Richard Williamson, the man in charge of overseeing the development of Apple Maps, has been fired by Apple for creating a disappointing product. Public opinion on Apple’s mapping app is well known. The app was the major focus of complaints aimed at Apple when they released iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 and has left a recent dark spot over the company’s success. This is what has sparked the recent movement to re-organize the Maps management team. It began with the recent departure of Scott Forstall, the head of iOS, and has now continued on to the firing of Richard Williamson.
Reports say that Williamson was fired by Eddy Cue, the man who has settled into Forstall’s old duties.
Hopefully the shakeup happening at Apple leads to a better Maps app and that it wasn’t just done to appease the angry mob of Apple fans and shareholders looking for blood. With other companies like Google and Nokia seeking to gain a mapping presence on iOS, it’s important for Apple to turn things around before too many people switch to another app.
That said, Apple has one advantage that others do not in this situation, shipping its Maps app preinstalled and deeply integrated with other applications on the device. That kinda gives them a giant leg up on the competition.
Image Credit: Embargo Zone
