Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
Apple Turning to Select Retail Store Employees to Help Improve Maps for iOS 6
MacRumors has learned that Apple is piloting a program to tap into its vast number of retail store employees to help improve the company's new Maps app for iOS 6. Details on the initiative remain unclear, but multiple sources have indicated that participating stores will dedicate 40 hours of staff time per week, distributed among a number of employees, to manually examine Apple's mapping data in their areas and submit corrections and improvements. ifoAppleStore posted a Tweet a short time ago indicating that it too has received information on the effort.
It is unknown exactly what procedures will be used to examine the data, whether it simply be side-by-side comparisons with Google Maps data or if more sophisticated efforts such as in-person verification will be used. One source has indicated that a team of ten employees would be participating in the program at one store, with one of those employees being designated a "subject matter expert" to oversee the team and receiving training on how the team will operate. Changes to maps will reportedly be submitted through a dedicated internal portal on Apple's systems.
Apple's new Maps app for iOS 6 has received significant criticism since its launch, with Apple CEO Tim Cook finding it necessary to publish an open letter late last week to apologize for the app's shortcomings and to suggest alternative mapping solutions while Apple works to improve its own maps.
Apple is reportedly aggressively hiring former Google Maps employees in its efforts to quickly improve its new mapping services, but much of the criticism has related to incorrect point-of-interest locations and other data best verified in the field or by those with intimate knowledge of a given area. Apple's network of nearly 400 retail stores represents nearly 40,000 employees scattered across more than a dozen countries, making it an ideal resource for assisting with mapping improvements.
It is unknown exactly what procedures will be used to examine the data, whether it simply be side-by-side comparisons with Google Maps data or if more sophisticated efforts such as in-person verification will be used. One source has indicated that a team of ten employees would be participating in the program at one store, with one of those employees being designated a "subject matter expert" to oversee the team and receiving training on how the team will operate. Changes to maps will reportedly be submitted through a dedicated internal portal on Apple's systems.
Apple's new Maps app for iOS 6 has received significant criticism since its launch, with Apple CEO Tim Cook finding it necessary to publish an open letter late last week to apologize for the app's shortcomings and to suggest alternative mapping solutions while Apple works to improve its own maps.
Apple is reportedly aggressively hiring former Google Maps employees in its efforts to quickly improve its new mapping services, but much of the criticism has related to incorrect point-of-interest locations and other data best verified in the field or by those with intimate knowledge of a given area. Apple's network of nearly 400 retail stores represents nearly 40,000 employees scattered across more than a dozen countries, making it an ideal resource for assisting with mapping improvements.
[ 274 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
89 months ago
To the forum member who suggested this days ago and then was blasted for the idea, you were right.
89 months ago
"manually examine Apple's mapping data in their areas and submit corrections and improvements."
So, the areas around Apple stores will be SUPER accurate, but Iowa... not so much.
Luckily, Iowa has no points of interest. :D
89 months ago
All the hipsters they pick will hide all their favorite hangout spots so no one can find them.
89 months ago
yo! Apple. Why don't you stop being cheapos and spend some of that billions to actually hire thousands of people who's job is dedicating to fixing your maps. Get those people out on the streets, on foot, in cars, anything. That's how Google Maps got to the level of quality it is today.
89 months ago
What's with the worrying? It's probably just "Go here. Look at our maps, verify location first-hand. Verify with Google Maps. Is the info correct?"
Easy stuff.
Easy stuff.
89 months ago
"manually examine Apple's mapping data in their areas and submit corrections and improvements."
So, the areas around Apple stores will be SUPER accurate, but Iowa... not so much.
So, the areas around Apple stores will be SUPER accurate, but Iowa... not so much.
89 months ago
What's with the worrying? It's probably just "Go here. Look at our maps, verify location first-hand. Verify with Google Maps. Is the info correct?"
Easy stuff.
89 months ago
I visit quite a few forums and i'm a Moderator on a Football forum and I have to say this place is the most negative place on the internet.
Any sort of good news gets turned into bad. :confused:
Any sort of good news gets turned into bad. :confused:
[ Read All Comments ]
Plex today announced a few updates for its Apple TV and iOS apps, adding notable new features that are worth highlighting.
The Apple TV app now supports HDR video playback, and Plex Pass...
The newest version of Spotify for iOS, released yesterday, quietly added support for Apple's multitasking Slide Over and Split View feature on the iPad.
As noted on Reddit and highlighted by...
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of watchOS 6, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The new beta comes two weeks after the third beta and more than a month after Apple first unveiled the new...
Apple today seeded fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the third beta and more than a month after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the Worldwide...
Belkin today announced the launch of three new wireless chargers in its BOOST lineup, all of which will be available from Apple's online store and select Apple retail locations.
All of the...
Square Panda today announced that its phonics learning system for kids will now be sold at select Apple Stores and on Apple.com.
The Bluetooth-enabled, multisensory playset uses iPad apps to...
Google Maps this week expanded real-time bikesharing information to 23 additional cities in 16 countries around the world.
In addition to New York City, the feature is now available in...
In celebration of World Emoji Day today, the Unicode Consortium has announced the launch of a redesigned website aimed at making it easier for anyone to submit a proposal for a new emoji.
For...
