Engineers’ work on cycling and public transit have transformed the app – but rural directions remain a sticking point

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.

  • @HollandJimEnglish
    1•11 months ago

    I’ve found Apple really responsive to map updates if you include a photo of the issue in the report.

    Also the next version will let you download all the map data for a trip ahead of time. Looking forward to that!

    • Bo7aEnglish
      1•11 months ago

      I have sent photos, land descriptions, and even proof that I own the land in question. I sent a correction request from my own macbook, my work macbook, and a friend’s iphone. Some while standing at the place in question. Some standing at the wrong turn they make people take that adds over an hour to a 5 minute drive and then doesn’t actually get where it is going.

      No luck. I gave up. Now I put in delivery notes: Apple maps is wrong. Use google maps or another source if you don’t want to go for a swim.