Motorola ad slams Apple's iOS 6 Maps as 'iLost'
Google-owned Motorola Mobility is attempting to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Apple's new iOS 6 Maps with an advertisement pushing the phrase "iLost" on Twitter.
Apple's new iPhone 5 is shown next to a Droid Razr M in the new advertisement, which says Motorola's handset offers "the real world that's fit for your hand." Both phones are shown searching for the address of 315 E 15th in New York City, but Apple's iOS 6 Maps return an incorrect result.
In an accompanying post on Motorola's official Google+ page, the company said that "Google Maps on DROID RAZR M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn."
Apple's iOS 6 Maps have been widely criticized since the software update launched last week. In one example highlighted by AppleInsider, a search for the city of Columbia, S.C., returns the city of Santiago De Cali in the nation of Colombia.
The faulty Maps in iOS 6 have gained such attention that Apple released a statement last week to say the service will get better with time. The new Maps application is a cloud-based solution that Apple has said will improve as people continue to use it.
Still, Apple has reportedly been scrambling behind the scenes to improve its iOS 6 mapping software. According to sources who spoke with All Things D last week, Apple has kept its Maps team "under lockdown" to fix some of the larger errors seen in the new application.
Apple is also said to be actively recruiting software engineers who previously worked in Google's own Maps division. The iPhone maker is looking to bolster its team as it aims to compete with the market leading Google Maps.
Apple's iOS mobile platform previously relied upon Google Maps for its own mapping solution. But the Cupertino, Calif., company abandoned Google Maps with iOS 6 in favor of its own in-house solution, which users have said is not up to snuff in its current form.
Apple's new iPhone 5 is shown next to a Droid Razr M in the new advertisement, which says Motorola's handset offers "the real world that's fit for your hand." Both phones are shown searching for the address of 315 E 15th in New York City, but Apple's iOS 6 Maps return an incorrect result.
In an accompanying post on Motorola's official Google+ page, the company said that "Google Maps on DROID RAZR M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn."
Apple's iOS 6 Maps have been widely criticized since the software update launched last week. In one example highlighted by AppleInsider, a search for the city of Columbia, S.C., returns the city of Santiago De Cali in the nation of Colombia.
The faulty Maps in iOS 6 have gained such attention that Apple released a statement last week to say the service will get better with time. The new Maps application is a cloud-based solution that Apple has said will improve as people continue to use it.
Still, Apple has reportedly been scrambling behind the scenes to improve its iOS 6 mapping software. According to sources who spoke with All Things D last week, Apple has kept its Maps team "under lockdown" to fix some of the larger errors seen in the new application.
Apple is also said to be actively recruiting software engineers who previously worked in Google's own Maps division. The iPhone maker is looking to bolster its team as it aims to compete with the market leading Google Maps.
Apple's iOS mobile platform previously relied upon Google Maps for its own mapping solution. But the Cupertino, Calif., company abandoned Google Maps with iOS 6 in favor of its own in-house solution, which users have said is not up to snuff in its current form.
Comments
Google Maps worked great, and this looks to be a case of a company (Apple) placing silly 'politics' ahead of user experience and one can only hope that they fix things quickly.
Used a Droid X and X2 for 2 years and had major issued getting a GPS connection. Would have to pull off the road, and pull the battery to get the GPS to function and sometimes still didnt work properly.
Apperantly noboby but Apple has the nerve to stand on thier own merrits when advertising. Very Child-ish.
Why are you still posting this stupid shit?
Have you even tried the maps? It's good they dropped them, more independence, and free from the google ecosystem that I once had a hand in helping design. Google maps wasn't built over night, and I've contributed 2 years of my life helping improve google maps..
Whether or not apple "dropped the ball" is completely opinionated as its worked absolutely steller for me with no hiccups or complaints.
Who's Motorola?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder
No Surprise... Apple looks to have seriously dropped the ball with their iOS 6 'Maps' app so competitors are quite justified in pointing it out (Apple sure would if the situation were reversed).
