Apple Maps recovers from multi-hour partial service outage affecting search & directions [...

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in General Discussion edited June 2018
Apple Maps endured a multi-hour partial service outage on Friday, with a large number of users unable to use the navigational functions to get directions on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac versions of the app.




Starting from 10am eastern, attempts to request a route failed to work, with Apple Maps displaying the warning message "Directions Not Available, Route information is not available at the moment." In some cases, searches for locations are failing to work properly.

AppleInsider's testing found the issue is not limited to a specific country, with errors appearing in searches placed in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other areas.

At 10:29am eastern, Apple's System Status page indicated there were no issues with the Maps Display, Routing and Navigation, Search, and Traffic services. At 10:59am eastern, issues were highlighted for the Maps Search and Maps Routing and Navigation services, and that they were under investigation.

At 1:20pm eastern, AppleInsider staff noted direction queries started working again. At 1:30am, Apple updated its System Status page to advise it had "investigated and resolved the issue."



AppleInsider spoke with an Apple data center employee who told us at 10:49 a.m. Eastern time that there was "nothing obvious" going on at that moment.

While the initial issues related to Apple Maps, it seems the issue also had an impact on other apps that rely on Apple's location services. In some instances, such as weather apps, the inability to determine the location also prevents local weather results to be fetched and displayed.

This is a developing story. AppleInsider will update as events warrant.
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  • Reply 1 of 39
    dipdog3dipdog3 Posts: 89member
    Maps is not working for me.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 39
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 39
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Oh the humanity!


    cogitodexter
    said:
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    I have Apple Maps and Google Maps installed just in case either fails.
    edited June 2018
    netmageAlex1Nfruitstandninjambenz1962
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 39
    gumashowgumashow Posts: 71member
    Not working here in NY. Also, my weather app is not displaying the ‘current location’ weather, just two dashes and the rest blank. However, weather shows for the fixed cities in the app. Not sure if it’s related. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 39
    Revenge of the Nine Nines.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 39
    vmarksvmarks Posts: 762editor
    Dead_Pool said:
    Breaking: Jony Ive tripped over the power cord of Apple Maps’ main server, a mid-90s era Perfroma 6115. It has been plugged back in and Maps will be up and running again soon.
    It's hung up loading a font manager extension.
    Dead_PoolelijahglongpathgregoriusmAlex1Nmuthuk_vanalingamwillcropoint
     7Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 39
    vmarksvmarks Posts: 762editor

    AppleInsider has spoken with an Apple data center employee who told us that there was "nothing obvious" going on at that moment.

    That employee has now been fired /sarc
    elijahgAlex1Nmuthuk_vanalingam
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,740member
    lkrupp said:
    Oh the humanity!


    cogitodexter
    said:
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    I have Apple Maps and Google Maps installed just in case either fails.
    Note that there's an offline option for Google Maps so that it would still be available for navigation even if a server and/or cell-service aren't. Good to have in case it's needed.
    patchythepirateavon b7longpathAlex1Nmuthuk_vanalingam
     2Likes 0Dislikes 3Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 39
    Illinois also,

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 39
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    gatorguy said:
    lkrupp said:
    Oh the humanity!


    cogitodexter
    said:
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    I have Apple Maps and Google Maps installed just in case either fails.
    Note that there's an offline option for Google Maps so that it would still be available for navigation even if a server and/or cell-service aren't. Good to have in case it's needed.
    Well, I said just in case. I would never use Google Maps unless it was the last option in the world, a lot because of your incessant Google sycophancy on this Apple centric site.  I would use my less-than-perfect Ford Sync 3 navigation system before your oh-so-perfect and shiny Google Maps any day.
    edited June 2018
    Alex1Nwatto_cobralamboaudi4
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 39
    Anilu_777anilu_777 Posts: 594member
    macminion said:
    Illinois also,

    Same for me in Toronto Canada. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 39
    Maps not working at all for me either. I opened up AppleInsider on safari to check if it was my WiFi, and guess what the first story was! 

    Is you know who.. Mr. Howhardcouoditbe.. still in charge of Maps??
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 39
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,119member
    Mapquest?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 39
    Notsofastnotsofast Posts: 450member
    back up in my area and super fast.  I've never seen it so incredibly fast.  AI, Was this part of an update that went haywire?  


    Update--oops, back down

    edited June 2018
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 39
    dewmedewme Posts: 6,037member
    Ah. This explains why the built in weather app is broken. I usually don’t notice these brief disruptions. No big deal. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,740member
    lkrupp said:
    gatorguy said:
    lkrupp said:
    Oh the humanity!


    cogitodexter
    said:
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    I have Apple Maps and Google Maps installed just in case either fails.
    Note that there's an offline option for Google Maps so that it would still be available for navigation even if a server and/or cell-service aren't. Good to have in case it's needed.
    Well, I said just in case. I would never use Google Maps unless it was the last option in the world, a lot because of your incessant Google sycophancy on this Apple centric site.  I would use my less-than-perfect Ford Sync 3 navigation system before your oh-so-perfect and shiny Google Maps any day.
    ??
    Pretty sure I said "if needed"

    Checking....
    Yup sure did.

    You're the one that brought up Google Maps and not me. It's almost ALWAYS some Apple fan, sometimes an editor, sometimes a newbie member, and sometimes a long-timer like you, who brings Google into the conversation rather than me introducing Googley stuff in Apple specific threads.
    If my after-the-fact comment wasn't helpful to you, whatever, but others here may appreciate being aware of it since you brought it up.

    edited June 2018
    avon b7MplsPAlex1Nlorin schultzmuthuk_vanalingamsingularity
     6Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 39
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,355member
    I was driving on I-10 in the panhandle of Florida yesterday and Apple Maps was out for me as well.  But as I checked other forms of data, I discovered that all cellular internet access was out from Crestview maybe up to Pensacola FL despite normal cellular signal strength.  I have Verizon.  So maybe it is not an Apple issue.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 39
    mtanikamtanika Posts: 18member
    Maps not working for me.

    Directions not available
    Route information not available at this moment


     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 39
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    Let the whining & crying begin!
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 39
    longpathlongpath Posts: 413member
    gatorguy said:
    lkrupp said:
    Oh the humanity!


    cogitodexter
    said:
    I get a popup in the Mac app saying "The map server is not available". I dare say it'll be fixed shortly. Good job I don't need to go anywhere though!
    I have Apple Maps and Google Maps installed just in case either fails.
    Note that there's an offline option for Google Maps so that it would still be available for navigation even if a server and/or cell-service aren't. Good to have in case it's needed.
    Truthfully, that is a feature I would like Apple to add at some point. I set that up for places I was traveling to, in case cell coverage was poor or there were similar issues.
    Alex1Nmuthuk_vanalingammbenz1962
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
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