So IOS7 has launched to much fanfare. Serious fanfare in fact. I’ve seen on my Twitter feed alone people leaving university (college, if American), people taking the day off from work as well as people using an impressive array of unsecured WiFi hotspots to secure the much talked about upgrade.

However, underneath this triumphant release of their new flagship software, there’s been another problem with their maps software. It seems Apple’s idea of “Release flawed software – Apply patch fix later” that has worked in the past doesn’t work all the time.

Especially not with their Apple Maps software which has encountered pretty hilarious errors in the past. But this time it was far from a laughing matter as the software this time directed people over an airport runway.

Not specifically to be honest. You see the Apple Maps software will take you through an access route used by pilots and then conclude by telling you “Take Taxiway B” which is probably the safe route to the terminal. However the reality of it is that you turn onto the access route and are met with concrete all the way to the terminal that is dead ahead of you.

There are two problems here. 1) Some of that concrete belongs to the runway where Boeing 737s happen to use regularly. 2) Apple Maps directs you to this expanse of concrete.

You would forgive people for thinking that Taxiway B does go all the way to the terminal, when in fact it doesn’t. Thankfully no one was hurt in either of the incidents, but I’m sure Apple Maps’ pride has suffered a wee bit of a blow.

Blog Post by: Greg McVey