identify the location correctly when searching via voice. That was mostly Siri's issue and not the map issue.

I am not saying it is perfect everywhere, but in upstate NY area it has been great.

Also, I really like the turn by turn and how they implemented it. I have used it many times now and never had an issue.

 

[subsonix]

No you need to stop crying over a single map application.

No one cares about your "luxury". Get off your pedestal.
Even "multibillion dollar corporations" are allowed to make mistakes.

All of this is #1stworldproblems. Use Apple Maps, find a bridge and get over it.

This had to be done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

Using maps.google.com or other maps app if you are having problems seems like a workable solution. Yes, I know that there are special cases that isn't covered.

 

[tigajr]

Ok, Tim, thank you now I have your official permission to go elsewhere if I feel unsatisfied with what Apple has done with Maps. What about trying competitors device too?
If you really feel sorry, put back Google Maps app and let us choose which one to use.
You missed a perfect opportunity to say: this will all Flyover in 6 years...

Very nice statement!

 

[Rogifan]

I wonder if Adam Lashinsky still thinks Scott Forstall is Apple's CEO in waiting? Siri and Maps are his babies and neither are very good right now.

 

[Geckotek]

Think again. Microsoft got into trouble because they were leveraging their monopoly in PC operating systems to secure their browser as the de facto standard.

Apple has no such monopoly to abuse.

Yeah, I thought of that.....just wishful thinking....

 

[namenotfound]

Apple Buying Time - Not Credibility

If Tim was really sorry, he would let folks go back to IOS5. Or post the Google Map app on the App store (it was written by Apple after all) to put on IOS6 devices.

Telling us how many searches were done in the last week is irrelevant. How many gave the right location or even A location. You don't know!!!

Hey Tim, how about telling us customers WHAT IS APPLE DOING TO FIX THIS!

 

[Rogifan]

A half hearted apology that just isn't good enough.

This was all about getting rid of a Google app and replacing it with their own. Apple didn't care about providing an equal or superior replacement, just with getting rid of the competition.

Apple could have given Google more notice and they could have waited until they were ready to make the change. Apple didn't care about the effect on their customers as again, this was all about getting rid of the competition.

It doesn't bother me too much as I mainly use a navigation app rather than the maps app. But this kind of thing is becoming more and more frequent, Apple are becoming complacent due to the record sales numbers they keep posting.

Apple need to get their act together. If they don't, by the time this hits their sales it will be too late for them to do anything about it. For me, Windows is becoming a more and more more attractive platform.

Oh please you're gullible enough to believe Google didn't have enough notice? Come on....

 

[samcraig]

It obvious that the negotiations were much more complicated and the issues much more difficult to resolve than we know. Recent reports also seem to indicate that Google was not willing to let Apple have turn be turn and other parts of their maps app without concessions that Apple was not willing to make and had eh made them there would be many up in arms about it.

None of us really know how this all went down and just assuming hat they chose not to negotiate is naive. Obviously they knew this was going to be a really painful transition and wouldn't have gone down this road if they didn't feel that they had no choice.

Wait - I never said they didn't try an re-negotiate. Maybe that's how that post read - but it was in context of another post earlier in the thread. My point was - Apple and Google tried to negotiate - those talks fell through. It happens. Each went their way.

Some people are trying to imply that Google refused to negotiate or that they didn't offer x feature or not. I don't believe that. I believe Google offered up all of their services but with conditions that Apple wasn't in favor of.

 

[Born Again]

Guys is there anything we can do about directions? I got some really awful directions.

Is there a button we can email them to fix it?

 

[Keebler]

Nice for them to admit the error in putting forth something so lacking.

But also very telling, imho, about their objective/hope - with the 'billions' of queries. I believe they're hoping all of their users ramp up the POIs and error corrections to help Maps become far better than it is.

Think about Google Maps. In it's infancy, it wasn't what it was today and they did some amazing work to get it to where it is.

I think Apple will do the same - with us helping and in doing so, I think they'll get there quickly.

I added GoogleMaps as a link to my iPhone. I'm not a huge traveller and when I do, I usually nail down things beforehand, but having both options is good.

 

[Born Again]

So if it works for you it must be perfect worldwide, right

Yup I hate this -"works for me so why are people complaining?!" Attitude.

Listen bro - to the people maps are perfect now - you are nobody ! You are nothing but the minority! You are nothing!

We are everything!

Woot!

 

[Geckotek]

Guys is there anything we can do about directions? I got some really awful directions.

Is there a button we can email them to fix it?

I would click on one of the dropped pins, hit the Report a Problem button, and try Information is incorrect or My problem isn't listed.

 

[Mliii]

I don't care about the maps thing, it's really not that bad.

Please stop...PLEASE stop with these 'it's not that bad' or 'it works for me' or 'Google had years to perfect their map app' posts. What utter nonsense!
Glad you don't think it's that bad.
Glad it works for you.
And who cares how long Google has been working on their map app?

The fact remains that Apple replaced a highly functional and mostly accurate map application with a piece of junk- and integrated it into the OS.

That integration creates a whole other level of issues. For example, when you click on an address in your address book, the MapApp will open and show you where that is. If the data is incorrect, you will get an incorrect location. And if you try to navigate from there to another place, you will be relying on the accuracy of the two locations and all of the points in between. And this has the potential to make the original bad data (if it is bad) worse.
Additionally, developers use Apple's maps and MapKit as the framework that they build on. That will compound the problem. And MapKit is used as the framework for a variety of applications, including 'Geofencing' and things like that.

Lots of people have posted, "Well, just download the Google Map website on Safari and use that instead".
But it's not that simple, particularly if you are using a built in function like Address Book, and even more so if you are a developer. You're essentially "forced" to use MapKit, and you build your data and actions on top of that.
If developers wanted to use Google Maps instead for example, it would mean that Google would have to provide a framework for it to them to use, that developers would have to explicitly use that framework instead of MapKit and that Apple would have to approve apps using that framework.
It would also mean that developers who have built built apps on top of MapKit for about 4 years now would have to learn that new framework and port their apps all over again. (I recognize that this isn't EXACTLY how it works, so sophisticated developers, please don't slam the post because it simplifies things to the degree that it does.)

The point is that the potential problems with the current MapApp in IOS6 go way beyond not being able to find an accurate location for your neighborhood Starbucks!
It's clear to me that Apple was more interested in having "Superman" fly through the skyscrapers of New York City for their propaganda presentation than actually having a functional application that can accurately get you where you need to go.

And all you have to do to understand just how bad the Apple Map App is is to realize that the head of the most highly capitalized company on the planet had to come out and post a letter, sincere or otherwise, apologizing for a sub par product.
All you have to do is read the comments posted by many people on this website and many others documenting an embarrassing array of errors, inconsistencies and poor execution.
And all you have to do is read the comments made by people who write about this stuff for a living to recognize that EVEN APPLE thinks this is a bad product.

And it really does make you wonder whether anyone actually looked at the nuts and bolts of the product before it was released, particularly since many developers who had access to the betas complained about the Map App right from the start, or whether the PR machine simply drowned out any chatter that was inconsistent with what they wanted to hear.

And in the LONG run, that's more of the problem- if hubris is what caused this, THAT is more of an issue than a lousy Map App.