Sunday, September 23, 2012

Mobile Technology: Holding off on iOS 6


Once iOS6, the latest version of Apple software for iPhones, was available for download, I knew it was a matter of time before I plugged my phone in.  However, backlash due to the new software’s faulty mapping features has kept me away.  For people like me, who don’t drive and live in a large city, location based mapping is essential, especially for transit directions.  Learning that the software upgrade would remove this feature from my phone’s LBS is disappointing.  This sentiment paralleled across millions of iPhone users in North America has elicited a weak statement by Apple that generically acknowledges the issue, but provides no solution.

I learned from an article that Apple’s shortcomings in their mapping feature can be attributed to the fact that it is developed on premise, whereas they could’ve sourced this feature from third party labels with proven mapping technologies.  Developing accurate and user-centric mapping technology used globally requires extensive testing, something I doubt Apple can manage from Cupertino.  Map search is a highly localized matter that requires understanding of local markets to develop something that is actually helpful to users.  Hopefully Apple will re-release this with appropriate patches and updates, otherwise back to post-it directions for me.

http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/iOS-6-Map-Severe-Backlash-For-Apple_a3858.html

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