back to article Australian Police say don't use Apple's iOS 6 Maps

Police in the Australian state of Victoria have issued a warning not to use iOS 6 maps, after “a number of motorists were directed off the beaten track in recent weeks.” The warning is no laughing matter as it was issued by Police in the town of Mildura, which is located near the Murray-Sunset National Park, a spot where …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Charles Manning

    Stupid people always want something to blame

    I can't be at fault. It must be Apple/the government/...

    1. LarsG
      Meh

      Ever

      Ever heard of using a proper map?

      I'm surprised they get any kind of signal out there.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Ever

        Why would they need a signal? Offline mapping works on iOS doesn't it?

        lol

      2. hold2ransom
        Big Brother

        Re: Ever

        GPS sound familiar - from satellites in space!

    2. Chemist

      Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

      I agree, we live about 1/2 mile up an unmade road just wide enough for a van in places with steep gradients, bends and a drop of ~20-100ft into a stream for the whole distance. Yet a HGV ! drove all the way up one day due to following his satnav and had to reverse the whole way down - horrendous - blocked the road for almost an hour, knocked down fences, pushed over small trees. `

      1. TeeCee Gold badge
        Facepalm

        Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

        Ah! Another one.

        It's perfectly possible to get commercial satnav units which will route trucks appropriately given their size / weight / etc and which provided mapping regular updates to accommodate diversions due to roadworks etc.

        For some reason HGV drivers seem to think that entrusting their 120,000 quid tractor unit, trailer and load to an off-the-shelf TomTom unit from Halfords is not a false economy.

        1. Andrew Moore

          Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

          It's no even an off-the-shelve Tom-Tom in some cases- it's whatever piece of SatNav crap Lidl/Adli last had on sale.

      2. Peter Simpson 1
        FAIL

        Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

        Same thing happened on my road. Though the town gets partial for not using an official "DEAD END" sign.

        How stupid do you have to be to keep going when there's brush scraping both sides of your vehicle?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

      It's certainly not just Apple Maps - show me the perfect mapping application and I'll ride to congratulate the developers on my unicorn.

    4. Zc456
      Facepalm

      Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

      So, we should just leave Apple's Maps unfixed?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

        I'm not sure Apple are serious about fixing Maps at all. Sending feedback doesn't result in any action even for simple fixes.

        Example: On Apple Maps, "Crewe" is actually named "Wrexham Crewe". "Wrexham" (about 20 miles to the west) is correct, so it's what appears to be a simple typo. Reported *weeks* ago and reported again last week - no auto acknowledgement, no fix - just silence.

        This isn't a missing marginal road or POI, it's a town of 70,000 people simply mis-named. If a simple naming fix is being prioritised as of secondary importance, God only knows what the high severity issues are!

        Cook may make noises about not resting and doing all he can, but the real life experience doesn't anything like back those words up.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

          Would anyone actually want to go to Crewe or Wrexham for that matter? Apple are doing you a favour.

        2. Peter Simpson 1

          Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

          Whose database is Apple using? I hope they got it cheap. I had heard they were planing to use Open Street Map (OSM), but perhaps not?

    5. J. R. Hartley
      WTF?

      Hold on a second...

      Did I just read "Apple Australia contacted The Register"?

      STOP THE PRESS!!!!

      Apple are on the back foot.

      Hahahahahaha. Arseholes.

    6. Chet Mannly

      Re: Stupid people always want something to blame

      I assume

      a) you don't travel much; and

      b) you don't live in a country like Australia that can kill you in 2-4 hours if you make a wrong turn anywhere near a desert, which is where many tourist destinations are (though not Mildura).

      But yeah fanboi, blame the user when they expect a $700 device "that just works [sic]" and advertised as having advanced mapping features to do what a $50 GPS would do, or any other phone/software package would handle just fine.

  2. Esskay
    Joke

    Not that big of a deal?

    Surely the iPhone user's fixie would break down before they got that far into the park?

    1. WatAWorld

      Re: Not that big of a deal?

      You read the article right? The answer is in there.

  3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Australia?

    iPhone maps claim that there is a country called Australia there - while my paper map (free with the Daily Telegraph) quite clearly identifies it as Terra incognito and prudently wants of the possibiltiy of dragons.

    1. Gavin King

      Re: Australia?

      To be honest, I think that dragons would be on the less-likely-to-kill end of the scale of things in Australia.

