Apple CEO Tim Cook Apologizes for New Maps Glitches

Sept. 28, 2012 — -- It has been no secret: Apple's new maps app included with the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 launched last week with a lot of glitches, including misplaced points of interest and jumbled renderings of important locations.

Today Apple has addressed the issue head on with an apology letter from CEO Tim Cook. The letter, which appears on the Apple website, admits the direct problems with the service.

"At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers," Cook wrote. "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 also reiterated what Apple said last week -- that the Maps will get better over time as more people use the service.

He also alerted users to the fact that there are other options in the App Store, including Bing, MapQuest, and Google's Maps available through the browser.

Apple had used Google's Maps since the launch of the iPhone, but with iOS 6 and the iPhone 5, both released last week, it moved to its own solution which it has been building for quite some time. According to reports, Google and Apple still had another year to their agreement, but Apple wanted to create its own solution. Google has not released a standalone app for the iPhone or iPad, though The New York Times reports that it will be out before the end of the year.

Still, it remains clear that Apple is planning to invest big into mapping and fixing the problems.

"Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world," Cook concluded. "We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard."