Apple CEO: Agreed, We Blew It With Maps

Apple (AAPL) has endured a week-plus of heavy — and rare — criticism for the lousiness of the Maps program on its new iPhone 5, and now CEO Tim Cook is pleading for forgiveness.

Cook said in a statement that Apple had let its customers down by putting out a subpar product. “We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and are doing everything we can to make Maps better,” the statement read.

Apple’s iPhone 5 went on sale Sept. 21, and complaints about the shortcomings of the Maps program started early and came often. In short, phone buyers felt Apple Maps wasn’t even approaching the standard set by Google Maps, much less surpassing it, prompting a frantic search for a replacement. (Fortunately for the truly desperate, Google (GOOG) Maps continues to be accessible via the Web.)

Biggest Launch Under Cook

For Cook, the apology comes only days after one of the biggest Apple product launches he’s overseen since the death of company co-founder Steve Jobs last October.

“[W]e 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,” Cook said in his letter.

And for those who badly miss what they used to have, even Cook suggested heading for another option for the time being. “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 web sites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app,” he wrote.

Worth pointing out also is the fact that, despite the hand-wringing, Maps hasn’t exactly been ignored by owners of the new phone. “In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations,” Cook indicated. “The more our customers use our Maps, the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.”

Now, if you’re tempted to think nothing like this could have ever happened under Jobs, just go back a few years. Though Jobs had a reputation for being exact, Apple products under him weren’t without problems and he did have to address a few issues, even if he did so reluctantly. In 2007, a price cut on the first iPhone enraged buyers who paid the higher price, and three years later, he had to make it up to users unhappy with the iPhone 4 antenna.

Even so, Jeff Macke suggests what Jobs wouldn’t have done is push out something that he truly felt wasn’t up to Apple user expectations, especially when a solid alternative existed.

“Apple didn’t need to use its own Maps app,” he wrote on Breakout. “The company had a relationship with Google that would have allowed it to use that company’s map service at least until the iPhone6 was released. Presumably, Apple would have used the time to make its own maps program less humiliatingly awful.”

 

8 Things the iPhone 5 Still Can’t Do

In terms of specs, performance, and features, the iPhone 5 is Apple’s best to date. This doesn’t mean it’s as good as it could be, however.

There were a few egregious omissions from the keynote presentation – features that we not only want in our iPhone, but that we feel are overdue.

(Patently Apple)NFC for mobile payments

Instead of building NFC into the iPhone, Apple would rather have you use its Passbook system, which lets lets users store tickets, gift cards, boarding passes, and the like.

It can handle some (but definitely not all) of the tasks that you might use NFC for. For example, you can’t use Passbook to wirelessly send money to a friend via PayPal.

NFC also lets you beam content between devices just by tapping them together. Samsung’s Galaxy S III takes advantage of this feature. 

(Swype)An improved texting solution on the keyboard, like Swype

Swype is something of a mainstay on Android phones. Instead of tapping out your texts letter by letter, you can drag your finger over them without lifting it. The end result is that you get your message out much more quickly.


(Flickr via johnmuk)SD card support for extra storage

We’d like to be able to extend our device’s storage capability beyond the 64 GB maximum. History suggests that external SD card support isn’t going to be in a mobile Apple device any time soon.


(MadeMan)A 128 GB option

The iPod Classic offered users 160 GB of music and video capacity. Many people (ourselves included) had no problem filling it right up.

Now that the iPhone is an easy replacement for your old iPod, we’d love to be able to carry the same amount of content around with us without having to pick and choose what stays at home.


(Apple)Non-proprietary dock connection

We’ve never understood why our iPhones can’t use a standard USB port and a standard USB cable to sync. Now the iPhone 5 introduces a new micro-dock connection requiring the use of its own special cable.

If you want to use your old sync cables, you have to buy this $29 adapter.