      1. Marvin the Martian
        Boffin

        Re: Less likely to kill

        Dragons are indeed very far down the list: Top-three are horses, then cattle, then dogs.

        Most spiders and snakes are near the dragons in probability, slightly higher are sharks and crocodiles.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Less likely to kill

          > Top-three are horses, then cattle, then dogs.

          Holy shit! They have stinging horses?

          1. Not That Andrew

            Re: Killer Horses

            Nope, they just bite you, throw you, kick you, drag you, trample you and crush you against fences, trees and walls. No need for poison.

          2. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
            Joke

            Re: Less likely to kill

            I thought the only safe things there were some of the sheep

            or was that the place which had very few dangerous snakes because they had all been killed by the spiders?

            1. graeme leggett Silver badge

              Re: Less likely to kill

              According to "Steve Parish's "Amazing facts about Australian Frogs and Reptiles" (secondhand bookshops in this country are great) about 20 species of Australian front fanged species are potentially dangerous - and as the first three are varieties of Death Adder I'll assume by potentially dangerous it means potentially lethal.

              I'll add them to my list of reasons not to go visit my brother down under, after airfare costs but a lot higher up than faulty Apple maps

            2. Chet Mannly

              Re: Less likely to kill

              "I thought the only safe things there were some of the sheep or was that the place which had very few dangerous snakes because they had all been killed by the spiders?"

              Well most things are potentially dangerous :-) Its just that people don't really think of a Kangaroo as being able to disembowel a person, or things like the cute/odd looking platypus have venomous barbs near their back flippers/feet.

              Australia does have 21 of the 24 most deadly snakes in the world, but thanks to modern anti-venom and things like the flying doctor service people rarely die from snake or spider bites.

              Doesn't mean a death adder or a taipan is any less deadly if you're out of reach of the medicos though...

        2. Steven Roper
          Stop

          "Top-three are horses, then cattle, then dogs."

          As a long-time resident of Australia, I must respectfully disagree. You forgot Australia's deadliest critter.

          "Top-three are drop-bears, horses and cattle..."

          Remember, drop-bears kill more Australians than any other creature here. Too many people make light of this grave threat and forget to wear upturned forks in their hats for protection.

    2. Matthew 3

      Re: Australia?

      "The foremost cartographers of the land have prepared this for you; it's a map of the area that you'll be traversing."

      "It's blank."

      "They'll be very grateful if you could just fill it in as you go along."

    3. RainForestGuppy

      Re: Australia?

      Well my copy of the Daily Mail, says that all the dragons are coming over here illegally and living off benefits, B****rds!!!

      1. NogginTheNog
        Coat

        Imigrant dragons

        I've a feeling they'll get a warm welcome in Wales?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Imigrant dragons

          Warm welcome - a pun perhaps?

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Imigrant dragons

          I've a feeling they'll get a warm welcome in Wales?

          Wasn't that for sheep?

          </confused>

  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Could be interesting

    If I printed a faulty map that led to someone's death, I could be sued. I assume the same applies to iMaps. They might want to do something about that. Maybe withdraw it until it is fixed, or have iMaps display a suitable disclaimer, such as "locations marked on maps may be dangerously incorrect".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Could be interesting

      Doubt it - ever heard of disclaimers. You recon the maker of a free / £5 map is going to accept liability for dealth / injury rather than (quite righty) expecting you to also use your common sense.

      Roads / features change - the sat nav on my car is a few years out of date but even when 'new' it did not identify a bypass that had been open for perhaps 2 years. It's life - use some common sense.

      OS maps are good but certainly not perfect.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Could be interesting

        > Doubt it - ever heard of disclaimers.

        Yes I have.

        All a disclaimer will do is give the lawyers something to argue over. Just because a company claims no responsibility does not mean they have no responsibility.

        Disclaimer: The brakes we installed in your car might not work every time.

        1. A n o n y m o u s

          Re: Could be interesting

          >> Disclaimer: The brakes we installed in your car might not work every time.

          Then you would not buy it.

          You could apply your logic to anything - how about being an email provider and downtime meant someone did not receive critical information in time resulting in damage / death?

          What about people relying on a free mapping app to guide them somewhere - did it not seem strange to be going off course, did they not consult (or have) a normal map as a backup.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Could be interesting

            > You could apply your logic to anything - how about being an email provider and downtime meant someone did not receive critical information in time resulting in damage / death?

