Due to the widespread criticism of Apple’s own mapping service, the phone company are welcoming back Google Maps to its iPhone after a three month hiatus.
Since the iPhone’s inception in 2007, Google Maps has been a popular pre-installed feature; however disputes between Google and Apple have meant that Google Maps was banished from the iPhone iOS6 when it was released in September.
Apple vs. Google
Disagreements between the two companies began over feature quality; however arguments also arose over advertising costs and revenue.
The fallout led to Apple creating its own mapping service, based on data used by Dutch satnav company TomTom.
Trouble began early this season however, when Australian users of the iPhone map app found themselves lost in the wilderness due to mislabelled locations.
Tom Cook, Chief Executive of Apple responded by firing both the head of the iOS6 software team and the head of Apple’s maps group.
An apology was also issued, urging iPhone customers to look elsewhere for mapping services.
Return to Google Maps
Google Maps has been a beloved app for many iPhone users and its exclusion from the latest mobile has seen Apple being overrun with complaints.
The switch back to Google Maps is a change welcomes by most customers, however Apple’s own mapping service will still be the primary map choice, and there is no feature to change this as of yet.