The saga of Apple Maps continues behind the scenes at the Cupertino organization.
Apple Inc. has reportedly fired Apple Maps Manager Richard Williamson, a decision made by Senior Vice President for Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, according to the New York Times.
The Times added that the dismissal occurred shortly after Thanksgiving.
According to Bloomberg, Cue recently took the position after Scott Forstall departed from the company, rumored to be for several reasons but ultimately the comments on Apple Maps proved too much for Apple.
Apple Maps made its debut when the company launched its new iOS 6 mobile operating system in September. The maps app replaced Google Maps. The decision proved to be unpopular due to errors found in the app.
The quick and early backlash from iOS 6 users led Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue an apology, stating, "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. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better."
Cook even went as far to recommend other map apps from Bing, MapQuest, and Wave.
The news comes as Google is speculated to be working on a new maps app for iOS 6 users. According to the Wall Street Journal, a Google spokesperson stated, "We believe Google Maps are the most comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps in the world. Our goal is to make Google Maps available to everyone who wants to use it, regardless of device, browser, or operating system."
Google recently launched a new maps feature that allows floor plans to be detailed. According to Google, more than 10,000 floor plans are set from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, from airports, hospitals, hotels, and malls, to name a few.
Apple has declined to comment on Williamson's departure.
For a reviews roundup of Apple Apps, click here.
For a slideshow of Apple Maps' mistakes, click here.
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