Tim Cook Writes a Letter to Customers About iOS 6 Maps: Apple is Sorry
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Published on 09-28-2012 10:24 AM
iOS 6 brought over 200 new features to the iOS 6 device lineup including a new Maps application, which added features such as turn-by-turn navigation, Flyover view, and 3-D maps. While it's cool, accuracy hasn't exactly been superb for everyone and map images have rendered strangely, as not to resemble what the location actually looks like. Users have reacted to these issues with strong words and numerous complaints.
Following the
negative vibe created by iOS 6 users about Apple’s new Mapping solution, Tim Cook has written a letter to customers (viewable from Apple's
Web site) using the new Maps application in an attempt to soothe the frustration. In the letter, Cook apologizes for the rough start and promises that everything is going to get better as more and more people use Apple’s Mapping solution:
Originally Posted by
Tim Cook
To our customers,
At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.
We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. 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.
There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. 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.
While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.
Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.
Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO
In addition to the apology, Cook advises users that aren’t content with Apple’s Mapping solution to use third party alternatives from the App Store such as Bing, MapQuest, and Waze just to name a few. Cook also mentions that users can use Google Maps from Mobile Safari and can create a home screen bookmark by following
this guide, which was posted this morning by Apple.
Cook also promises that Apple will continue to work on the Maps application until customers are completely content with it. That being said, it is almost guaranteed that Apple will not be bringing Google Maps back to the iOS device lineup natively. It will be up to Google to either launch their own Google Maps application in the App Store for users to download, or it will be up to users to go ahead and make a home screen bookmark of the Web site from Mobile Safari.
Sources: Apple
Thanks for the tip Richard! 
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