iPhone 5 map issue: Apple CEO Tim Cook’s letter to users

Telecom Lead America: Apple CEO Tim Cook has offered apologies to iPhone 5 users who expressed unhappiness over faulty maps.

Apple CEO Tim Cook

Apple CEO also directed mobile phone users, which crossed 5 million mark in three days, to rival services such as Google Inc’s Maps instead.

TelecomLead.com is reproducing his letter to users.

To our customers,

At Apple, we 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.

We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO

Meanwhile Apple CEO also directed them to rival services such as Google Inc’s Maps instead.

 

Users complained that the new Maps service – based on Dutch navigation equipment and digital map maker TomTom NV’s data – contained geographical errors and gaps in information, and that it lacked features that made Google Maps so popular from public transit directions to traffic data and street-view pictures.

 

The last time Apple faced such widespread criticism was in 2010, when users complained of signal reception issues on the then-new iPhone 4 model.

 

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