            You need to go back to school and learn about logic.

            Elephants are grey but everything grey isn't an elephant.

            Just because one company has a responsibility despite a disclaimer does not mean all companies have a responsibility despite their disclaimers.

            Apple's disclaimer does not automatically absolve them of responsibility. If a lawyer can show their actions were reckless and it was foreseeable that directing somebody to the middle of nowhere would put them in danger then a disclaimer will not help.

          2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Could be interesting

            >> Disclaimer: The brakes we installed in your car might not work every time.

            >Then you would not buy it.

            You received a statement that the code in your car's ABS, and the processor it runs on - was proven correct?

            That must be one pricey car.

      2. hold2ransom
        Big Brother

        Re: Could be interesting

        Ever heard of map updates for your sat nav? Though with Google maps for the appropriate area and GPS enabled I reckon you'd be OK; not so sure about Apple products. Apple produce of the kind that come from trees are fine those emanating from China are just over-priced gizmos; Android phones from the same source are fine and a whole lot cheaper. Been using my current one for nearly 3 years now and it's not missed a beat.

        1. Peter Gathercole Silver badge
          Flame

          Re: Could be interesting

          Google Maps and Navigation are only any good if you get a data service.

          I recently had to go a long way out of my way to get home from work because of a combination of weather and several accidents. I turned on the data service on my phone and got.... zilch. And, of course, I had not maintained a paper map book in the car. As it turns out, the switch from Orange to EE was not as smooth as it was supposed to have been.

          I reckon that I probably drove at least 10 miles further than I needed because of the stupid road signs that I had to rely on to get me back to somewhere I knew (this was in Devon, UK, where even major roads can be quite small, poorly lit and badly signposted), and I've vowed to never rely solely on Google Navigation again.

    2. Martin

      Re: Could be interesting

      I'm trying to imagine what sort of error on a paper map could actually lead to someone's death, without significant help from a stupid map reader.

      I've seen maps with footpaths marked which lead straight over sheer drops. But people walking along them generally stop when they see the sheer drop in front of them. And anyone who was injured walking over the cliff and tried to sue the map-maker would be laughed out of court.

      There is no such thing as a map (or satnav system) which is "dangerously incorrect". There are just stupid people who trust maps and satnav, rather than the evidence in front of their own eyes.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Could be interesting

        @Martin: I challenge you to navigate Australia's outback using a map that tells lies. Before accepting, keep in mind that failure to navigate often results in death from dehydration.

        "People die in the bush and the outback of Australia every year. Australian's die and visiting foreign tourists die. We're not talking about heart attacks, car crashes, snake bites or falling from the top of Uluru. We're talking about death from exposure and dehydration after being stranded in a remote corner of the outback.

        Most of these people die as search parties are looking for them - it is a rare for an unknown body to be discovered by accident."

        http://www.outbackcrossing.com.au/Touring/Outback_Survival_Guide.shtml

        1. Martin

          Re: Could be interesting

          I wouldn't consider navigating Australia's outback - especially just using a satnav.

          But if I were the sort of person who wanted to do that, I wouldn't just go out with a map and hope I'd be all right. I'd make damn sure that (a) I was prepared for the journey and (b) the map was a trusted map and (c) my satnav was working and (d) that the satnav maps cross-checked with my real map and...

          You get the drift. It's easier to die in the outback, so you make damn sure you're prepared in ALL POSSIBLE WAYS. And one way to be prepared is not to just trust a satnav.

          I still maintain that a map with an error is not enough to actually kill someone. You also have to do something stupid. In the case of the Australian Outback, the stupid thing is making the assumption that the map is accurate without doing any cross-checking.

          1. Chimp

            Re: Could be interesting

            What a wuss.Chuck a few slabs of tinnies in the back of the Holden and a real bloke is right as rain in the bush

      2. greenawayr
        Go

        Re: Could be interesting

        Having done a fair bit of driving, not this particular error but a similar one can be pretty easy to make. We were following a map, my wife (of course) missed a turn and instead of driving 100km north-east through absolutely nothing with no landmarks, we drove north-west for 100km through nothing with no landmarks. We eventually realised we had gone wrong when we saw a tiny sign for a National Park. We followed the map to cut across country and after driving this new road for 20km it turned from asphalt to dust, and then from dust to dirt, and lots of water from recent rains. Took us 4 hours to cover 50km, but eventually got back on track, but our other options were to head back from where we had come from, which would have been a good couple of hours driving, or to follow this road which the map had suggested would do the trick. Perhaps we could have turned back at some point, but I think we did what the majority of others would have done.

