Following Apple CEO Tim Cook’s letter addressing customer concerns over the company’s Maps app early Friday, Apple has updated its App Store to prominently feature mapping and GPS applications from third parties.
In Mr. Cook’s letter, he pointed customers unhappy with Apple’s Maps to alternative solutions: “While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.”
Most of those solutions and more are now featured in the new “Maps Apps” section of the App Store.
Apps currently featured include:
- MotionX GPS Drive
- Waze Social GPS & Gas
- MapQuest
- GPS by TeleNav
- Scout by Telenav
- Garmin
- Gokivo GPS Navigator
- NAVIGON
- CoPilot Live Premium HD
- CoPilot GPS
- Bing Maps
- Magellan RoadMate
- AT&T Navigator
The relatively short amount of time that it took Mr. Cook to address the issue via his open letter, and Apple’s immediate follow-up to feature third party mapping applications in its App Store, indicates that the company is taking customer concerns over the quality of its service seriously.
Thanks to reader Scott for the tip!