Apple Launches New App Store Feature Section for Alternative Maps

Following this morning's release of an open letter from Tim Cook apologizing for issues with the new Apple-driven Maps app in iOS 6 and mentioning some alternative map options available to users, Apple has also added a new featured section to the App Store highlighting some of those map alternatives.

iphone alternative maps
A host of alternative apps ranging from free to Magellan's $49.99 "RoadMate USA" are available from such brands as Waze, Mapquest, Garmin, Bing, and MotionX.

Apple's embrace of alternative map options seems to be a sign that the company is taking criticism of its own offering seriously, although directing users to downloads through the App Store is still of benefit to Apple. Cook's letter did, however, also promote web-based alternatives such as Google's and Nokia's maps.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

lzyprson Avatar
174 months ago
I've seriously had no problems with Maps, and I have used Voice Navigation almost daily since the release... Apology unwarranted!!
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
srxtr Avatar
174 months ago
This is a new low for Apple...

EDIT: Don't get me wrong, I love the new Apple maps, and while I'm sure there are lots of people affected negatively by the bad data their software is perfect and I have yet to come across a problem with it. In fact, I'm going to sell my Garmin GPS Navigation system and use the money to buy myself car accessories for my iPhone 5.

I feel this whole situation is overblown and Apple shouldn't have had to take this unnecessary step. I mean, aside from Google, who has decent map data? Garmin? TomTom? I've had problems with all of them.
Score: 69 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jrswizzle Avatar
174 months ago
Can we finally just let this go and accept the fact that there are other options and that Apple is working to fix it?
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigZ243 Avatar
174 months ago
Pretty sad. All Apple needed to do is call it a beta and keep the existing maps on there until an update when it was ready.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cougarcat Avatar
174 months ago
This is a new low for Apple...

Huh? Apple admitting their shortcomings is a good thing. Would you rather them pretend there is no problem?
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
caligomez Avatar
174 months ago
Well this is awkward...
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)