        Australia is a very large place, with not a lot in the middle and you'll be surprised how many people we met who had similar stories. Luckily the rental company didn't check the suspension when we returned it, we may have shaved a few miles off it's life expectancy.

      3. Chet Mannly

        Re: Could be interesting

        "I've seen maps with footpaths marked which lead straight over sheer drops. But people walking along them generally stop when they see the sheer drop in front of them."

        Except in this case you pass from bushland to another piece of bushland, which happens to not have a water supply - ie its not immediately obvious that you are in the wrong area, especially if you are a tourist.

    3. S4qFBxkFFg
      Joke

      Re: Could be interesting

      I think Apple's plan is that eventually they'll be powerful enough that the physical locations of towns, roads, landmarks, continents, etc. will be the errors, and their maps will be correct.

      When that happens, they'll be able to sue the governments who carelessly do not update the landscape to conform with Apple's vision.

  5. JaitcH
    Unhappy

    Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

    Apple has done what is allegedly the hardest thing to do, to say Sorry. CEO Tim Cook did the moral and legally correct thing.

    Now that he has done that, Apple should go the next step, withdraw Crappy Mappy App and, temporarily, re-instate Google Maps.

    We are looking at more than simple corporate profits here, we are talking peoples lives. Newspapers are replete with examples of how people religiously follow their GPS devices and end up stranded / jammed in to some isolated spot with no means of help. Whether it is dumb or smart, people put their faith in technology?

    Even the historical suppliers of GPS, Garmin, screw up big time. Their mapping of VietNam and Cambodia are, at worst case, up to 15 kilometres wrong in places. And I am talking dedicated devices, not some car-mounted things.

    Mapquest and other Third Party mappers all have serious errors.

    I recently acquired a Samsung product that has Google Maps on it and whilst it has limited GPS functions compared a dedicated GPS receiver - I have three different types - Google is amazingly accurate and complete. In fact is has roads marked that are still in the throes of completion. (It still, like all electronic maps as well as a few paper maps has two old streets missing in Hue, VietNam).

    So, Apple, go the extra step, swallow your pride, revert to Google and save a life.

    1. Blitterbug
      Happy

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      Totally agree, aside from the superfluous question mark at the end of para #3, Jaitch. Or were you going for the Antipodean interrogative so beloved of Stephen Fry? I'm guessing so, given the context!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      Garmin doesn't do GIS; that would be Navteq and TeleAtlas.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      ...quite frankly the very least Apple could do at this stage is to hurry the heck up their approval for the Google Maps iOS App...

      1. hitmouse

        hurry the heck up their approval for the Google Maps iOS App?

        Which will still not suffice unless you can specify it as the device default map handler.

        Until you can click on a contact's address, or use an app with location-serviced to bring up _the map of your choice_ then the broken Apple cart-ography will still make a mess of everything. This is especially true in a vehicle where fumbling with copy and paste of addresses to a different app is especially problematic.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        Google says they're still working on it, so it hasn't even been submitted yet!

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        The App that breaks the ToS that Apple? The ToS states that an app cannot recreate a built-in function of the phone. How long before Apple pulls all Maps apps from the store? When Apple does fix their Map app, I would expect to see the competition have their apps removed. Apple has done this before.

    4. That Awful Puppy
      Trollface

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      >We are looking at more than simple corporate profits here, we are talking peoples lives. Newspapers are replete with examples of how people religiously follow their GPS devices and end up stranded / jammed in to some isolated spot with no means of help. Whether it is dumb or smart, people put their faith in technology?

      While I agree with the rest of your comment, I would like to point out that losing the people who follow their GPS devices 'religiously', as you put it, would actually enrich our gene pool.

      1. WatAWorld

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        The aviation and ocean shipping industries trust GPS. There is nothing wrong with GPS.

        The problem is with the maps and the company providing the maps or making the software to interpret the maps.

        I can excuse being out of date due to road works and missing minor streets and backlanes, but that is all.

        Did Apple get the location of the town wrong because they copied someone else's map?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        Evolution in action...

