this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2023
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A decade after a disastrous launch, is Apple Maps finally good? (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
27 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Archived version: https://archive.ph/hguLn

Excerpt:

Apple Maps’ offering might surprise people who remember its disastrous launch in 2012, which the Guardian described as the company’s “first significant failure in years”. Users were more than furious – they were lost, sometimes dangerously so. In Australia, police had to rescue tourists from the huge Murray-Sunset national park, after Maps placed the city of Mildura in the wrong place by more than 40 miles. Some of the motorists located by police had been stranded for 24 hours without food or water. In Ireland, ministers had to complain directly to Apple after a cafe and gardens called “Airfield” was designated by the service as an actual airport.

But mostly the map was just glitchy and unhelpful, its directions always a little off kilter. Users revolted and Apple made a rare retreat, allowing Google Maps to be used as the default on many iPhone apps and apologizing for the product.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

As you've been very diligent reporting errors and suggesting changes to map data, have you ever considered contributing to OpenStreetMap? You might like helping by using the app Every Door on iOS, for example.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

While I appreciate OSM, I tend to fix what I use - reminded of the the old cowboy adage: "You gotta dance with them what brung you". My dance card is full with Apple Maps.