Apple CEO Cook “sorry” for Maps, suggests other apps

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Apple CEO Cook “sorry” for Maps, suggests other apps

A letter from Apple CEO Tim Cook posted on Apple’s website apologizes for the much-maligned launch of iOS 6 Maps. The letter begins, “At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.”

Cook’s letter also suggests trying alternatives while Apple is “improving Maps,” naming apps from Bing, MapQuest, and Waze, as well as mentioning the option to create a home screen icon for Google or Nokia’s web apps. He notes that the new Maps has already been installed on 100 million iOS devices, with “nearly half a billion locations” searched for—interestingly, an average of less than five location searches per device. The letter is currently at the bottom of Apple.com’s front page, as “A letter to our customers regarding Maps.”

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Comments

1

Does anyone know if Steve Job’s ever had to write an open apology letter like this? Just curious. Thanks…

Posted by John Clark on September 28, 2012 at 3:43 PM (PST)

2

I think there is a big difference between “had to” and “chose to”. Tim Cook, just like Steve Jobs, did not have to apologize for anything. He chose to apologize for a flawed product. Steve probably never would have done that.

Personally, I think this shows growth. Steve was a master at what he did. But he never knew when to eat crow and admit that he, or Apple, had made a mistake. I think Tim Cook will earn some trust from his workers, shareholders and customers by admitting when products truly have problems. I have always been a believer in owning up to mistakes. I can forgive a great many things, if you admit your errors and assure me that you are working to correct them.

Posted by Mitch on September 28, 2012 at 6:37 PM (PST)

3

Jobs apologized in 2007 fro dropping the price of the original iPhone from $599 to $399 only two months after the introduction. Apple offered a $100 gift card for the early adapters who were miffed.

Posted by John Drake on September 29, 2012 at 9:38 AM (PST)

4

@3: This is your idea of an apology from Jobs?

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/

That “apology” breaks down to

1. We did the right thing in lowering the price.
2. People get screwed all the time by the fast changes of technology, they really should be used to it by now.
3. Did I mention I know we made the right choice to lower the price?

Oh well, here’s a $100 gift certificate to spend on our products, with our markups that means we’re giving you back about $30 on the $200 you gave us for a net profit of $170, schwing. Oh yeah, we apologize for disappointing some of you.

———

Admittedly, that’s probably about the most contrite he ever was, but that’s only slightly more conciliatory than the, “you’re holding it wrong”, for the iPhone 4

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on September 29, 2012 at 11:00 AM (PST)

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