    5. WatAWorld

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      Withdrawing Apple's map or admitting that a product affecting life-safety was introduced before it was ready could be evidence in trials settling law suits.

      And that is the thing, few consumer software companies understand where fun products whose performance does not matter much end and life-safety products begin.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        It's dumb humans expecting any device to be suitable for use in a life threatening situation - have these people never heard of common sense and having a paper map as a backup or just planning roughly before you set off. Surely you look (on a map) where you are and where you want to be - see that you get there on road A and road B etc. - so if your sat nav goes bonkers and tries to drive you off a cliff you realise PERHAPS SOMETHING IS WRONG before you get into trouble.

        What did these people do before they had iPhones to blame - lemmings?

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      You have disproved your own argument - Apple Maps have faults but so do Google Maps and dedicated mapping applications. The reality is at least on an iDevice you get Apple Maps AND Google Maps (as well as plenty of other 3rd party ones). Quite why someone would go someone 'life critical' and rely on an electronic device with no 'paper' backup is beyond me.

      If I were going off the beaten track I would typically have (for navigation) my iPhone, a small dedicated GPS unit (typically far more rugged and pretty small / light), spare batteries, a paper map, a full sized compass and a mini compass as a backup. Overkill - hardly - I value my life and realise no single device is foolproof, batteries fail etc.

      Nothing like humans trying to blame 'technology' for their own loss of common sense / failure to make basic preparations.

      1. Mark .

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        Does the Google maps have satnav? If not, it's not an alternative.

        Sure, you can pay to get a 3rd party one, to get functionality that's been available in Android and Nokia phones for years...

      2. Irongut

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        "The reality is at least on an iDevice you get Apple Maps AND Google Maps (as well as plenty of other 3rd party ones)."

        Except the reality is there is no Google Maps app for iOS. Or did you mean you can go to their website? Hardly the same thing now is it?

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

        > I would typically have (for navigation) my iPhone, a small dedicated GPS unit (typically far more rugged and pretty small / light), spare batteries, a paper map, a full sized compass and a mini compass as a backup.

        You can get spare batteries for an iPhone? Wont you also need to take the tools needed to replace the battery?

        They were not going off the beaten track, they where going to a town called Mildura.

    7. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      You forget that if you are unhappy with Google Maps you can just go to the Google Maps web page and save it as an icon and use that - took me all of 10 seconds.

    8. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why doesn't Apple simply 'Man Up'?

      So you will personally guarantee Google maps are 100% accurate?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    You all have it wrong. Apple could have produced a proper maps program but Apple knows that there will always be wrong data. So they are making prior art as we speak so in the future, they can sue others when they have wrong data.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "You all have it wrong. Apple could have produced a proper maps program but Apple knows that there will always be wrong data. So they are making prior art as we speak so in the future, they can sue others when they have wrong data."

      I have prior art and evidence: see my GCSE exam results.

    2. WatAWorld

      Like with smudged screens, they produce screens that easily show finger prints so that when others produce screens that easily show finger prints they can sue them?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    Missed an opportunity for a great subtitle here, Reg.....

    "Apple's Crap Map App Leaves Hapless Saps Trapped"

    1. JetSetJim
      Pint

      Re: Missed an opportunity for a great subtitle here, Reg.....

      shame you couldn't get a "fap" in there ;)

  8. WatAWorld

    but those trusting *Apple* must share some blame if they end up in the wrong spot.

    but those trusting *Apple* must share some blame if they end up in the wrong spot.

  9. Winkypop Silver badge
    Alert

    Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

    Up that way, roads are scarce, good roads even more so.

    The main road to Mildurah is tarred and has signs + painted road markings, this is as good as it gets.

    Leaving the main road would only offer you 4wd tracks.

    Turn off at your own peril.

    Better yet, turn off your iPhone

    1. durbster

      Re: Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

      There are lots of unsealed roads out there so it's not unusual to take one to reach a tourist spot, 4WD or not.

      1. Winkypop Silver badge

        Re: Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

        Tourist spot, certainly.

        Major regional centre, not so much.

      2. Adam 1

        Re: Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

        " There are lots of unsealed roads out there so it's not unusual to take one to reach a tourist spot, 4WD or not."

        Mildura is a population center of 30,000. You even get your pick of 3 different McDonald's.

        Pretty sure that if you need to engage diff lock then you have taken a wrong turn somewhere.

        1. Chemist

          Re: Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

          "3 different McDonald's."

          There are DIFFERENT McDonalds ?????

        2. durbster

          Re: Who would leave a perfectly serviceable highway?

          "Pretty sure that if you need to engage diff lock then you have taken a wrong turn somewhere."

          Depends how adventurous you are. ;)

          Fair point though, didn't realise Mildura was that big.

  10. jake Silver badge

    One wonders ...

    ... why people of today blindly follow electronic gadgets. Back in the day, people were either explorers (and quite prepared), or tourists who paid attention to locals. Or corpses, due to being stupid.

    Ah, well ... I guess it's yet another method of chlorinating the gene-pool. Carry on, all :-)

  11. graeme leggett Silver badge

    "sealed" roads

    had a brief mental image of a cordon sanitaire round the park until I cottoned on that it was refering to a tarmac'ed surface.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "sealed" roads

      Ah yes. Here in Australia we are bilingual. We speak both English and Merkin, with a growing preference for Merkin.

      1. PhilBuk
        Headmaster

        Re: "sealed" roads

        Must be Australian English. The correct term, of course is "metalled".

        Phil.

  12. Nish
    FAIL

    Erm isn't this Australia's fault?

    Everyone seems to be forgetting something here. If my iPhone says this is where a town is I expect it to be there. Any deaths should be put squarely at Australia for not moving their town to fit.

    Fail = being Australia.

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

      Re: Erm isn't this Australia's fault?

      Nish, I would like to apologise, on behalf of the entire El Reg commentariat, for the downvote you received.

      1. Nish

        Re: Erm isn't this Australia's fault?

        Notorious BIG once rapped, you're nobody till someboady kills you, Australia is helping people become somebody

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Sorry doesn't cost anything

    Whereas actually doing something to change the situation does.

    If Apple roll back their maps it will cost them in many ways that can be easily counting on their balance sheet.

    This is the nature of global businesses, if only a small percentage of their users are affected it is technically not a problem. Unfortunately less than 1% of users can still count in the millions.

    In this case, i imagine we are not even talking about a few hundred users so why on earth would Apple care, they are not known for their caring, humanistic view on things and particularly if it is a batte between people and profit... profit every time.

    Sadly, even amongst iPhone users, the maps issue is being forgiven because "Apple are so great and they give us all these wonderful sexy products at only 4x the price of anything else on the market, I am so lucky Apple allow me to give them all my money and praise them... ".

    Apple fanbois sound like abused partners in violent relationships " Apple loves me really, they just rape my wallet because i deserve it".

  14. Blofeld's Cat
    Devil

    Evolution in action...

    Give sufficient time the Murray-Sunset National Park will gain a new tourist attraction...

    Guide: "These bleached bones and rusting vehicles are the Legendary iPhone Users' Graveyard where, for some unexplained reason, large numbers of fanbois came to die."

    "Some people say that if you listen carefully on still nights, you can hear ethereal voices saying you have reached your destination."

  15. btkg
    Coat

    You're holding it wrong!

    That is all.

  16. Miek
    Linux

    "Our investigation of Apple's directions lead us to believe that following them would almost certainly involve leaving a sealed main road likely to offer several signposts for Mildura and instead follow unsealed roads bearing no indication they lead to the town. " -- They probably zoned out mindlessly following the satnav. I mean, road signs are for the poor people with no iPhone right?

  17. DAN*tastik
    WTF?

    "Apple Australia contacted The Register to say it has no statement to offer"

    When you thought life couldn't get more surreal... Is this how it went?

    Apple : "Oh, hello. Is this the register?"

    TR: "Speaking."

    Apple : "We just called to let you know we have nothing to say."

    TR: "Oh, ok. Thank you. Have a nice day."

    Apple "You're welcome. And you. Bye"

    1. JetSetJim

      Re: "Apple Australia contacted The Register to say it has no statement to offer"

      Possibly more along the lines of TR emailing "contact_us@apple.au", Apple then ring up to say "Mr Cook has already addressed this issue - leave us alone we're busy trying to fix the maps"

  18. MrXavia
    FAIL

    the problem is if you don't know where your going, you won't know your going the wrong way, tourists will be the ones that are most at risk..

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Most at risk should be the most careful = another map / check directions with locals before leaving?

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This isn't ****ing funny

    But of course there can't be many other people reading this who have actually had a real life friend get lost in the outback and die.

