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iOS 6 Maps: The Criticism and My Thoughts

posted on Sep 20th 2012 at 11:55pm by Alex Jordan

Screen Shot 2012 09 21 at 12 53 21 AM

Apple is under a lot of fire regarding their new Maps application that is built into iOS 6. Starting with iOS 6 Apple ditched Google’s map service in favor of their own in-house service. On the surface, what Apple is offering seems very cool: fast vector based maps, 3D views, and turn-by-turn directions. However, it seems like the technology isn’t holding up its end of the bargain so far. Let’s take a look.

First off, there are some really weird 3D image mapping problems. The most prominent example that is making the rounds on the internet is that of the Brooklyn bridge. Instead of explaining what it looks like, I’ll just show you a screen capture I took of the problem:

IMG 1185

Looks a lot like a bridge doesn’t it?

Next up, as reported by the BBC News, some places are being mapped in the wrong location, others just aren’t showing up, while others are being mislabeled. It seems that this issue is most prevalent overseas, specifically in the UK and Ireland. For instance, Dublin’s Airfield Park is being labeled as an actual Airport, which it is not. As more people explore the maps in iOS 6, it could be found that this a an anomaly or it could be a widespread problem. I’m betting the latter.

On a more political note, since Apple dropped Google Maps from iOS 6, Google has reportedly submitted their own Google Maps application to the App Store, which is  in the approval process. This seems to have been an app that Google has been working on for years, but is just now submitting for approval due to the release of iOS 6.

Tying all of this drama together, Apple released a statement to AllThingD regarding the public outcry regarding Maps. Here is Apple’s statement:

“Customers around the world are upgrading to iOS 6 with over 200 new features including Apple Maps, our first map service,” said spokeswoman Trudy Miller. “We are excited to offer this service with innovative new features like Flyover, turn by turn navigation, and Siri integration. We launched this new map service knowing it is a major initiative and that we are just getting started with it. Maps is a cloud-based solution and the more people use it, the better it will get. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better.”

The AllThingsD piece also notes that the team in charge of Apple’s new Maps app is “under lockdown” working on a fix.

I am not rushing to Apple’s defense here. I hope to merely point out the obvious. Google has done a wonderful job of running a mapping service for seven years now. I can’t remember what Google Maps was like when it launched, but I would guess that the service wasn’t as polished as it is today when it was first introduced. I believe the same applies here- Apple’s new Maps app is going to seem rough, because it is new, and because it is being compared to a service that has been around for the better part of a decade.

Remember, up until Wednesday Apple used Google’s more experienced service to power the backend of their Maps app (and they still do in iOS 5 and older). This means a comparison is formed between what Maps used to be and what it is today even though the Maps app is now based on two totally different backend technologies. The average end user doesn’t know, and isn’t expected to know, about this backend change. All they know is that Maps are kinda weird now.

This puts Apple in a pinch. They have to improve upon their offering in a hurry or run the risk of looking like they’ve lost their magic (whether that be true or not). Plus, Google is trying to submit their own Maps app on the App Store as a competitor to Apple’s new Maps. If Apple turns Google’s app down, it looks in poor taste, and Apple could face anti-competitive accusations.*

Lastly, I have a question I will pose to you, the reader: Would this be as big of a story if something like this had happened to another tech company? Because this is Apple we’re dealing with, the headlines surrounding this story seem to suggest that the company is without hope now and that they’ve lost their luster and don’t know what they’re doing. If Microsoft, Google, Samsung, or another tech giant had made a similar move, with similar results, would it be treated by the media as an issue that could bring down the company’s image? I don’t think it would, but reasonable people can disagree.

In short, I think this is a matter of refinement, and not what we should expect as the new standard from the new Maps app. Apple has just launched the new service and that should be taken into account when using it. Then again, they had been working on it for years; even acquiring mapping companies. One would think that a company as powerful as Apple currently is, could have worked a few more of the bugs out before launch. Alas, I’m not a developer.

What are your thoughts regarding the new Maps app built into iOS 6? Love it? Hate it? Experiencing issues? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

*I’m not an expert on anti-trust law, but if Apple were to keep the Google Maps app out of the App Store, it could raise some flags.

[UPDATE] To keep an eye on how bad these maps are at the moment, here is a Tumblr blog tracking some of the inaccuracies in the new Maps app.

  • GBeale

    I had Maps that worked extremely well, I used it all the time and it ‘just worked’. It has now been replaced with a less than useless version, following an ‘upgrade’ why thanks apple.

  • pcawley

    The Maps thing isn’t that big of a deal, I’ve seen Google maps image bridges as if they’re following the river bottom before and the apple thing will get better. My biggest issue is breaking iTunes U and podcasts into their separate apps. I have a lot of mixed media playlists that I can can no longer use as a single playlist. I also tend to use iTunes U as a holder for media I want to keep separate as I’m not a student. Apple’s “we know best” nanny mindset is beginning to be a bad thing here.

  • Stephen

    No problems here in the greater Denver area over the past few days. Map redraw and scroll/zoom seems faster and smoother than Google maps. Some businesses are harder to find than on Google but otherwise, if it weren’t for all the ruckus globally I’d have pronounced the launch a success.
    Now here’s the problem for Apple – they pretty much have to accept the Google Maps App if and when it’s ready, unless they can come up with a darn good reason not to. IF this happens, and IF a majority of users switch back to Google maps, it severely limits the improvements to Apple maps that would normal accrue from user feedback. Thus eventually the app fades away and no one has reason to switch BACK. Game over.
    I can’t believe Apple’s planning didn’t include this scenario (i.e. global overwhelming negative response to maps app) in their “what if” sessions, so I’m sure they have a response ready. Hopefully more than a “tough it out and cross fingers” response.

