Tim Cook’s letter to customers on Maps

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An apology from the CEO.



  • http://www.johncblandii.com John C. Bland II

    One thing you can bank on is there is extreme attention now placed on bettering maps. Version 2 will probably be realllly quality, maybe even a 1.5.

    Can’t wait to see it. Google hasn’t had a major competitor on this level (within a week 100M users, this is major competition) so I look forward to seeing what Google does in response.

  • http://twitter.com/iamcrato Yavuz Yilmaz

    It’s great to see something never changes in Apple. The last decade’s greatest company’s CEO can freely admit their faults and even suggest to use their competitor’s products which means they do feel sure they will make it much better and get all the users back in time.

    Brilliant.

  • Stacy

    This is exactly how to do it. Do everything you can for the customer, even if it means suggesting an alternative product while you make your own better. This takes extreme confidence in knowing that your own product will be improved, and it will be very good.

    Bravo, Tim Cook.

  • deviladv

    Android attack dogs will say “well why didn’t they just give you a good product to begin with.” 1) Oh you mean like phones the bug that can pwn any android phone just from a web URL? 2) People and companies make mistakes. 3) They did… the iPhone 5. Nothing is perfect.

    Tim Cook… classy guy.

  • psychobueller

    This is a great example of why I will continue to buy Apple products. They are not always perfect, but they always seek to make their customers happy. Where’s the apology from other tech execs for all the shit they’ve foisted on us over the years?

    • http://www.johncblandii.com John C. Bland II

      In general I agree but let’s not act like Apple apologizes for every failure. This one just grew too big for them to ignore, same with Antennagate.

      • psychobueller

        Nor should they apologize for every failure, or feature someone doesn’t like, or missing feature that someone wishes for.

        But when they fuck up in a big way they are pretty good about it, from this customer’s point of view at least.

        • http://www.johncblandii.com John C. Bland II

          Agreed. First comment just read like they always make amends and that’s just not true.

    • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

      I’m still waiting for an apology for Windows having helped create the malware industry.

      • http://www.johncblandii.com John C. Bland II

        Uh oh. ducks to dodge Windows Defender

  • VGISoftware

    There are a lot of features I like about the new Maps app in iOS 6.

    For one thing, it runs on my 3GS which is what, two years old? Though there is no 3D or turn by turn voice, there are nice big turn by turn directions which come up like Interstate signs–white letters on green–which I can easily read at a glance on the phone’s smaller screen.

    I’m sure Apple will be working diligently to get all the kinks out of Maps, but in the mean time, I haven’t experienced any problems.

  • http://mangochut.net/ mangochutney

    Suggesting alternatives while we customers wait is a classy move indeed.

    This is what I’d love to see other companies do when they fuck up: actually apologise and not do the New Media Douchebag thing of apologising-that-you’re-upset-not-apologising-for-the-actual-deed.

    Still, what bugs me is the fact that Apple even released a maps product that is—at least outside the U.S.—so clearly inferior to what has previously been the system default. I use maps (not just in the actual maps app) more often than I thought and over here in Germany the data is pretty meager.

    At least I’m sure that the fixing of the application has Apple’s fullest attention now and I’d wager a guess that we’re going to see major improvements long before iOS7.