    1. pepper

      Re: This isn't ****ing funny

      Just because something is sad to you doesnt make it less funny for others. Some of the best humour is at the expense of others!

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: This isn't ****ing funny

        This wasn't about you, troll boy; next time try reading past the word 'friend'.

        1. pepper

          Re: This isn't ****ing funny

          You yourself declared it not funny.. You should have just kept it to yourself then if you find it such a big problem.

          And really? Declaring people Troll's? pathetic...

  20. Only me!
    Mushroom

    Floating off

    This is a major story.....Oz has floated off in the ocean and is now 70km off course....PANIC!!!!

  21. Piro Silver badge

    They trusted Apple Maps, so..

    .. they deserved to get a bit lost. When a bit of software is so dire that the CEO of the company that pushed it out apologises for it, you know it's bad.

    Hell, there are plenty of bits of software that should be apologised for, but never will be.

  22. Nameless Faceless Computer User
    Devil

    People have way too much faith in electronic devices. My GPS once told me to make a right turn off a highway overpass and drive into a river. I decided not to do that. See how easy that was?

  23. Nifty Silver badge
    Joke

    G'day

    Can I leave the feedback to Apple in my will?

  24. croc

    Apple Accounting

    How much does it cost to fix maps? X.

    How much will it cost to NOT fix maps if someone dies? Y.

    If X > Y do not fix maps.

    If X = Y do not fix maps, but issue press release blaming customers.

    If Y > X, pay off Y but get signed NDA. Do not fix maps.

  25. LeeS
    Unhappy

    Tragically Google do correct their maps, it may take time but they do.

    I say tragically because 'Staygate' roundabout near Bradford was 'Stargate' roundabout for many years according to Google. just checked and they fixed it, I much preferred having a Stargate nearby...

    1. electricmonk
      Alien

      Stargate?

      That's nothing - according to the Ordnance Survey maps we have a "Satellite Teleport" facility here in central Hampshire. It saves a lot of money on those old-fashioned rockets. See http://binged.it/Z4II5X

      1. Teleporter
        Alien

        Re: Stargate?

        As an ex-employee of said Teleport, it does exist, and I believe is still operational, that is, of course, whether they have sold another of their 9.5m satellite dishes to a Saudi wanting Sky TV.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Stargate?

        The southern terminus of Blackpool's tram system is in an area known as Starr Gate.

        The other extremity is Bispham, which if you are not from the area sounds just like 'Brisbane' - can cause a bit of confusion!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I have asked Google to correct 3 different errors, reported them at least 2-3 times each over the last year+ and nothing. People act as if Google Maps was perfect on Day 1 - it's not 'perfect' now.

  26. Random Moniker

    Commentards blaming the phone users (well - they were stupid enough to buy Apple) are obviously not Australian, or have never left their major city.

    If I have an expensive device equipped with a GPS that's touted as a feature, I actually expect it to work. Unreasonable? Maybe. People were unreasonably expecting that the iPhone4 would work as a phone, but failed to realise its not a phone, it's an iPhone, whatever that is.

    Seriously though: someone earlier said something about paying attention to the locals. Clearly from ol' blighty - no idea of the distances involved in Australian cross-country driving, or the fact that you can go from a full tank of petrol to empty without seeing another soul. Then you're screwed. You didn't get the chance to ask directions.

    Yes - they should take precautions. They should also expect that their feature-packed phone which is heavily advertised as having a GPS is at least somewhat reliable. 200km off is not reliable. In the outback, that could be the difference between life and death.

    1. pepper

      Having a GPS and having navigation software are 2 different things. Hence why its worth checking the raw data the GPS sends you for about 2 minutes and find your position on a physical map. Not that difficult and it saves you a lot of trouble. Especially if you know you will have to cross baren lands without any decent preperation in emergency gear.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Crazy thing is did they not question it at all. Why did they not have a paper map (simple) or just another mapping application as a backup - I put a link to Google Maps on my iPhone in seconds.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Agreed

        When I drive I have sally satnag on the dashboard, and the wife with the bumper book of roads on standby. Usually my wife is quite good with the common sense type of driving. She would of recognized the error straight away and plotted a better route quicker that the satnag.

        *anon as I can't have the wife see this compliment.

      2. Mark .

        Does the Google maps website do satnav? I think that's only for Android.

