Create the Crisis..
Take BOLD Blame for the Crisis..
Solve the Crisis..
Register your name as legendary CEO or executive in the history of Management..
I am sure Mr. Cook is really sincere in his apology.. everyone is saying same thing about him.. and they way Apple has handled these crisis it will be a great case studies for B Schools.
However, couple of cents from my side on all this..
Initially, listening to all this crisis.. I was hesitant to upgrade to iOS 6.0 on my iPhone 4S. I didn't wanted to loose my Google Maps app.. then I tested Google maps on Chrome browser.. found it good enough.. for me.. Google map was mainly used to check traffic and search local things any how.. it didn't have that turn by turn voice navigation... I was using Mapquest for that and despite very poor reviews about mapquest application, I was really satisfied and happy.. mostly..
I liked my status quo..
But, my inner Geek finally won over this map issue and I took a plunge.. I upgraded my iPhone 4S to iOS 6.0 and first thing I did was to create Google maps in my Google Chrome application.. and then also download You-Tube application..
While coming back from office.. I thought of testing Apple's Map.. I fed my home address and it provided me map using freeways etc.. with decent indication of traffic hot spots.. I took my standard route which avoided the freeways which are always recommended by all the maps..
Honestly, I was really surprised at nimbleness of Apple's map to provide me updated route with updated traffic information.. at least on the road.. it was amazingly fast and correct in adjusting to my new route and showing updated route every time I digressed from my route.. I also searched for some places like my favorite Costco etc. and it was all together great experience.. At least ten times better than Mapquest and zillion times better than Google Maps (it should be infinitely as Google maps on iPhone didn't even have this true navigation system..)..
I was literally blown away by Apple Maps..
What could be the reason.. I think short answer is simply:
"Expectations"..
my expectations were so low with Apple Maps.. as my frame of reference was Mapquest.. which I feel like deleting from my iPhone.. and then all this bad mouthing about Apple Maps.. it really made me a super fan of apple maps.. Despite all this negative publicity about Apple Maps.. Apple Maps is The Maps I am using for all the purpose..
Now.. the my conspiracy theory version.. I really feel that all this negative publicity is kind of self inflicted or at least driven by Apple itself.. I very strongly feel that they have tendency to create controversy after launch.. and use this controversy to get free advertisement from media and social networks.. BTW, I am also doing same thing.. isn't it..
Now, coming back to my title of this topic.. I have no doubt about Mr. Cook's sincerity and boldness of asking own users to use competing products.. but.. but.. but..... In my view Apple Map is much better than most of their competitor.. except may be from Google's app on Android phones itself.. So in a way what Mr. Cook is asking their users.. please try out our competitor's applications.. do some comparison.. and decide for yourself.. most likely you would like our Apple Maps much better despite (may be) one percent errors in maps in some locations.. This is sure shot way of making your customers your die hard fans.. just like I am.. for now till I hit major snag which makes me loose 15-20 minites on the road.. I hope by that time Google will come up with native iOS app for their maps..
Overall.. really nice strategy.. Great Job Mr. Cook..
From Tim Cook: “At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers.
With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment.”
Take BOLD Blame for the Crisis..
Solve the Crisis..
Register your name as legendary CEO or executive in the history of Management..
I am sure Mr. Cook is really sincere in his apology.. everyone is saying same thing about him.. and they way Apple has handled these crisis it will be a great case studies for B Schools.
However, couple of cents from my side on all this..
Initially, listening to all this crisis.. I was hesitant to upgrade to iOS 6.0 on my iPhone 4S. I didn't wanted to loose my Google Maps app.. then I tested Google maps on Chrome browser.. found it good enough.. for me.. Google map was mainly used to check traffic and search local things any how.. it didn't have that turn by turn voice navigation... I was using Mapquest for that and despite very poor reviews about mapquest application, I was really satisfied and happy.. mostly..
I liked my status quo..
But, my inner Geek finally won over this map issue and I took a plunge.. I upgraded my iPhone 4S to iOS 6.0 and first thing I did was to create Google maps in my Google Chrome application.. and then also download You-Tube application..
While coming back from office.. I thought of testing Apple's Map.. I fed my home address and it provided me map using freeways etc.. with decent indication of traffic hot spots.. I took my standard route which avoided the freeways which are always recommended by all the maps..
