Last night – late – the new, native Google Maps application dropped into the App Store for iOS. And, look at this… within hours, it has over 7,000 extremely positive ratings:
Clearly, iOS users were pretty pissed off about Apple Maps and wanted Google Maps back. In fact, this is one of those rare occasions where Apple actually issued an apology.
One’s opinions on Apple Maps depends alot on where you live. In some areas, the maps were sorely inaccurate. In other areas, it wasn’t bad at all. The traffic information was pretty hit and miss, and the database of places was lacking. Turn-by-turn was executed very nicely, but if the data it is using just isn’t that great, then it affects the usability of the entire app.
So, there are clearly many iPhone users who were just fine with Apple Maps.
But, there is no doubt that Google is just MUCH better at it. 
The new Google Maps app is very well designed, following suit with the new design schemes of many of Google’s apps for iOS lately. Google Street View is very seamlessly built right in now. And, yes, the app now sports turn-by-turn directions. Features of the app are very easily brought in via simple swipes.
It doesn’t do any offline maps, so this won’t replace apps like Garmin and TomTom for those iPhone users who need the maps baked into the phone. But, for most people, Google Maps will do everything you need.
3 Lessons for Apple
Obviously, I’m just a casual observer and user. So, to sit here as a blogger and play armchair executive for Apple is all too easy. But, I’ll do it anyway.
- Apple failed to listen to its users. Users did not want new maps. That being said, users DID want turn-by-turn. And, it has long been a favorite bash on the iPhone that it didn’t have turn-by-turn navigation built into it. The problem was never that the iPhone couldn’t do it. The problem was licensing. Google simply wouldn’t allow Apple to do turn-by-turn using its maps. So, from that perspective, Apple HAD to abandon Google Maps. The problem was…
- They didn’t execute well. In the rush to get to market, they released a half-baked Maps app. And, the reason it was half-baked is because…
- Apple isn’t a data company. Apple is a hardware company, primarily. They also develop some software and most of it is pretty good. But, they are not a data company. Apple has traditionally sucked when it comes to anything data-driven or cloud-based. So, Apple trying to get into the maps business was just ill-conceived. As a company, sometimes you need to concentrate on your strengths. Google is a data company. Apple isn’t. End of story.
In the end, Google Maps is now what I’ll be using on my iPhone. And, the regular Maps app will sit in a folder and be a little play app that I can use when I want to fly like a bird around Manhattan or San Francisco. Which, isn’t very often. 
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