        Shouldn't a smartphone Just Work, rather than needing to carry around big paper maps, and have backup links to other websites? At which point when driving should one decide that the phone provided satnav isn't working, and you have to stop and dig out the paper map, or start browsing manually on a map website?

        1. pepper

          Mark, I agree it would be nice if 'stuff' just worked, but it doesnt. Hence why its important to carry backup equipment. Especially with cheap gear like a smartphone when being used for navigating which isnt its main task.

          Crossing the outback is in my mind no different then navigating in a airplane, you have multiple ways of finding your way around, make sure you are prepared and have a backup plan incase it goes wrong.

  27. A n o n y m o u s

    I've been driving down the M6 - joined the toll road and it's been telling me to leave, do a U-turn, drive across fields - did I - no - I had sufficient common sense to realise this did not seem right. If I were driving across Australia in areas where I was warned to take extra water and be prepared enough to be able to purify water 'in the field' I would certainly ask / check directions before leaving, have a backup, have some sense...

  28. mark1978

    Give up Apple!

    Apple should outsource their mapping to a company that knows what it is doing! Google for example.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Next week it will be a similar story but insert Google Maps - unless they are perfect?

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I've tried both Apple Maps and Google Maps - Apple maps are more up to date for some of the places I checked - also tried to find a place the other day on Google Maps and they were about a mile out (Apple Maps had it) - so it's not the case every time. I would certainly not like to place money that Google Maps has no errors.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      What seems to be missed here

      Is that Google and Apple are not themselves responsible for the mapping data in their services. They simply buy it from a GIS supplier. Of course there will be the odd inaccuracy in any data set. AFACIT Google and TomTom get their maps from Navteq and Tele Atlas.

      Now these incumbents are themselves terrible at correcting any inaccuracies. The building that I work in was opened in 2004 but does not exist according to many maps. Attempting to navigate to my house will result in being sent down an unsurfaced dead-end road (at least it's only 500yds away). I notified Tele Atlas over 8 years ago, explaining clearly and politely what was required to rectify the problem. I have never received any acknowledgement and the error is still in the maps being used today.

      So what I want to know is from which lowest-bidder are Apple sourcing their GIS data, who have got it all so wrong? Apple are far from blameless in this fiasco but ultimately the errors have come from somewhere else.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What seems to be missed here

        Downvotes for anecdote and questions now..?

        What's wrong with these fools?

  31. Alan Denman

    Fox news

    Sadly not on Fox news so not the most endangered of our species have probably not seen this.

  32. Alan Denman

    Google contract ended early

    So one casualty too many?

  33. Equitas
    FAIL

    Since nobody seems to have mentioned it ....

    Is this the Darwin effect?

    Is any i-Phone user safe to let loose with any sort of mapping?

    Is it not time to ban the import of i-Phones into Oz?

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Since nobody seems to have mentioned it ....

      Nope Darwin is way up north. If you were heading to Darwin your map is very wrong.

      It is slightly surreal when your GPS prints 999 as the distance to the next turning because it ran out of digits !

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If they're getting lost in the middle of the desert from using Apple maps then maybe we can just chalk this up as natural selection and just move on with our lives.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I still like maps..

    If there is one disadvantage of any GPS it's the small window. I rather like to know in general terms where I'm heading, and by that I mean beyond a compass direction (remember those?).

    A map always works, except when it's dark, and having the oversight helps spotting when you come off track. The only thing I don't know is how accurate paper maps are - AFAIK they must be produced from some data base too..

  36. Grease Monkey Silver badge

    It just works...

    ...very, very badly.

  37. bugalugs
    Flame

    Having motorcycled through the Pink Lakes country *

    I'm here to say it can be very, very scary. Flat, dry as chips, few geographical references and no locals to speak of **. Being Australia, tourist rip-off mecca that it can be, not a particular flying fuck is given about anyone who doesn't know their way around you are free to go as and where you please. But this police advice needs to be posted in a meter-high font at every entrepot. Failure to carry adequate paperwork, funds, fuel, water, warm clothing, bedding, first-aid kit, rations and excuses on long trips can be fatal ! ON ANY OTHER THAN FIRST CLASS AIR SERVICES, LEAVE ALONE REGIONAL HIGHWAYS !

    ps: roads here are generally described as either " made " or " unmade" according to extent of macadamisation.

    * before Jobs and Wozniak built their first device, as it happens

    ** Icon - did I mention HOT ?

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like