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[Vic]

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

Source: http://www.apple.com/letter-from-tim-cook-on-maps/

 

[Dicer]

Here download better maps, sorry we fucked up...

 

[Griffin]

At least he doesn't blame the users.

 

[SteveMeister]

Nice & classy.

 

[gogogow]

The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get

That makes no sense.

And I wonder why they want to get rid of Google Maps so hastily when they know their "Maps" aren't ready at all.

 

[Buckethead]

He mentions 3rd party apps? Whoa.

 

[Funky Papa]

Nice & classy.

Like he still has the option of being smug.

 

[GCX]

That makes no sense.

They gather feedback and data from the users so it yes it kinda makes sense.

 

[Venfayth]

So he's saying: "Just wait, ours will get there eventually"

Eh..

 

[Messypandas]

B player

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

No need to apologize Tim. I'm loving the new maps.

 

[Tuck]

Woah, did not see that one coming. Figured they'd just hold out till maps got better.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Amazing they rolled it out in the state they did, good he addressed the issue.

 

[Cheebo]

That makes no sense.

Why not? It gathers data as users use it and updates mapping system with information and locations. When you use it you are opting in to help it learn more.

 

[RoyalFool]

But it's still not possible to get street view, and short of hiring a ton of drivers I can't see how they can get that without Googles help.

 

[dallow_bg]

He mentions 3rd party apps? Whoa.

And even "web apps".

 

[giga]

That makes no sense.

And I wonder why they want to get rid of Google Maps so hastily when they know their "Maps" aren't ready at all.

Traffic data is crowdsourced. User feedback on inaccurate or missing locations and roads are also very important.

 

[nib95]

Pretty embarrassing. Does not look good for him, despite him doing the noble thing.

 

[Messypandas]

and wow at the 3rd party name drops. Jobs would be rolling in his grave

 

[BocoDragon]

Admission of poor quality.

No steps announced to fix it. Use alternatives.

I'm not sure if this is a smart statement....

 

[Hari Seldon]

Well that is a classy response. And yes Tim, I have downloaded Bing and like it quite a bit.

 

[vaelic]

No need to apologize Tim. I'm loving the new maps.

Do you like driving off cliffs?

 

[sTeLioSco]

"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."

good thing its not an important issue.

/s

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

Eric Schmidt's response.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Apology not accepted. They're too big to do stuff like this, very unprofessional.

 

[Cheebo]

Do you like driving off cliffs?

The issues with it have nothing to do with turn by turn directions from what I have seen. Tomtom provides that aspect.

 

[CornBurrito]

Do you like driving off cliffs?

I think he likes the journey more than the destination, so getting inaccurate locations is fine.

The issues with it have nothing to do with turn by turn directions from what I have seen. Tomtom provides that aspect.

Oh good.

 

[giga]

Admission of poor quality.

No steps announced to fix it. Use alternatives.

I'm not sure if this is a smart statement....

we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives

and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Not sure what you want him to say.

 

[Kusagari]

I refuse to update to ios 6 until there's an actual Googlemaps app.

 

[8byte]

Admission of poor quality.

No steps announced to fix it. Use alternatives.

I'm not sure if this is a smart statement....

Isn't getting user feedback and using it a step to fix and improve the experience? Or am I missing something?

 

[ayeorkean]

Like he still has the option of being smug.

He's gay, rich, owns apple products. Still has the option.

 

[injurai]

At least he doesn't blame the users.

Developers.

 

[2MF]

TLDR: "We took away something good from our phone to replace it with something crappy. Now you go buy some apps or use slower web apps in order to fix our fuckup"

 

[Vicetrailia]

Isn't getting user feedback and using it a step to fix and improve the experience? Or am I missing something?

Too little, too late.

 

[LuchaShaq]

Now replace my gfs iphone that has giant scuffs all around the outside.

(Apple store said no).

Likely going to return the phone for an android she's that pissed not about the marks but about the treatment in fixing the issue. (Sprint has 30 day return policy no cost).

 

[gogogow]

They gather feedback and data from the users so it yes it kinda makes sense.

Why not? It gathers data as users use it and updates mapping system with information and locations. When you use it you are opting in to help it learn more.

Traffic data is crowdsourced. User feedback on inaccurate or missing locations and roads are also very important.

Kinda, it still doesn't fix itself, like warped images and non-existent places etc. And they are not thinking what's best for their userbase, it's just a silly Apple iOS/Google Android war.

It needs userdata, so they should've put it in Beta for a couple of years OR better yet, give users a choice and DON't remove Google Maps. They had another year left on the contract, but decided to remove it rightaway.

 

[Tabris]

Admission of poor quality.

No steps announced to fix it. Use alternatives.

I'm not sure if this is a smart statement....

He said while they are improving it...

Anyone expecting Maps to be as good as Google, Bing, etc right off the bat was clueless. None of those services were as good as they are now right off the bat. This will take some time and feedback to improve.

The one nice thing I find about Maps is that the satellite imagining is newer. Google seems to have given up on updating their satellite images with any kind of decent frequency. Vancouver's satellite view is like at least 3-5 years old. So much construction has happened since then. That's absolutely ridiculous now. Vancouver is a top 50-100 city in the world, how could it be so out of date?

Everyone is on the hate apple, love google band wagon but the above is a deal breaker for me now with google.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

He's gay, rich, owns apple products. Still has the option.

Wow. Had no idea he was gay. Pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I live under a rock but I'd imagine something like this would be more widespread news.

 

[Darklord]

What exactly was so shitty about the maps?

 

[Moppet13]

No need to apologize Tim. I'm loving the new maps.

I take it you don't use the new maps ever.

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

I dont know what else you want him to do.....run around Cupertino naked with a sign saying "Apple sux we r sorry buy Android"

 

[Jarmel]

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.

Wow that's a backfire.

 

[BocoDragon]

Well that is a classy response. And yes Tim, I have downloaded Bing and like it quite a bit.

I don't see it as a classy response.

Considering the public response to iOS6 maps, they were compelled to respond.

This is the necessary acknowledgement of the situation, but no fix truly promised (aside from "use something else").

 

[gogogow]

I dont know what else you want him to do.....run around Cupertino naked with a sign saying "Apple sux we r sorry buy Android"

What about releasing it when it's ready and in the meantime let people keep using the Google Maps app instead of removing it from people's devices.

 

[ConfusedMan09]

What exactly was so shitty about the maps?

http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/

 

[SimleuqiR]

Mea Culpa.

 

[Nibel]

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.

Writing this sentence must have been so fucking hard

 

[Fularu]

Amazing they rolled it out in the state they did, good he addressed the issue.

Err all he did was (politely) say "Deal with it or use a third party program".

 

[Tabris]

Err all he did was (politely) say "Deal with it or use a third party program".

Nope. Not at all. Read again. He said "We're sorry, we're working on making it better, in the mean time use a third party program."

 

[Cake Boss]

This would have never gone through to the public with Jobs in there. Frankly the company looks lost on what its suppose to do.