(Apple)A micro-HDMI port

Once again, if you want to get video off of your phone, it requires the use of a special adapter. (Unless you buy a $99 Apple TV.) The Kindle Fire HD and several Android phones use a micro-HDMI port, letting you run a cable straight from your tablet to the television.

This makes it easier, better, and more affordable for the user.


Replaceable battery

The battery life on the iPhone 5 has seen some nice improvements, but for the power users who are glued to their phones all day, it won’t suffice.

We’d love to be able to carry an additional fully-charged iPhone battery that we could pop in whenever the first one bites the dust.


(Ellis Hamburger, Business Insider)While we’re at it, better battery life!

The iPhone 5’s battery life is about the same as the iPhone 4S’. Yes, it has a bigger battery, but the new 4G LTE radio and bigger screen use up a lot of that extra power. We wish Apple had included a better battery in the iPhone 5 like the one on Motorola’s Droid Razr Maxx. The Razr Maxx can last several hours longer than the iPhone 5.

 

iPhone 5 – The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone

The iPhone 5 boasts a bigger screen, faster processor, and a new connector. But it is worth your hard-earned dollars?

Bigger Screen
The body of the iPhone 5 has been elongated, adding about a quarter inch to the screen height without changing the width. This will allow for HD video to display in its true 16:9 format and give game designers more real estate to work with.  While the body is longer, the iPhone 5 is 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S — and 20% lighter. 

Faster Processor
The brains of the iPhone have been given a significant bump and now have a faster processor than even the new iPad. According to Apple, the new A6 chipset will result in applications loading twice as fast, graphics running smoother and photos capturing 40% faster.

The Camera
The camera has gotten 25% smaller, has better low light processing, and can produce panoramic images. The video camera can shoot 1080p HD video, has improved video stabilization, and allows you to take still pictures simultaneously while you shoot video. Apple’s video conferencing app, Facetime, will now transmit HD video, and Facetime can be enabled over cellular networks and WiFi alike.

LTE Data & Battery Life
The new iPhone will connect up with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon’s faster LTE data networks. This will mean significant increases in web browsing and download speeds. This data network is a notorious drain on battery life, so Apple made a big call-out that the battery life of the phone will remain consistent if not a little better (10% improvement overall) than battery life on past iPhones. They claim 8 hours of talk time, 225 hours of stand-by, and 8 hours of LTE web browsing.

Smaller Dock Connector
The 30-pin dock connector that has come standard on every iPhone to date was certainly due for an upgrade. It takes up a lot of space, and it was big entry spot for dust and moisture. Apple has introduced an 80% smaller connector they are calling Lightning that can be plugged into the phone in any direction, offers faster data transfer, and better durability. But given the $3 billion a year accessory market for iPhones and iPads, this switch will be painful and costly as users are forced to buy extra charging cables, docking speakers/alarm clocks or cases.  Apple will be selling adapters for $29 that will ship in October.

IOS 6
The IOS operating system has over 200 changes, the biggest of which is turn-by-turn navigation using Apple’s own maps and 3D bird’s-eye images. There will be deeper social media integration within the operating system for posting to Facebook and Tweeting, and the web browser will now allow a full screen view that takes advantage of the bigger screen.

Price, Timing, and Design Options
The new iPhone will come in black and white with a new, brushed metal back. It will be available for pre-order September 14^th and in stores September 21^st. The 16GB model will retail for $199, 32GB for $299, 64GB for $399. The iPhone 4S goes down in price to $99. Initial countries where the iPhone 5 will be available: United States, Canada, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, France, and Australia, Availability in more countries by the end of the year.

What We Didn’t See
The online rumor mill did a very good job guessing what the iPhone 5 would look like, but a few out-there predictions that didn’t come true: no T-Mobile iPhone, no liquid metal back, no holographic projector or wafer-thin design.

Is it Worth the Upgrade?
The iPhone 4S was only a superficial upgrade to the device, and I did not recommend an upgrade except for those who really needed a new phone. But the iPhone 5 is an iterative step forward from Apple. The faster processor, speed increases from LTE data networks, a better and faster camera, and consistent battery life despite the LTE drain (real world tests pending), make this a worthy purchase.

