And so the grovelling continues. Not content with issuing a frank apology (or 'mapology', as one wag put it) over its Maps imbroglio, Apple has launched a new category in the App Store. Can you guess what it is? That's right, maps.
"Find maps for your iPad" is the name Apple's given it, CNET reports. And unsurprisingly it lets you do just that, with alternatives offered including Bing Get Me There, Navigon Europe, and Garmin UK & Ireland.
They range from the free Waze social GPS Traffic & Gas, to a nuts £59.99 for Navigon Europe. Six are on offer for us Brits for the iPad. Punters in the US have a separate section for the iPhone, while us limeys will have to make do with going to the Categories menu bar and clicking Navigation. All six in the iPad category will also work with your Apple handset too though.
Of course, you can always head to the Google Maps or Nokia websites and create an icon on your iPhone, as Tim Cook suggested in his open letter to disgruntled Apple fans. The site will then open like an app.
It's all been a bit embarrassing for Apple, this whole Maps palaver. Tim Cook's apology stated he and the rest of the company "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."
Apparently the problem was that Apple wanted to bung in a load of new features like turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, and Flyover, but in order to do so it had to make a whole new version of Maps from the ground up.
Cook made no mention of the fallout with Google that led to Apple dropping Google Maps in the first place.
How has Apple handled the whole situation? Let me know what you reckon in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 9
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technicalfuse 29 September, 2012 10:37
serves them right for thinking they can ditch google
shame apple shame
frenchiefr 29 September, 2012 10:40
Why should we buy a map app when we had a fantastic google map before I think apple take the piss to far now sort out ASAP your map or just put back a google map like before people spend £530 for a iPhone with a crap map and if you want a you could grab a cheap android phone less than half price with a much better map sorry but since Steve job gone look like apple is left with a bench off monkey with bizzare idea lol
Damien2501 29 September, 2012 11:49
CrApple should create a section pointing the way to great smartphones rather than over priced crap.
Ruffus Stone 29 September, 2012 12:45
@technicalfuse 29 September, 2012 10:37 Quote: "serves them right for thinking they can ditch google"
Google wouldn't give them the features they required, such as turn-by-turn nav.
By being denied access to Google Maps features available on the Android version, there was no option but to either go elsewhere, or develop their own map app.
.
anonymous 29 September, 2012 13:44
I think Apple have lost the plot with this one. Ruffus, as CNET reported Google would give them the turn by turn but only if it was branded as being Google. Apple didn't want the Google brand associated with it so it was a no go from Apple.
With the climate of Apple suing here there and everywhere I don't think Google were being unreasonable.
Apple maps will take years to get to the reliability of Google maps at present and in that time Google maps will have moved on.
Jamie Ingram 29 September, 2012 21:29
So are apple going to give me the £59.99 for the fully function premium product that will replace the one they stupidly took away.
anonymous 30 September, 2012 03:54
In all fairness it's not really Apple's maps in the sense that they started this in house etc from scratch. They bought numerous companies and combined them. No shame on Apple wanting to do this and lose Google. It makes sense if Apple are going to continue to compete to stop using competitors like Google for maps (that are not as good as Google's android maps), Samsung to make their chips, Sony to make their batteries, LG to make their screens etc.
Turn by turn navigation is a great feature if usable.
@Rufus. Whilst I agree with u here, do you always just go on here and argue with anyone who bad mouths Apple?
anonymous 1 October, 2012 13:29
They sue everyone for money and over price their ****** phone, Now they request infromation data to complete the map and they dont want google to brand it as google information.
This is what apple have been doing and later sue the company that helps them for money and claim that they invent it. INVENT is way way far from apple, they copy and paste.
Now the map issues has widely revealed their secret. By the time they finish with the map, may be google would have created something entirely amazing to their map.
So with this process with apple ****, they will always lack behind other, apart from their polish aluminium case and next would be LEAD MATERIAL with caution sayin. PLEAE DO NOT PUT YOUR PHONE AROUND YOUR CHILD.
THEY TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU BUY YOUR PHONE, WHAT YOU CAN DO AND ALSO RESTRICT YOU EVEN MORE FUTHER.
technicalfuse 5 October, 2012 21:56
@RuffusStone i know that but google did it for a reason, so they have a better maps app which will attract more people to android.
Im pretty much sure you wont see apple letting google use itunes on android devices so why would you expect google to let apple use a full version of google maps...makes sense?