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Apple quietly improving its iOS maps data

New photos show Apple has pushed out a number of changes to the location data in its controversial maps application.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer
Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.
Josh Lowensohn
2 min read
Apple

Apple appears to be fixing its in-house maps software with new additions and corrections.

A week after the company pledged to improve the quality of the software, some locations are already showing signs of attention, notably corrections to points of interest and improvements in detail, including 3D representations.

Macrumors today points to some notable improvements and expansions in 3D data, including a 3D view of New York's Statue of Liberty, which appeared as a flat aerial shot in the initial public release and has since been given the 3D flyover treatment. Other changes appear in parts of the U.S. and the U.K., the site says.

Shortly after a storm of criticism of the new feature, which replaced Google's mapping data in iOS 6, Apple said it would be "continuously improving" the product. "The more people use it, the better it will get," a company representative told CNET at the time.

Since the service pulls its map tiles from the cloud, Apple can push out changes and improvements without having to release a new version of the software.

A quick run through some of the more embarrassing errors that were chronicled immediately after the software went out to the public show that they still exist, including bumpy airport runways, melting bridges, and out of date satellite photos. But there are also some changes to points of interest, one case in point being the Lighthouse at Point Reyes Station in Northern California. A search for it immediately after the public launch had it landlocked:

A search for the Point Reyes Lighthouse in Northern California.
A search for the Point Reyes Lighthouse in Northern California. James Martin/CNET

Whereas it now appears in its proper location:

A search for the Point Reyes Lighthouse in Northern California, today.
A search for the Point Reyes Lighthouse in Northern California, today. Josh Lowensohn/CNET

Apple is expected to continue to make improvements, though the company has not provided a timetable for any major revisions. In a letter to consumers last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook apologized for the software, listing alternatives from competitors.

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