Buying iPhone 5
It's the question I should have asked nearly two weeks ago, instead of or perhaps in addition to "Will Apple Maps keep you from upgrading to iOS 6?" Surely the Cupertino, Calif.-based company must worry about such circumstance. On Friday, I asserted this concern as top reason CEO Tim Cook apologized for so-called "mapgate".
Apple has a real problem. The new maps app, which replaces the one Google provided for five years, misidentifies locations, gives wrong directions and lacks details. Considering just how popular mapping and local search are to smartphone users, the bad publicity is sure to keep somebody from buying iPhone 5. That Cook's remedy is telling iOS 6 customers to use another mapping program spotlights just how bad is the situation and how great the concern bad publicity will hurt device sales.
"If Apple was really truly sorry, it would restore the Google Maps app that it obliterated", It Advisor comments. That's crux of it. Cook's apology is more about protecting Apple -- brand image and iPhone 5 sales -- than doing anything for customers.
2twotees agree: "This workaround suggested by Apple doesn't do a damn thing for apps that use maps as part of their app. Shame on Apple for being so hard-headed. Get Google Maps back if you want to please your customers. Don't send us off on some goose chase workaround".
Apple should be more concerned. Fifty-three precent of respondents to the iOS 6 poll answer "yes" that Apple Maps will keep them from upgrading. Twenty-one percent will upgrade, but a nearly-equal number don't have iOS devices. When removing the latter group so that the survey only includes responses from iOS device owners, the number waiting jumps to 68 percent. Of course, BetaNews readers tend to be more in-the-know and likely don't represent all iOS device owners. Still, it's helluva big number.
To date, Apple has pretty good track record moving iOS device owners to the newest version. But the maps debacle risks rifting the platform, at least temporarily.
PuzzledObserver comments: "That is shocking! An apology?!? It's the users' fault! There are plenty of places to go, why would they decide to go where the map is wrong? Apple accepts no apology no fault. In a few weeks, any iPhone 5 customer will be compensated by a plastic case. End of story".
