If you have recently visited Apple’s web site, you may have noticed a letter from CEO of the company, Tim Cook. In it, he apologises with Apple’s new maps application which was launched as part of the iOS 6 update included on the iPhone 5, to replace Google Maps.
If you have been lucky enough to get your hands on an iPhone 5, or updated your existing device like an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 to the new iOS 6 platform, you may have noticed that Google Maps is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Apple maps has replaced it, although the launch of this application has been far from smooth.
The app was originally intended to provide enhanced functionality over Google Maps, promising better turn by turn navigation along with features like more comprehensive listings of local businesses and points of interest plus better integration with other native iOS apps. However, shortly after the app was made available, a number of people complained that it was plagued with issues including inaccurate mapping, unreliable turn by turn navigation and even aerial imagery which was inferior to that of Google maps.
In the letter on Apple’s website, Tim cook apologises for the flaws with the application and has even gone as far as suggest alternatives which users may wish to try while Apple attempts to fix the problems that have so far been encountered with Apple Maps. Nokia Maps, Bing Maps and even Google Maps have been suggested as alternatives, despite the fact that Apple Maps was created to replace the latter in the first place. Many people were surprised by this, as these titles are direct competitors to Apple’s new creation.
Sales of the iPhone 5 and updates of the iOS 6 platform do not seem to have been affected too much though. Over 5 million iPhone 5 handsets were sold in its first weekend, and a whopping 100 million compatible devices have so far been updated to the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.
