Apple CEO Tim Cook recently apologized for Apple's new Maps application for iOS 6, but according to the developers of other applications say they warned Apple about the issues with the new iOS Maps application.
In a recent report by CNET, several developers anonymously told the site that they have been criticizing Apple's Maps since they were given access to the first pre-release version back in early June.
"I posted at least one doomsayer rant after each (developer) beta, and I wasn't alone," a developer with three iOS apps in the App Store told CNET. "The mood amongst the developers seemed to be that the maps were so shockingly bad that reporting individual problems was futile. What was needed wasn't so much an interface for reporting a single point as incorrect, but for selecting an entire region and saying 'all of this -- it's wrong.'"
According to the report, the developers "say the issues were well-documented among developers, who used four pre-release versions of the software before it was given to the public last month."
The developer wished to maintain their anonymity because they continue to have a working relationship with Apple. Many of the issues these developers found are the same as the ones that currently plague the application including inaccurate locations, clouds in satellite imagery, and maps that contain less detailed than rival Google.
"During the beta period I filed bug reports with Apple's Radar system, posted on the forums several times, and e-mailed multiple people within Apple's MapKit team to voice our concerns," another developer told CNET.
Google had provided Apple with mapping technology for the company's device until iOS 6, but recently the two companies have become competitive rivals in the tablet and smart phone market.
In Cook's apology letter, The Apple CEO said he was "extremely sorry" for the trouble caused by the new app and that the new Maps does not meet the company's standards.
"We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS," Cook said. "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."
But now it appears that Apple new about the new applications deficiencies long before the new update was released. The creation of the application stemmed from the company's growing rivalry with Google. Ironically, Cook recommended that the customers use Google Maps.
Are you surprised by the developer's comments? Do you think Apple should bring back Google Maps? Comment below...
