Anyone who’s been online over the last few months has probably heard about it—Apple rolled out what was basically a disaster on wheels in the form of their Apple Maps app. iOS 6, designed to be a major iOS upgrade to go along with the brand new released Apple products (the second new iPad of the year, two very promising models of iMacs, the brand new Apple iPod Touch, and of course the much-talked about new iPhone), seemed promising. It looked as if Apple could do no wrong… until they decided to debut their own Maps app. It was such a catastrophic move that Apple became the laughing stock of the Internet for at least two weeks.
Everyone who owned an Apple product rushed to upgrade to the iOS 6. According to the reports, September 19 — the day of Apple’s new iOS release — saw a huge number of users upgrading their smartphone operating systems the moment they knew it was out. From iPads to iPhones — which happens to be a highly coveted business phone that many people keep secure by keeping the firmware updated — all the Apple products were upgraded. But then, the reviews started coming in. Google Maps, which so many people relied on for navigation, was replaced by an inferior application.
The Bad Apple Maps
Everyone realised exactly what kind of a “twisted world” (literally) that Apple had in store for them, as the huge flaws of the Maps app were described in detail by irate users: grossly inaccurate in location pinpointing, horrible warping of landscapes, huge unmarked and undetailed gaps of nothingness in satellite photos, and even wrong directions that could actually lead people into harmful situations. Australian police officer had gone as far as openly recommending that Apple users not make use of these maps as it could lead them to serious danger (and let’s all face it, if Australia thinks it’s dangerous, it may be best to listen).
Google releases their Maps
Since the public mocking of the Map, Apple’s iOS 6 installation rates tanked and turned stagnant. Many users simply refused to upgrade until a Map upgrade was out. This may seem like nothing to most people; but since so many people depend on it (even Siri relies on the device’s main Map application when guiding iPhone users), the number of people who held off the upgrade caused considerable damage to Apple.
But when Google finally released their Maps App for Apple iOS 6, there was a veritable tidal wave of downloads and upgrades. The Maps app from Google skyrocketed to the “most downloaded app” position in a matter of hours as users rushed to download it and programmed everything to rely on that app, Siri included.
The new Maps app is a dazzling development by Google, with no menus—the UI is the map itself. It’s covers public transportation and walking directions; overall it feels as though it’s kind of a game. The way the app displays maps and shows you directions, as well as the way it responds to your commands, really makes one almost want to go out exploring just because they can.
So, Google Maps has outdone itself again. Your move, Apple.
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