Q: Apple maps very disappointing

rbrylawski,

I'm not a Google troll, but do feel that Apple are forcing loyal customers that way in this recent debacle.

Your unhelpful comments throughout this thread, and those of others including modular747 and Jumblemo just provide the ammunition that Google and their supporters would need.

If you really support Apple, I'd regain your composure, stop dragging the forum to a base level and try and help positively.

It is clear that a lot of people have been badly affected by this, and most have genuine concerns. I know we do.

Meantime whilst you consider my comments, I will lobby for a return path to iOS 5.1.1 for those that want/need it AND try and help Apple get their Maps working.

Please come back to the forum with positive intent and not negative.

I don't follow.

Google created this, how? By refusing Apple to implement turn-by-turn on a product Apple licensed from them? That was absolutely Google's right, not Apple's entitlement. Why the **** are Apple and the fanboys blathering on about the great need for turn-by-turn, like Apple would implode if they didn't have it in ios? There were many fine, mature apps that had this covered already.

So Apple now have _native_ turn-by-turn? Great. Except it isn't, 'cos their turn-by-turn isn't fit to wait tables at TomTom, Garmin and the like. Compare the feature set of these great apps against Maps.

Google are exploiting this, how? By (apparently) implementing Streetview in their web app? By (apparently) working on an iOS app? By keeping a dignified silence otherwise?

Anyone who complains about Apple is a Google troll?! I couldn't care less about Google anymore than I care about Apple. I just want our expensive iPhones and iPads to work as well as they did before Apple's deceitful (see Cook's apology, see the Maps worded description change) 'update'.

I paid for something that has then been taken away - I wouldn't take that from you, Apple, or anyone else. Can I do anything about it? We'll see, but probably not. I don't see Cook swallowing his massive ego and returning to Google or iOS 5.

And for some people, decent mapping _is_ the main reason for buying a certain smart phone. iPhones and their ilk have long been at the point where they are now hand-held computers which can also make calls. To call it just a 'phone' is missing the point somewhat.

Certainly, some people on this thread should check themselves - but they are genuinely aggrieved. The opinions of self-appointed forum gods that there is little or no problem are just that - opinions.

um, I think you meant to direct your reply to someone else?

I am a long time Apple supporter (first Apple product was a

MacPlus) and considered them a superior technology company.

I do find the direction that things seem to be going very disturbing

since the demise of Steve Jobs and actually as he was slowly

fading from this world.

The changes in Lion and Mountain Lion from very intuitive use of

a computer to more cumbersome and clumsy methods seemed

to be the start (Spaces&Expose -> Mission Control, the Save As

debacle, and more). 

Now with iOS 6, the release of not even what I would call betaware

in Maps, the myriad of WiFi issues (why did they "fix" something that

wasn't broke), and even the change from a nice staight forward simple

interface of the App Store to the now clumsy can't find catagories

most of the time and swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe,... of search results.

One would begin to think that there is no one in control at Apple.

The micromanager par excelence of Steve Jobs is gone and

it seems no one is steering the ship.

Apple, my confidence has been extremely shaken as of late

with your products and has me quite concerned that you have

lost your sense of direction.

Um, my error. But then again it was "Probaby the best, most rational post in this childish thread." Who could possibly of said that....?

JBDelivery,

Thank you for your posts today and for reinforcing a life lesson we forget too often. Many of us (and that includes me), lost our cool several times in the last few days on this thread and rising to the bait, responded to the negative commentators in like language. Your approach is far better.

I hope we can all get an option soon, to return to IOS5 Maps as an interim solution until Apple fixes its own maps. We can then stop wasting our time on forums like these and go back to a real life...

Apple needs to wake up. WE want 5.1.1 back or put a working Map app in the new ios 6.

I don't care anymore. this is so f... frustrating not to have a working map ( that's intigrated with my callender and contacts )

If it takes a year to make it work, then give us something that works and Apple and the fanboys can sit and play with ilost.

This is simply getting redigilous.

And you got to love the guys trying to downplay the problem, ***. If you like it then you do not need to commet. simple as that.

I too hope for everyone who is struggling with an App that is less than satisfactory for their needs, that a good solution is forthcoming.  Having been here a long time, one thing is pretty uniform in how Apple responds to issues.  They say little to nothing until they have something ready to offer.  We have no clue what is going on behind the scenes and they usually keep it that way.  But to think they are not working around the clock to either improve their own Maps application or working on some other solution would not be a good guess. 

In the meantime, everyone pretty much knows what their current options are......

justjesper wrote:

 

If you like it then you do not need to commet. simple as that.

People who are happy with the new Maps have just as much right to comment as those who despise it. And yes, so far, I haven't had any trouble with it.  That doesn't mean I'm saying you don't have a problem with it. 

woodmeister50 wrote:

 

I am a long time Apple supporter (first Apple product was a

MacPlus) and considered them a superior technology company.

I do find the direction that things seem to be going very disturbing

since the demise of Steve Jobs and actually as he was slowly

fading from this world.

 

The changes in Lion and Mountain Lion from very intuitive use of

a computer to more cumbersome and clumsy methods seemed

to be the start (Spaces&Expose -> Mission Control, the Save As

debacle, and more). 

 

Now with iOS 6, the release of not even what I would call betaware

in Maps, the myriad of WiFi issues (why did they "fix" something that

wasn't broke), and even the change from a nice staight forward simple

interface of the App Store to the now clumsy can't find catagories

most of the time and swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe,... of search results.

 

One would begin to think that there is no one in control at Apple.

The micromanager par excelence of Steve Jobs is gone and

it seems no one is steering the ship.

 

Apple, my confidence has been extremely shaken as of late

with your products and has me quite concerned that you have

lost your sense of direction.

