Apple's new Maps service has been largely criticized for distorted 3D maps and poor data quality.
Following consumer and critical backlash against his company's new mapping service, Apple CEO Tim Cook has released a statement apologizing for the quality of Apple's new Maps service in iOS 6.
In a letter to consumers, Cook said Apple "fell short" of its commitment to delivering the best possible experience to its customers. Despite including features not available in the company's previous service (which used data provided by Google), such as turn-by-turn navigation, the new service has been panned for featuring distorted 3D maps and poor mapping data.
Cook's letter even went as far as recommending users consider competitors' alternative services, such as Bing Maps, until the company is able to improve the quality of its Maps service.
Apple previously released a statement to media outlets saying it was working on improving the service, although this is the first time the company has addressed the issue directly with consumers.
The full letter can be seen below.
To our customers,
At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. 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.We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.
There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.
While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store 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.
Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.
Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO
Source: Apple | Image via The Amazing iOS 6 Maps
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