Honestly, I was really surprised at nimbleness of Apple's map to provide me updated route with updated traffic information.. at least on the road.. it was amazingly fast and correct in adjusting to my new route and showing updated route every time I digressed from my route.. I also searched for some places like my favorite Costco etc. and it was all together great experience.. At least ten times better than Mapquest and zillion times better than Google Maps (it should be infinitely as Google maps on iPhone didn't even have this true navigation system..)..
I was literally blown away by Apple Maps..
What could be the reason.. I think short answer is simply:
"Expectations"..
my expectations were so low with Apple Maps.. as my frame of reference was Mapquest.. which I feel like deleting from my iPhone.. and then all this bad mouthing about Apple Maps.. it really made me a super fan of apple maps.. Despite all this negative publicity about Apple Maps.. Apple Maps is The Maps I am using for all the purpose..
Now.. the my conspiracy theory version.. I really feel that all this negative publicity is kind of self inflicted or at least driven by Apple itself.. I very strongly feel that they have tendency to create controversy after launch.. and use this controversy to get free advertisement from media and social networks.. BTW, I am also doing same thing.. isn't it..
Now, coming back to my title of this topic.. I have no doubt about Mr. Cook's sincerity and boldness of asking own users to use competing products.. but.. but.. but..... In my view Apple Map is much better than most of their competitor.. except may be from Google's app on Android phones itself.. So in a way what Mr. Cook is asking their users.. please try out our competitor's applications.. do some comparison.. and decide for yourself.. most likely you would like our Apple Maps much better despite (may be) one percent errors in maps in some locations.. This is sure shot way of making your customers your die hard fans.. just like I am.. for now till I hit major snag which makes me loose 15-20 minites on the road.. I hope by that time Google will come up with native iOS app for their maps..
Overall.. really nice strategy.. Great Job Mr. Cook..
A CHANGE IN DIRECTION
Apple finds itself apologizing for Maps app flap
By Patrick May
pmay@mercurynews.com
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea Mapplegate culpa.
Apple, CEO Tim Cook said in a statement released Friday, is sorry. Sorry its new Maps app for the iPhone and iPad sucks at times. Sorry that scores of users have been led on wild goose chases using the thing. Sorry Apple did not quite live up to its “incredibly high standard” this time around.
And while Cook did not say Apple was sorry for booting Google Maps off its iPhone’s home screen and replacing it with its own directionally challenged version, he may as well have. In his statement, the CEO encouraged users to download other apps and mapping tools to find their way around town, at least until Apple works out the kinks. The Maps app’s flaws haven’t been lost on customers, eliciting online backlash.
Apple finds itself apologizing for Maps app flap
By Patrick May
pmay@mercurynews.com
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea Mapplegate culpa.
Apple, CEO Tim Cook said in a statement released Friday, is sorry. Sorry its new Maps app for the iPhone and iPad sucks at times. Sorry that scores of users have been led on wild goose chases using the thing. Sorry Apple did not quite live up to its “incredibly high standard” this time around.
And while Cook did not say Apple was sorry for booting Google Maps off its iPhone’s home screen and replacing it with its own directionally challenged version, he may as well have. In his statement, the CEO encouraged users to download other apps and mapping tools to find their way around town, at least until Apple works out the kinks. The Maps app’s flaws haven’t been lost on customers, eliciting online backlash.
From Tim Cook: “At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers.
With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment.”
“I’m used to more functionality from Apple, not less,” said Jeremy Kemp, a lecturer at the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State, adding that he got so frustrated using Maps the other day to find a transit route home that he “ended up putting the iPhone in my pocket and asking someone at the train station for directions. It’s good that Cook has apologized; it’s actually noble. But I’d rather have functionality than nobility.”
While the blogosphere worked itself into a fine lather all week agonizing over Maps’ shortcomings, analysts cautioned that the map flap will have little effect on the company’s solidgold bottom line. They said Apple makes most of its money selling gadgets, not software. Some pointed out that most new apps, including Google Maps when it was introduced in 2005, had bugs. But over time, as more users essentially trained the software to navigate even smarter, the apps improved.
Pointing out that Twitter sentiment in the week since the iPhone 5’s debut was 71percent positive versus 49percent for the iPhone 4S, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said in a note to investors that “the bottom line is that consumers do not seem to be overly concerned about the shortcomings of Maps.”
Users who dislike Apple Maps can download other map apps, or access sites such as Google Maps through the browser. But because non-Apple apps aren’t native to the device, clicking an address in an email on an iPhone 5 would still call up the Apple mapping tool, not the alternative.