Great Post! Agree with all the things happening at Apple lately. Don't even get me started with their skeuomorphic UI's of late...The hardware and software speaks totally different design languages. I would go as far as saying Microsoft's new UI schemes fit better with Jony Ive's minimalistic designs but that's another topic... Anyway back to Mapgate

My apologies JBDelivery, please do not take my post as disrespect towards you directly, but it is a fact that there has been 0 functionality loss in Maps with the move to iOS 6. The only valid argument, is that multiple apps are required to maintain the same functionality.

There are numerous apps, that when combined, offer either equal functionality, if you choose an app that uses Google maps on the backend, or better functionality, if you choose an app with access to more/better information than Google maps provides.

I have seen a few consistent complaints, lets see if we can address them.

1. Google maps, and integration with Contacts:

Free app Maps+

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maps+/id416753449?mt=8

This app alone, provides all Google maps functionality, including Contacts integration, besides Street View, and Transit directions.

Free app Streetviewer

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/streetviewerlite/id547098085?mt=8

If you're in any maps app, and want to see that address in Street View, copy the address, open this app, and paste it in. It will immediately open the Google maps street view, and scrolling around will be about twice as fast as it was in iOS 5 Street View

Free Transit App

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/transit-directions-public/id561866269?mt=8

This transit app actually uses Google maps on the backend. I know this, because it gives the same convoluted and non-up-to-date subway directions in NYC as Google maps does. I've sice moved on to iTrans NYC, which has full access to subway advisories (NYC trains change all of the time), and even routes me directly to the exact subway entrance I need to enter at...I am quite embarrassed to admit, last time I tried to use Google maps transit directions in NYC, I gave up and went to a different station, after being unable to find the "uptown" entrance it was directing me to.

In any case, iTrans isn't available in you area, but the transit app I linked to above, is. I always launch this app directly from Apple Maps, so contacts integration is borrowed from there.

If you can't wait for the standalone Google maps app to be released, there are many alternatives.

Lastly, just to help you out, it is definitely possible to downgrade back to iOS 5, instructions in this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4316379?start=0&tstart=0

Good luck!

Thanks for your comments simtub.

BTW, I need to say this.  I have not had issue one with iOS6

on my iPhone 4S.  It functions just as well if not a little faster.

Maps, personally never used it much.  Always went to Google's

web Maps if I wanted to find something and get a satellite view

(resolution seemed better that even the old Maps app).  Would

then use Garmin USA as my nav app.  Using a web based solution

is not always feasible.  Often in areas of poor reception or no

reception and having web based nav is not an option.

Once upon a time there was a consumer who wished to buy an iPhone 5. To find an Apple Store he used the iLost App of IOS 6. But the iLost could not find the Apple Store on the Map. Moral of the story: If you can not find your way, do not buy the iPhone 5.

gkinchina,

Thank you for the kind comments.

Like you I think, we have suffered with the dramatic loss of functionality from what we had which worked to something that really doesn't.

I have held board level positions in multi billion dollar US businesses, and now have semi-retired to focus on a family business and a few other small businesses I'm involved in.

Throughout my personal and working life I've used Apple, starting with the Apple II.

Most of the time they've got it right. This time they've not.

I spent a lot of time trying to fix this issue, realising then that we couldn't - and came here to find a solution.

I found a lot of people with genuine issues, who are seeking that same solution.

Regrettably I also found some people on the forum ostensibly here to help, clearly with their heads in the sand and belittling the plight of others, and hosts censoring threads to the point they were almost unintelligible..

That's just not on, and certainly not in benefit to Apple consumers.

I love Apple products.

25 years of purchasing them, and some parts of the house that look like an Apple showroom/museum attests to that.

I've met Jon Ives a number of times, and I do know someone in the Exec team at Apple.

I hoped not to have to write to them to express my disappointment, but the failure of Apple to allow businesses and individuals the option to revert to something that works (whilst we get iOS6 Maps working) is what for me was the final straw, and I have now exercised that option. I don't know if it will achieve anything but I know it will get read at a senior level and some attention paid.

Cutting through some of the rubbish spewed here - I am hoping for a solution.

As stated before;

We hope that Apple will see sense, and within the next few days, allow the option to return to iOS5.1.1 to allow us to remain Apple customers.

We will continue to report Map faults under iOS 6 - but because there are just so many, we will limit this, since we still have a business to run.

After seeing the comments in press and Internet, combined with the state of the application today, we are not hopeful of a viable Map application from Apple soon enough, since they have too much to catch up.

We would like to continue to wait and support Apple, but because of the place that Apple forces us to wait in (on iOS6) is not viable, I believe we are being forced to use other devices for our business.

That will break a 25 year relationship between Apple and I.

I really hope Apple wakes up fast enough to this issue, and we can prevent that.

Thank you for your contributions and that of others like lynn_from_leigh, le.bouch, Parlett, MapFail and jingling (although most of his posts appear to now be deleted - even though they were in the main quite sensible.)

There were some from the forum 'helpers' that were also positive, but sadly not many. That is a message for Apple to perhaps address at some point.

I think the noise level to Apple needs to be raised and held at volume, otherwise they may continue to think that it's OK to remove functionality that's already been paid for. It isn't.

Any discussion though, needs to be calm, sensible and looking for a positive solution - for users and Apple alike.

I hope we can all get resolution to the problem quickly - because it won't be going away.

To all, I wish you well, as I now have to return to the real world and get on...

I'll keep an eye on proceedings.

Why would you characterize Tim Cook as having a "massive ego"?  If anything he's shown a much greater sense of shared work and responsibility than Steve Jobs ever did.  Notice anything different about the new product keynotes?  Phil Shiller introduced the iPhone 5, not Tim Cook.  So while the maps discussion is completely valid, the characterization of Tim Cook is not.