More on Apple's Map Mess
Kontra has posted a hillarious FAQ about the new maps:
Q: You’re exaggerating. Google Maps has the best user experience of any company in this business, does it not?
A: Yes it does, if you walk on water, like Google does from Alicante to Valencia in Spain...
Meanwhile Mike Dobson of TeleMapics has a detailed post on what Apple did wrong and what it will take to fix it:
Given the rage being shown by IOS 6 users, Apple failed to hurdle the bar that was in front of them. I have spent several hours poring over the news for examples of the types of failures and find nothing unexpected in the results. Apple does not have a core competency in mapping and has not yet assembled the sizable, capable team that they will eventually need if they are determined to produce their own mapping/navigation/local search application.
I've had more time to play with Apple's maps, and they are indeed a mess. There isn't a single major problem, it's lots of small errors. Death by a thousand paper cuts.
Mapping is hard. I deal with Google Earth and GIS every day, so I know how inaccurate this stuff really is, and how much of a trainwreck addressing can be. Did you know that one location could have 7 or more addresses? It's insane.
Apple's institutional arrogance put them in this fix, but it's that same arrogance that guarantees it will be fixed sooner than later. Apple wouldn't be in this business if they didn't think they could be the best, and they won't stop until they are.
They have billions in the bank and egg on their face. There is nothing left to lose.