Related: True/False: Never Sell Your Old Phone

Would I upgrade out of cycle if I had the iPhone 4S? No. But if you have an iPhone 4 or older, I say reach for the iPhone 5 if you can. Personally, I have been using a Samsung Galaxy SII for the last 6 months and I will be switching back to the iPhone 5 now that it has faster data, with the hope that my battery will last all day.

Specs in a nutshell:
Weight: 112 grams (20 percent lighter than 4s)
Thickness: 7.6 mm (18 percent thinner)
Screen: 4-inch display (up from 3.5 inches), 1136×640 pixel resolution (up from 960×640), a fifth row of icons on the screen, 44 percent more color saturation
Connectivity: LTE network compatible, available on Verizon/Sprint/ATT
Processor: new A6 chip (processor and graphics are 2x faster).
Battery: 8 hours talk time, 8 hours browsing, 10 hours wifi browsing, 10 hours video, 40 hours music, 225 hours standby.
Camera: 8 mp, 3264×2448 resolution, f/2.4 aperture, 25% smaller, improved low-light quality, panorama feature, 1080p HD video, front-facing Facetime camera updated (720p) and face detection, improved mics and speakers.
Dock and connector: New connector is called Lightning, 8 pin, reversible (adaptor available for current connector).

 

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Note 2 Smartphone

Samsung Electronics unveiled a new bigger smartphone, the Galaxy Note 2, at its “Mobile Unpacked” event in Berlin on Wednesday. The Galaxy Note 2 is expected to compete with Apple’s new iPhone 5 due out next month.

“A year ago, the Galaxy Note created a new line of devices that combined the smartphone and tablet PC,” said Shin Jong-kyun, the head of Samsung’s mobile phone division. He added the Galaxy Note 2 “will offer a more innovative and unique experience.”

Shin Jong-kyun, the head of Samsung’s mobile phone division, presents the Galaxy Camera at its “Mobile Unpacked” event in Berlin on Wednesday. /AP-Newsis

The event a day before the official opening of the Internationale Funkausstellung, Europe’s biggest consumer technology trade fair, was packed with reporters and business figures, with all 1,500 seats filled as soon as it started. Film director Wim Wenders got on stage to promote the device.

The phone has a 5.5-inch screen and, the company claims, is more comfortable to hold thanks to a thinner bezel. It comes with a stylus and looks like a Galaxy S3 smartphone that has been stretched out.

During the presentation, it seamlessly played high-definition movies on the 16:9 ratio screen.

The gadget has some innovative functions capable of detecting the movements of the user. For example, when a user pulls out the stylus, a memo screen automatically appears. Once the stylus is inserted again, the main screen is restored.

The “Air View” function enables users to send e-mail, manage the photo album and arrange schedules with the stylus. It also has a “S Beam” function that enables users to send music files to other handsets at the speed of just two seconds per song.

Boffins said Galaxy Note 2 would be relatively safe from Apple’s patent infringement suits because many functions are different from Samsung’s other smartphones.

But the phone does include some functions that caused patent disputes with Apple including the “pinch-to-zoom” function that allows a part of an image to be enlarged using the thumb and index finger, and the “double tapping” function that allows a particular image to fill the entire screen. “We think we can avoid copyright infringement if the activation method is different, even though the functions are similar,” a Samsung staffer said.

Samsung’s new ATIV series powered on Windows 8

Samsung also unveiled other products. A surprise was the “Galaxy Camera” that is equipped with fourth-generation LTE and the latest Android OS Jelly Bean. The camera features a 16-million pixel resolution, 21x zoom and 12.1 cm LCD screen.

The ATIV smartphone, also unveiled at the event, comes with Microsoft’s latest OS Windows 8. Samsung plans to join hands not only with Google but with a wide range of partners including Microsoft to deal with rival Apple.

