Tim Cook, Apple CEO, apologizes for Maps mess

GlobalPost

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, finally acknowledged Apple's new Maps application's glitches Friday, apologizing in a letter posted on the company's site

"At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers," wrote Cook. "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." 

Apple launched its Maps in iOS 6, and was inundated with complaints from users who cited incorrect positioning data, poor routing, and Flyover rendering issues, according to Apple Insider

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Apple reportedly made the switch to their own Maps application to offer customers voice navigation, something Google gave to Android users for free but didn't want to hand over to Apple, a direct competitor, All Things Digital reported

While the glitches are being worked out, the CEO of the world's most valuable tech company urged users to use competing map apps "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." 

Critics applauded Cook's apology over the sub-par Apple Maps. 

"Good for him," wrote Gizmodo's Leslie Horn. "It takes a tremendous combination of humility and self-confidence to put out a statement like that, especially for as proud a company as Apple. And you know what? Bing maps ain't half bad." 

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[View the story "Apple Maps mess-up prompts Cook apology" on Storify]

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