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Apple's home-grown Maps leaves users lost

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This is not new, folks. The same thing happened with Siri: the app wasn't ready for prime time and they used buyers as guinea pigs to do their beta testing for them. This is TYPICAL Apple behavior. You should not be surprised.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Oh, it's Apple, it's fantastic, Apple software is the best, it doesn't work properly but it's Apple, you know, Steve Jobs and everything, so it's just brilliant, Android is rubbish, ok the google map app is much better but, well, it's not Apple you see, Apple is simply the best, it must be, it's Apple, everything is so perfect and well thought out, the design is amazing, chamfered edges, omg amazing, it's Apple, I love it... hope they fix the map app soon though.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Steve Jobs would not have approved this unless it was ready. Even the most hardened Apple fans in their hearts would know that to be true.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Apple - it just works. Nice one.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A "revolutionary" way to get lost!

my Facebook feed is full of disgruntled upgraders, wishing they hadn't done it. They got a lemon for a map app. Zichi - you live in tokyo? perhaps tokyo is doing ok, most of Japan is poked on apple maps.

http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/

Here a video great round up of how shocking the apple apps are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF3xBfA-uAM&list=UUddiUEpeqJcYeBxX1IVBKvQ&index=1&feature=plcp 5 years of work went into it? wow.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Wow 3d fly over, I really need that when Im lost in the dim dark alley in Dirtsville. Dazzled with useless features in all phones these days.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Basically, they're using the users as beta-testers - the same idiotic mistake that Microsoft did with Windows Vista, Apple is now doing here. This is like two companies (Apple and TomTom) where the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Furthermore, TomTom is only just starting to transition from a sat-nav simply-give-directions gadget-maker to a mapping company. Mapping is all about data, and Google has already amassed huge piles. From an Apple user:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2012/09/10/google-maps-war-with-apple-is-over-google-won/

"Plain and simple: Google has the best data. Data wins in the mapping war, and Google has an enormous lead because it is one of its greatest strengths."

That's why, to those who could avoid it, ya don't update an OS right away but wait some time later, when the bugs and features are smooth out. For turn-by-turn, use the MapQuest app.

Oh, there's the search engine there, but I bet it will be replaced soon.

Like mapping, search engine is also all about data, and Apple doesn't make its own search engine nor one of its strengths. What else could they replace it with? According to:

http://gs.statcounter.com/#search_engine-ww-monthly-201108-201208-bar

By far, the top 3 search engines in the world are Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Bing is owned by Microsoft, while Yahoo licenses the Bing engine from Microsoft. All others like Ask.com, Russian Yandex, and the Chinese Baidu are less than 1%. For their Russian and Chinese users, Apple could use those, but to everyone else, it's Ask.com or nothing.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

We have tested it to take us to two places, and it worked fine. Of course, Google Maps are years ahead, but I feel more comfortable with the new Maps app. There's a supermarket one block from our house, I reported the mistake to Apple and they've already fixed it. This is the only app that needs a polishing in iOS6, it will take some time, that's Ok with me. What really surprised us is that it worked efficiently in Brazil, where the satellite coverage isn't that good. I feel OK that the last residue of Google was removed from the iPhone. First was Gmail, we've transferred all our mails to me.com. Oh, there's the search engine there, but I bet it will be replaced soon.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

I read there was a youtube app already released for iOS. It is supposed to be one of the top downloads now. It is probably better than the Apple version, unless of course Apple wouldn't allow Google to build the app that it wanted.

Apple just released a beta map on the public to replace something that works. Completely idiotic. Glad my phone is an Android or I would be fuming. Google rules in the sense that they are more open and don't prevent you from using what works.

I also own an iPad, and it is staying on the prior OS. It is jailbroken, and more useful than the stock version. Google's map services still work on it. So, I have no reason to update to iOS6.

By the way, google maps already had turn by turn navigation, but Apple throttled them to prevent people from liking the services and to make room for their own flawed maps. Look at the Google translate app on iOS, most people don't know you can use handwriting to enter kanji or words on an Andriod. But Apple would allow Google to do that on iOS. Apple throttles anything that may compete with it or make them look bad or makes Google look good. They then steal the idea (or spend millions buying something inferior) and say it is theirs.

So, don't expect google maps on iOS. Apple users will be stuck with a broken map system until all the bugs are solved (by users) in about four or five years.

Oh, but the flyover looks nice.... Good job Apple.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Apple software, other than their operating system, isn't up to much and it was to be expected that their Maps "App" would be a bit rubbish. It would be nice if Google produced a replacement, but Apple would probably ban it for various pig-headed reasons. I won't be rushing out to spend large sums on a device when someone else decides what I can and cannot do with it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Glad I haven't got it yet and doubt I will. Google maps is too valuable here in Japan. I wonder if people who >rely on google maps will switch to an Android?

Can you imagine? Because of google, navigating through Japan is a Breeze! Google cornered the market and if Apple wants to compete with them on that scale, they really should have done their homework. Google Japan is great, since I have been using it, I almost never have a problem getting to where I need to go and it is very easy to use and with "find friends," it's a snap. I love Apple, but I'm not giving up on Google maps.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Apple telling you it is better doesn't make it better.... this is case and point

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I updated to iOS6, and yeah, Apple Maps really is just as bad as everyone says it is. I built my business 8 years ago, it has been on Google Maps for the past 5 or 6 years. Many of my customers look up my business on their phones for directions. With Apple Maps it is an empty plot of land. Anything else built within the last 10 years also doesn't appear on the map.

On top of that, the local supermarket is in the middle of the park in my neighbourhood, instead of by the main road over a kilometre away. Apple Maps is completely useless as a navigation tool. Hurry up Google and release a Google Maps App.

...and a YouTube app for the iPad too.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

My old Nokia N95 had turn by turn navigation and that was over two years ago. I switched to Apple because the iPhone had better features. Now Android and Windows based Nokia phones seem to be better. I am very annoyed with Apple. A lot of their features are American focused. Map uses crowd sourcing. I am not going to wait for that. I used the train timetable information everyday. Now I have to use a different website. Not impressed.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Glad I haven't got it yet and doubt I will. Google maps is too valuable here in Japan. I wonder if people who rely on google maps will switch to an Android?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Apple’s map service comes with three-dimensional images of cities called “Flyover” along with real-time traffic updates and also turn-by-turn navigation, the last a feature that Google has in Android devices but had not made available in Apple devices.

All three features are in Google maps, with the last two in Nokia Maps too. The lack of turn by turn with google maps in Apple's version of google maps was due to the software limitations of the operating system and completely unrelated to Maps, namely the fact that one program can't call another like maps and navigation in android. Not to mention Apple specifically forbade any apps with the feature since they had an exclusive contract with TomTom for turn by turn.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Should have thought about that before divorcing Google, now the whole thing is messed up. Whatever Apples says, whatever beef the two have, Google was the king when it comes to GPS, Navigation etc. If it's good enough for NASA and TV stations, military, there must be some reason for that. I'm a huge Apple fan, but Apple really dropped the ball on this one. It's like Disneyland: you either want to go to that Chinese makeshift fake Disneyland with the Mickey Mouse with the crooked ears cheap watered down characters and theme park or you can go to California and go to the real them park and do and enjoy the REAL Disney experience. Except NO substitutions!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

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