Apple Maps Can Be “Life Threatening” : Australian Police
Australian police Monday, December 10, warned motorists about using the map system on new Apple iPhones after rescuing several people left stranded in the wilderness, saying the errors could prove deadly.
The warning comes after after a number of people trying to find the town (Mildura) of 30,000 people have become hopelessly lost in scorching temperatures.
One man was stranded for 24 hours last week in temperatures of up to 46 degrees centigrade, and at least three more have had to be rescued after following the directions given on Apple’s new maps, which locate Mildura far from its actual position.
Authorities said tests on the mapping system had confirmed that it lists Mildura, around 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of Melbourne, as being in the heart of the Murray Sunset National Park.
[quote] “It’s quite a dangerous situation, so we would be calling for people not to use the new Apple iPhone mapping system if they’re traveling from South Australia to Mildura.[/quote]
Apple dropped Google as its map provider in September with the launch of its iOS 6 software for the iPhone and iPad. But problems quickly emerged with the map detail. Apple received criticism over inaccuracies in mapping data like the mislocation in Victoria, which led to the termination of several people involved with the Maps project, including Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall and Maps manager Richard Williamson.