  • jhrogersii

    I’ve using the new Maps for a few months now in beta form, and I have actually been impressed with it as a first step. I’ve seen some of the deformed 3D shapes in places, most notably when you zoom in on something like a large tree. The software doesn’t quite know what to do with the irregular shape. I can forgive something like that, though, thanks to the ambitiousness of what they are trying to do.

    As for directions and major locations, I have been pleasantly suprised. Apple is using Yelp, so the basic POIs like major stores and restaurants will be covered. After hearing all of the complaints yesterday, I hammered Maps during my 5 hour drive home from working out of town. It did very well, even in the rural areas I drove through. All cities and towns were correctly identified, and restaurants and stores showed up properly. Driving directions to these searched locations, and to manually keyed in addresses have also been spot on, in my testing. Siri also works very well for initiating location searches and turn bu turn directions. The traffic didn’t work for me during the beta, but I would imagine that will be turned on now that iOS6 is in the wild.

    There were some struggles, though. Yelp is not strong when it comes to things like government buildings and offices, and businesses beyond your typical travel POIs. Apple would be wise to partner with services like the Yellow Pages to fill in this gap in their location searches. I had to get an address and manually enter it to get past this issue.

    I have to agree with you, Alex. If this wasn’t Apple, nobody would care. I’ve seen where bloggers and tech pundits have given Bing Maps and Nokia’s OviMaps a big “meh” in the past, but you don’t see Tumbler blogs dedicated to highlighting their every mistake. That’s the price of being Apple, and dumping Google, I guess.

  • mich

    Your excusing this sorry version for a maps app is a joke. For argument’s sake, lets say iOS maps is of the same quality as Google Maps was 7 years ago (even though it is far worse than that), how can you excuse apple for putting out this crap? Would you excuse them if they put out a VGA camera on their device as well, if for instance they tried to get away from their camera providers? Would you accept no Bluetooth or Wifi just because a theyre trying to protect market share through “anti-innovation”. Because this is what this is. Its making things WORSE than they already are for the sake of strategy. Apple’s strategy was to provide and seamless experience for their customers. They were EXTREMELY customer focused, but have seemed to stray away from that with success. Mistakes like this are warning signs for downfalls. Every company cycles and experiences peaks and troughs, and this small mapping issue may be a sign for the beginning of the end. Its a shame that Apple absolutely spit on their customers and their device experience for the sake pushing out Google. Pushing out Google doesn’t help the customer, it theoretically helps Apple, though I think theyre learning now that this may not in fact be the case. Even Apple makes giant errors. Their hardware has been weaker in the last cycle of smartphones, but now even their software and services are becoming weaker.

  • Marvin Nakajima

    It appears that the new mapping app for iOS works best in the States. In other countries it is far worse from the complaint I am seeing on other sites. Perhaps it would be nice to hear experiences from any readers in other countries.

  • Hobbit

    What do you exactly mean “if it wasnt Apple”? This is Apple and people pay hefty premium for simple guarantee that things will work. As simple as that. Maps are huge dissaster. Outside US they are less than useless and not many alternatives exists. I feel deeply betrayed by Apple and I am starting to look around. I know there is still nothing better but it seems that not for long. Tim is clearly not a product person…

  • Steve

    I have to agree. In seven years or so it’ll be fixed. Lets not forget Google maps is a beta product. No one should expect Apple’s released product to be at that level just yet.

    Other companies have released phones that couldn’t make calls. Who was that? Oh ya Apple.

    Just remember if it doesn’t work it’s because you aren’t holding it right.

  • Joe Trogg

    I think you hit the nail on the head by saying that it is the comparison of the overall map app between iOS 5 and iOS 6 that is the root of this. If this was the map app when the iPhone was introduced, no problem. But you have a lot of iPhone users who are going from one experience to another. While the front end of the app is polished and works great, the back end data and search database has taken a huge step backward. Garbage in, garbage out. Based on historical articles, Apple had valid reasons for wanting to get away from a reliance on Google (e.g. Google wouldn’t let Apple do turn-by-turn in their license, wanting to keep it for Android). However, even with 3 years of development, they rushed the change out and it shows. Another year or two of development would have been better, even if they had to keep Google along with a handicapped map app. Or perhaps, they should have launched the new one as a navigation app to build up their dataset and eventually in subsequent years integrated it with the Map app.

  • Roy Eff

    I don’t remember Google’s first map made this kind of blunder. Yes, it wasn’t polished as of today, no 3D, no layers of terrain, satellite, traffic, etc. But the map really worked from the start. In fact, I threw away my map book and started using google maps. Yes, at that time, it wasn’t really organized, but still i could count on accuracy (at least most of the times).

    And if you think because it’s Apple then ppl start to make a big fuzz over it, then you’re wrong. Other manufacturers got worse reps when they make blunders like this. Remember LG Optimus 2x, the world’s first dual core? Or nokia’s recent marketing ads blunder for lumia 920? Or HTC One X’s rotate screen problem that make them to give way to Samsung S3 in the first place? The list is on and on.

    There are so many blunders but one thing is certain. Most Apple customers are loyal to Apple. So, they forgive and forget quite easily. Apple has one of the highest brand loyalty in the world. You can’t say that to other phone makers. LG lost most of its customers (and market shares) because of LG O2x software problems. Yet you won’t see that with Apple. Why? Brand loyalty.

    So, this is not a big fuzz. It’s simply a half-baked app because Apple wants to kick Google out. And that hurts customers.

  • Ralph

    Well I’d tell you the New Zealand experience if not for the fact iPhone 5 isn’t released here yet.