Apple is in the process of testing a new piece of software which it will allow its retail employees to use in order to add to and improve its new mapping service for iOS 6.
After launching Apple Maps in the iOS 6 software update, Apple faced a backlash from customers who were experiencing inaccuracies and missing data, with many wanting to revert back to Google Maps. The issue escalated quite badly, leading to Apple CEO Tim Cook making a formal and public apology and even going as far as recommending using alternatives from rival companies.
Apple has said that its Maps service will get better as more people use it, with the hope that users will send reports to the company when they encounter any faults, missing roads or places, or inaccuracies. It already has a customer base consisting of millions worldwide it could use for this, but not everybody is going to want to deal with errors and report them every time they want to navigate to somewhere, so now Apple is looking to crowd-sourcing using its own employees.
Two separate reports, one from MacRumors and one from ifoStore, claim that Apple is currently testing a program that it will give to employees at Apple Stores, which will let them report problems with Apple Maps on company time.
It’s early days right now, but we’re expecting Apple to allow the program to be loaded onto store worker’s iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches in order to build good and accurate feedback on the Maps service as quickly as possible.
It certainly seems like a good idea to us, and one that we hope will lead to regular updates to improve Apple Maps.
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