According to a new report from the Boston Globe, Apple’s efforts to fix the issues in its maps app have been appreciated by users. It now sees three times as many iPhone and iPad visitors as its “next leading competitor,” also known as Google Maps.
Apple Maps launched three years ago. Apple had previously relied on Google to provide the mapping data for iPhones but in 2012 it took the risky decision to cancel its contract and force every Apple user onto Apple Maps. The move didn’t go down too well.
The now infamous release was filled with problems that prevented it from being used for any serious navigation. Map tiles were repeated and overlapped, key landmarks were positioned incorrectly and serious flaws in navigation directions even led to Australian police urging people not to use the app. It led drivers deep into a national park before abandoning them, posing a potential risk to life.
Eventually, Apple admitted Maps wasn’t really ready for its launch with iOS 6. It pledged to fix the issues and since then has issued regular updates that have let it become a serious competitor to the likes of Google, Microsoft and former Nokia-brand HERE.
Three years later and it seems as though Apple has successfully won the trust of its customers. Because Apple Maps is now the default maps provider on every new iPhone and iPad, every user will know it as the fastest way to get directions when they need to. The service has been expanded to include over 3,000 sources of business and transport information and the navigation bugs have been mostly ironed out. Apple began to actually scan roads and measure walking distances, copying Google’s tried-and-tested methods to create a product that now usually works.
9to5Mac reports that Apple puts the success down to being “fast learners.” It was quick to admit the flaws in its original product and begin to fix them, allowing it to win customer trust by demonstrating it wasn’t going to sit still as its app led people across major runways or took them to Mount Berlin in Antarctica instead of the German capital.
When considering the whole market, Google still easily leads. It’s presence as the most popular search engine means millions of people use Google Maps every day just to see the location of a business they searched for online. The app has gained such a reputation that it is installed on over 54 percent of all smartphones, making it the most popular app in the world.
