How to stay on course while Apple fixes iOS 6 map app

iPhone users might have to wait months before Apple can fix its glitch-filled mapping system, experts tell Consumers Digest. Because of this delay, you should take Apple’s advice and use other map mobile applications in the meantime.

On Sept. 28, Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly apologized to iPhone users for the flaws that are on the map app that’s on the iPhone 5 and any other Apple mobile device that uses the new iOS 6 operating system. The most common flaws are distorted map images, inaccurate location markers for landmarks and businesses, and inaccurate direction routes.

Cook said consumers who have iOS 6 devices should use alternative mapping apps that are made by Bing, MapQuest or Waze. Cook also suggested that consumers create an icon that directs the user to Google Maps.

Experts tell Consumers Digest that the best alternative for iPhone users is to use the mapping app with which they are most familiar during the interim.

It could take 3–6 months for Apple to resolve all problems with its map app, says consumer electronics analyst Van Baker of market-research company Gartner. Some glitches, such as distorted roads and images on real-time maps, can be fixed within a few weeks. The most complex problems, such as inaccurate addresses or directions for points of interest, could take a few months.

However, analyst Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research believes that Apple will update its mapping app incrementally rather than wait until all glitches are fixed.

Additionally, Google is developing a mapping app that’s compatible with Apple’s iOS 6 devices and could be ready by the end of 2012, according to several media reports. Google Maps was included in previous versions of Apple’s mobile operating systems.

– K. Fanuko