Samsung plans to introduce a whole line of smart products under the ATIV brand including a “smart PC” that can be used as a tablet PC and a desktop simply by adding a keyboard and monitor.

 

Apple Is Talking to TV Companies About a Deal That Could Change TV Forever

Remember a few months ago, when everyone was hyperventilating about the forthcoming Apple TV?

This was the magical “sheet of glass” powered by Siri that Apple was going to start selling for twice the price of a regular TV.

Apple was going to go do big deals with the TV content companies, disrupt the cable companies, and drive its stock straight to $1,000 by revolutionizing the TV business.

Well, no one talks about the Apple TV anymore.

We’re not sure why.

We doubt it has been shelved completely. (We hope not, anyway). Maybe it has just been eclipsed by the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.

But now Jessica Vascellaro and Shalini Ramachandran of the Wall Street Journal bring news that might explain the recent silence about this exciting new Apple product line.

Apparently, Apple has been meeting with cable TV companies recently pitching a new idea:

A cable set-top box that is built or at least powered by Apple technology.

This would presumably either be sold directly, via Apple stores, and replace cable customers’ current cable boxes. Or it would be bought by the cable companies and rented to subscribers, the same way cable companies rent today’s set-top boxes.

The advantages to this sort of deal for Apple are obvious:

• Immediate access to live TV content that consumers are already paying for (and that, otherwise, Apple would have to license directly from networks)
• A clever way of getting into the living room and TV ecosystem, without forcing consumers to change their TV-watching habits or TV providers or buy another set-top box
• The same sort of “carrier subsidy” arrangement that has helped sell so many iPhones
• The seamless convergence of today’s TV with the future of TV, which is streaming and stored media delivered through iTunes, the Internet, etc.
• It would set Apple up to gradually gain more leverage over the cable companies–until the day when Apple has enough households worldwide that it can go direct to the networks and render the cable companies dumb pipes.

All that would be excellent for Apple. And the technology could be incorporated into the Apple TV hardware (the “sheet of glass”) and help Apple sell millions more TVs.

Of course, the cable companies aren’t stupid.

They know exactly what Apple wants to do to them.

And although there are advantages to this arrangement for the cable companies, too–namely, they could insert themselves into the “new TV” ecosystem from which they are currently excluded (content delivered over the Internet), and perhaps get a cut of sales–they also might be helping bring about their own demise as the gateway to TV.

(The cable companies have a viable future, regardless of what happens to pay TV, because they’re now the country’s primary Internet access provider. Consumers need broadband access desperately–it has become as important to daily life as electricity–and cable companies can make a nice living off that alone. And they can make an especially nice living off it if, say, they were to share some of the revenue Apple generates from iTunes and TV sales).

In any event, there’s a lot at stake for both sides here, so these will be tense negotiations.

But it might be that there’s enough “win-win” potential that deals can get done.

And there’s another thing to think about here.

Don’t forget that Google just bought a company that makes set-top boxes: Motorola.

Don’t forget that Google has its own designs on the TV business (Google TV).

Don’t forget that Google is, even now, launching a full-fledged cable TV killer in Kansas City, with possible plans to roll out more super-high-speed broadband services elsewhere.

So it’s a reasonable bet to think that Google also wants to become your cable set-top box.

That adds another motivation for the cable companies to negotiate with Apple. And it provides a motivation for the cable companies to negotiate with Google.

And then Amazon‘s also hanging around, with its own movie and TV streaming service. AndNetflix. And Microsoft, which still hopes to leverage the XBox into the nerve center of your living room.

And then there are the cable and broadcast networks themselves–the content providers–who arewatching their ratings tank as their audience moves to the Internet, phones, iPads, and “over-the-top” new TV services. The networks don’t want to see their business models collapse. So it seems a safe bet that they’ll want to stay in close touch with these negotiations, too.

Bottom line, it seems as though the future of the TV business is, finally, about to take a big step forward.

We’re on the edge of our seats!