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TECHNOLOGY A23
Wednesday 9 December
Tech Talk:
Apple Maps, once a laughingstock, now dominates iPhones
ANICK JESDANUN demonstrates how easily on iPhones and iPads, with navigation with automatic would “keep working non-
AP Technology Writer companies like Apple can more than 5 billion map-re- rerouting, a feature Google stop” to deliver the best ex-
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple steer people to their own lated requests each week. offered only on Android. perience possible. Without
Maps quickly became the services. Google Maps and Research firm comScore Apple built its own service much fanfare, the service
butt of jokes when it de- various third-party apps of- says Apple has a mod- from scratch and knocked gradually improved.
buted in 2012. It overlooked fer many features that Ap- est lead over Google on Google Maps off the “We are fast learners and
many towns and business- ple Maps lacks, yet Apple iPhones in the U.S., though iPhone’s home screen. we are fast at fixing things,”
es and misplaced famous said Greg “Joz” Joswiak, an
landmarks. It marked New The Apple Maps app is displayed on an Apple Watch during an event in San Francisco. Apple Apple vice president who
York’s Madison Square Gar- Maps quickly became the butt of jokes when it debuted in 2012. After Apple fixed errors as users oversees product market-
den arena as park space submitted them, Apple Maps is now used more widely than Google Maps on iPhones. ing for iPhones and related
because of the word “Gar- services. “We learned the
den.” The service was a (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) maps business incredibly
rare blunder for a compa- fast.”
ny known for simple, easy- cleverly turned user inertia comScore measures how Google’s initial forays into Apple now gets data from
to-use products. to its advantage. Many many people use a service voice navigation in 2009 more than 3,000 sources
It’s a different story three people use Apple Maps just in a given month rather had problems, too, includ- for business listings, traffic
years later. because it comes with the than how often. ing directing motorists to and other information. In
Apple fixed errors as users phone. Even if you’ve tak- Google still dominates left turns at no-turn intersec- adding transit, Apple sent
submitted them. It quietly en the trouble to download among all U.S. smart- tions. But by 2012, Google teams to map out sub-
bought several mapping a competing app, other phones, though, in part Maps had improved signifi- way entrances and signs.
companies, mostly for their iPhone services such as Siri because Apple Maps isn’t cantly. By then, more peo- That results in more precise
engineers and other talent. and Mail will invariably take available on Google’s An- ple knew how a mapping walking directions, as sta-
This fall, it added transit di- you to Apple Maps. droid system, which is more service ought to work — tions can stretch for blocks
rections for several major Without the ability to steer prevalent than iPhones. and Apple’s new offering and the center point used
cities, narrowing a major users this way, Apple In October, Google Maps fell short. by some services isn’t nec-
gap with Google. Apple “would not be in the posi- had more than twice as “I heard so many different essarily the closest. Apple
Maps is now used more tion they are in,” IDC ana- many smartphone users as horror stories that I was al- also started sending out ve-
widely than Google Maps lyst John Jackson said. “Not Apple Maps. Much like Ap- most hesitant to try it,” said hicles with sensors to map
on iPhones. that they aren’t improving ple, Google benefits as the Rick Ostopowicz, an iPhone roads, similar to Google’s
“They really did a great the experience, but this default on Android. owner in Catonsville, Mary- longstanding practice.
job in a short amount of helps the cause.” For years, Google provid- land. “I remember once, it By making Maps a core
time,” said Alex Macken- Apple says its mapping ser- ed the default mapping was taking me on a road iPhone feature, Apple
zie-Torres, a former Google vice is now used more than service on iPhones. That that no longer existed.” made it easier for out-
Maps manager who’s now three times as often as its changed as more people CEO Tim Cook apologized side developers to include
with competing transit app next leading competitor relied on turn-by-turn voice and promised that Apple mapping features in their
Moovit. “Apple has some- apps. When you go to Yelp,
thing that few companies you can find directions to
have — simplicity in design a business with one tap.
mixed with high doses of When you go to the Star-
pragmatism and practical- bucks app, you can see all
ity.” the nearby stores.
Apple’s significant invest- On the flip side, the iPhone’s
ment in fixing Maps under- Siri voice assistant leads di-
scores how important maps rection requests straight to
and related services are to Apple Maps, as does tap-
tech companies. Location ping on an address in Mail
is key to helping phone and other apps. With that
users find restaurants and integration, users like Osto-
shops, discover things to do powicz no longer hesitate.
and just get around. It’s also The default behavior isn’t
big business, as app makers just a competitive advan-
tap into the core mapping tage for Apple; it’s a con-
functions of phones to di- venience for many users.
rect people in helpful ways But default settings mean
and sometimes offer them nothing if the experience
bargains based on where isn’t good — as it most defi-
they’re standing. nitely wasn’t three years
The quick turnaround also ago.q