Cook’s public apology stood in stark contrast to how his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs, might have handled the brouhaha. After problems arose with the iPhone 4’s antenna and its impact on signal strength — a saga dubbed “Antennagate” — Jobs was ridiculed for suggesting users simply alter the way they hold the devise. Although Jobs admitted at a news conference that “we’re not perfect and phones aren’t perfect, either,” some interpreted his response to Antennagate as defensive, even a bit sarcastic.
Cook’s approach was far more conciliatory.
“At Apple,” the CEO said, “we strive to make worldclass products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. 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.”
Some analysts speculate that Apple dumped Google Maps because of the growing rivalry between the two tech giants. But in his statement, Cook said Apple’s primary aim is to “provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps.”
Ever since the Cupertino company released an update to its iPhone and iPad operating system that replaced Google Maps with its own app, the Internet has been deluged with complaints that the new software offers fewer details, lacks public transit directions and puts landmarks in the wrong places. One reviewer pointed out that when he fired up Maps, the Washington Monument was misplaced, and a search for Cleveland, Ga., took him to Cleveland, Tenn.
The grousing has not let up, filling repositories like the one at the http:// theamazingios6maps. tumblr. com with embarrassing examples of Apple Maps run amok. Motorola even piled on, creating an ad with the caption “#iLost” placed beneath the ill-fated iPhone app.
But Analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee praised Cook, saying “at the end of the day, Apple’s goal is to deliver the best user experience possible, and that’s exactly what they’re doing, even if it means sending users to other vendors for the time being.
“What they care about is: Are you happy with the hardware? If you are, fine,” Wu said. “But if you want to use other software, go ahead. Apple’s in the business of selling phones and tablets. And this won’t hurt that.”
Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689. Follow him at Twitter.com/patmaymerc.
While the blogosphere worked itself into a fine lather all week agonizing over Maps’ shortcomings, analysts cautioned that the map flap will have little effect on the company’s solidgold bottom line. They said Apple makes most of its money selling gadgets, not software. Some pointed out that most new apps, including Google Maps when it was introduced in 2005, had bugs. But over time, as more users essentially trained the software to navigate even smarter, the apps improved.
Pointing out that Twitter sentiment in the week since the iPhone 5’s debut was 71percent positive versus 49percent for the iPhone 4S, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said in a note to investors that “the bottom line is that consumers do not seem to be overly concerned about the shortcomings of Maps.”
Users who dislike Apple Maps can download other map apps, or access sites such as Google Maps through the browser. But because non-Apple apps aren’t native to the device, clicking an address in an email on an iPhone 5 would still call up the Apple mapping tool, not the alternative.
Cook’s public apology stood in stark contrast to how his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs, might have handled the brouhaha. After problems arose with the iPhone 4’s antenna and its impact on signal strength — a saga dubbed “Antennagate” — Jobs was ridiculed for suggesting users simply alter the way they hold the devise. Although Jobs admitted at a news conference that “we’re not perfect and phones aren’t perfect, either,” some interpreted his response to Antennagate as defensive, even a bit sarcastic.
Cook’s approach was far more conciliatory.
“At Apple,” the CEO said, “we strive to make worldclass products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. 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.”
Some analysts speculate that Apple dumped Google Maps because of the growing rivalry between the two tech giants. But in his statement, Cook said Apple’s primary aim is to “provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps.”
Ever since the Cupertino company released an update to its iPhone and iPad operating system that replaced Google Maps with its own app, the Internet has been deluged with complaints that the new software offers fewer details, lacks public transit directions and puts landmarks in the wrong places. One reviewer pointed out that when he fired up Maps, the Washington Monument was misplaced, and a search for Cleveland, Ga., took him to Cleveland, Tenn.
The grousing has not let up, filling repositories like the one at the http:// theamazingios6maps. tumblr. com with embarrassing examples of Apple Maps run amok. Motorola even piled on, creating an ad with the caption “#iLost” placed beneath the ill-fated iPhone app.
But Analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee praised Cook, saying “at the end of the day, Apple’s goal is to deliver the best user experience possible, and that’s exactly what they’re doing, even if it means sending users to other vendors for the time being.
“What they care about is: Are you happy with the hardware? If you are, fine,” Wu said. “But if you want to use other software, go ahead. Apple’s in the business of selling phones and tablets. And this won’t hurt that.”
Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689. Follow him at Twitter.com/patmaymerc.
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