iOS 6's Drop of Google Maps Causes Urban Kerfuffle

Despite supposed reports to the contrary, Philip Bump, a registered Apple developer, claims in an article in Grist that Apple's new operating system, unveiled this week, "didn't kill walking and public transit directions," and he's got the screenshots to prove it.

It turns out, however, that he's only partially correct. According to Angie Schmitt, at Streetsblog, who's a bit more accurate in her wording, "The new, Apple-developed map application will include driving directions and walking directions, but no transit information, at least not standard. Instead, if you want to figure out how to get somewhere without driving, users will have to download a third-party application."

As Schmitt notes, "In response, WalkScore today launched a campaign to have the transit feature restored, asking supporters to tweet Apple directly. 'We believe that having built-in transit directions on your phone helps public transit work better for everyone,' the company says on its petition site."

Some, however, are quite happy with the ditching of Google's Map app.

"Apple has finally ditched the sclerotic Google maps app that comes on every iPhone, in favor of its own mapping system which will be able to give you turn-by-turn directions. It was about time--Google's application hasn't improved one jot from a usability standpoint, ever since it was introduced," writes Mark Wilson for Co.Design.