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Motorola advert mocks Apple's Maps mess

Motorola (owned by Google) has launched an ad campaign slating Apple's much-maligned Maps app.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Hell hath no fury like a tech company scorned. Apple dumped Google Maps for the iPhone 5 in favour of its own navigation app, and has heard nothing but bad things about it since. And now it looks like Google is keen to get in on the Apple-bashing.

Motorola (owned by Google) has posted an advert on its Google Plus and Facebook pages ribbing the Maps app in iOS 6, TechCrunch reports. It's even coined a hashtag: #iLost.

"Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan?" it says. "Google Maps on Droid RAZR M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn." Then ad's slogan reads: "The real world that's fit for your hand," and is shown along with a detailed screenshot of Google Maps next to the rather sparse-looking Apple Maps.

Apple dropped Google Maps in favour of its homegrown Maps app (with data provided by TomTom). At first, everyone was wowed by the 3D-ness Apple was touting. Then we all got to use it, and realised what a mess it really is. It thinks Luton is in Devonshire, and that Heathrow airport is right next to Hyde Park. Still, at least it'll point you to your nearest Our Price.

Google Maps wiped the floor with Apple's Maps in our test this week.

Nokia has been taking aim at the iPhone 5 too, with a detailed breakdown of how the Lumia 920 is better. Samsung also launched an ad campaign slating Apple's finest, labelling the iPhone as fit for old fogies, and another with a side-by-side spec sheet comparing it with the Galaxy S3.

As you might expect, the ads are skewed in Nokia and Samsung's favours, with no mention of an App Store. But the Maps debacle is a big mess, especially seeing considering Apple's supposed reputation for quality. What happened to not releasing software until it was ready for use, guys?

Apple launched its own tranche of adverts too this week. There's no mention of any rivals, but from the sound of them everyone involved was too busy patting themselves on the back to notice any other phones.

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

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