Google Maps worked great, and this looks to be a case of a company (Apple) placing silly 'politics' ahead of user experience and one can only hope that they fix things quickly.
Google/Motorola the ruthless litigators, attacking a true innovator in a desperate attempt to garner some sales of their subpar products, there's still hope that Motorola will f**k off and die.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder
No Surprise... Apple looks to have seriously dropped the ball with their iOS 6 'Maps' app so competitors are quite justified in pointing it out (Apple sure would if the situation were reversed).
Google Maps worked great, and this looks to be a case of a company (Apple) placing silly 'politics' ahead of user experience and one can only hope that they fix things quickly.
Or economics. I wonder how much Apple has had to pay Google for these last five years of lookups. It's interesting to me that they never tried to allow turn-by-turn from Google. I assume this is a decision made years ago and someone had to make the call to dump Google Maps and go with this built-in approach. Google has had a serious head start but at some point Apple had to introduce this. It may have been messy to do this later. I can't imagine this will be "fixed", whatever that means, for some time to come.
To be fair, they've built a world-wide map from scratch. Few companies would have the audaciousness, skill and money to do this. The maps team has done a fantastic job with most of this. Flyover is really fantastic and presents another approach beyond street-view from Google. There are some serious glaring mistakes that will be an Achilles heel for some time to come but Version 1 is more than usable for most of us, I assume. It's great in my little part of the world.
I don't think Motorola is really in a position to be "slamming" anyone at this point.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/24/apple_announces_iphone_5_sales_top_5m_on_first_weekend
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/24/apple_on_pace_to_sell_200_million_iphones_in_2013
Futher:
http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/152810/apple-seeks-another-707-million-in-damages-from-samsung/40#post_2196338
Quote:
Originally Posted by mac_dog
...what has motorola done lately?
They're a Google shell company, useful for patents but not much else.
Folks forget that. Google bought the work of another company that was already like 2 years into the game and has had another 5-7 years to get where they are now.
Apple Maps will improve. The real question is how fast and in particular how they respond to those 'report a problem' messages. I reported several major things to Google over the years and none of them were ever changed. 3 years later they are still telling folks to go the wrong way down a one way street. Still giving the longest and most complex directions to many places. Still missing bus routes that had been in place for years. Still showing some buildings as as far as 10 miles from where they are. If Apple puts such reports on priority and fixes them within weeks not years that's already a point in their favor to me. If they confirm receipt of the report (which I never got from Google) that is another point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mac_dog
hey ai. why not stick to one layout? i prefer the old one. the new one sucks.
I completely disagree.
There was a time when ad agencies thought attracting people's eyes just needed a child or a dog in the ad. Now we all know, showing an iPhone next to whatever product reaches more attention.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmvsm
Google Maps wasn't in its present form when it was launched. Took a few years to get it to its current maturity. Google is just upset that Apple has moved away from its dominating piece of software, and are trying to cash in on its immaturity before it has a chance to get off the ground. That said, in the long run, Google should be thinking about some major competition in the future, so get it while they can.
True but Apple should have "warned" its customers that Maps is a work in progress. I bet in 2-3 years when Apple Maps is vastly improved, we'll all look back and have a laugh at the shaky flyover images.
To concerned users: Apple maps improves when more people use it. Apple can't be everywhere so there are bound to be errors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash_beezy
Why are you still posting this stupid shit?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he's right. Apple did drop the ball with Maps in iOS 6. I think so. Loren Bricther thinks so. A lot of people think so. Apple is capable of making mistakes, you know. They should have worked on Maps for another year and added it to iOS 7 instead. And they should have also worked out a deal with big G to licence Street View from them for at least another few years.
I reported a problem near my house in the south of france sunday evening about 8:00 and when I looked this morning about 10:00 it has changed. and again since this morning several other things have changed. Thats the fourth change I have noticed within 2 miles of my house since updating to iOS6 on wednesday.