Apple responds to iOS 6 Maps criticism - it's not finished

Apple has responded to widespread criticism of its new mapping application in iOS 6.

Stories have been emerging since the iOS 6 update launched a few days ago and the web is flooded with screenshots of the Maps app performing poorly: warped 3D models and textures, whole towns moved or missing and some hilarious gaffs with place names.

Mashable reports that Apple spokesperson Trudy Miller released a statement in response to the negative feedback:

‘Customers around the world are upgrading to iOS 6 with over 200 new features including Apple Maps, our first map service. We are excited to offer this service with innovative new features like Flyover, turn by turn navigation, and Siri integration.’

‘We launched this new map service knowing it is a major initiative and that we are just getting started with it. Maps is a cloud-based solution and the more people use it, the better it will get. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better.’

So, according to Apple’s official line, the scenario appears to be the same  as the similar situation with Siri when it launched on the iPhone 4S. That is: ‘it’s not finished software, it’ll be better when we’re done.’

The difference here, however, is that Apple quite clearly said Siri was in Beta when it first launched, but there’s been no such label tagged onto Maps. It was presented ‘as is’, as a complete product.

Just like Siri, Maps was made out to be one of the primary features of the new iOS build. In both cases it’s an odd line to take - to present your least finished component as one of your main USPs makes little sense.

However, it’s stranger still when you consider Siri was a completely new feature for just the iPhone 4S (at the time), where Maps was already an existent feature of iOS across the board, which many people relied on and which worked fine with Google’s maps running it.

Essentially, Apple could afford the risk with Siri, with the reinvention of Maps we’re not so sure.

The iPhone 5, the debut device for iOS 6 and the new Maps app, is set to go on sale today with pre-orders already off the charts.