Motorola ad slating Apple Maps was misguided

Remember that Motorola advert that slated Apple Maps? You know, the one that pointed out that -- duh -- it couldn't even find a simple address in New York? Well it turns out that address doesn't actually exist, Apple Insider reports.

Ah.

"Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan?" the ad read. "Google Maps on Droid RAZR M will get you there and not #iLost in Brooklyn." But 315 E 15th isn't actually an official address. A public park is on that side of the street, meaning none of the block's odd numbers are valid.

The advert (for Motorola, which is owned by Google, let's not forget) shows Apple Maps as bringing up an address on Marlborough Road. What used to be the 300 block of East 15th Street is now called Marlborough Road, so Apple isn't as far off the mark as the ad makes out.

Of course this doesn't take away from the fact Apple Maps has been a complete disaster -- but still, Motorola shouldn't put the boot in without getting its facts straight.

Maybe Google should be more focussed on finding out why its own Maps service takes you to an invalid address when you enter the co-ordinates. What's doubly embarrassing is that Apple Maps does actually take you to where the address should be.

The advert was still on Motorola's Facebook and Google Plus pages at time of writing.

It did seem a bit opportunistic of Google to jump on the bandwagon mocking Apple Maps. But then I suppose it was annoyed since Apple spurned its navigation app in favour of its own in-house version. Apparently the spat came down to verbal turn-by-turn directions. Apple wouldn't allow Google branding, and Google refused to give up the spoken directions.

What do you think of tech companies attacking each other in adverts? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.