> So I have no clue why on earth Apple created such a neutered mapping app for a mobile device.

The terms of the license agreement with Google for maps data likely didn't include the ability to perform turn-by-turn navigation. Another reason why they moved to their own maps backend for iOS 6.

What I read was that Google would allow Apple to do turn-by-turn in exchange for ads. Apple don't want to sully iOS with ads so they refused those terms, and Google wouldn't agree to anything else.

Does that mean by the time Google had decided to work on the iPhone-like Android interface, they had been planning to work on a turn-by-turn navigation system using Google Maps for Android as well?

Android has had turn-by-turn navigation at least since 2010. Having a GPS is irrelevant if you've got an Android.

Actually it depends on how you use GPSs. Its certainly possible to write a mapping/GPS app for a smart phone that is competitive with the more advanced features of handheld or dashmount GPSs, but I simply haven't seen one yet. None of the features I need are big ones, but rather a bunch features that add up to a much better user experience for a GPS geek. A couple of those hard to find features are: multi point routing (or some way to allow me to tell the GPS the route instead of the other way around), ability to build routes on PC/Mac and upload to the GPS, off-road routing, track to route conversion, etc..

> I freaking hate the Google maps app on iPhone - I don't have any need for a map app on a mobile device unless it has turn-by-turn voice navigation along with re-routing capabilities

Really now? As another anecdotal point, I freaking love it, and I'm saying this as a an almost-Apple-fanboy. I'm a pedestrian living in an Eastern European city of 2-million people, and I've used the maps app countless times.

Not that I wouldn't know my city (I've actually implemented 2 or 3 or map-related projects focused on the city I live in, just as a hobby), but because it is impossible to remember how exactly to locate the street bearing the name of an obscure 19-century music composer that just happens to be the address of a restaurant you're interested in. Or how when I got lost in the center of Athens, as a tourist, around Omonia Square ("I don't need a paper map, I can manage" I was saying to myself as I was leaving my hotel room), I heavily relied on the said map and on the kindness on strangers who had shared their home wifi networks to make my way around to Exarcheia.

I don't live in a big city and my main mode of transportation is driving and especially the one where directions matter. Walking around inside the mall/plaza or my university campus don't require me to look up directions. It has been handy a few times when I visited cities but those add up to at max a week in a year. So yeah, it is pretty useless for me and thank goodness something like Waze exists on iPhone.

I forgot about the lack of turn-by-turn driving instructions. It's strange but I've actually never had any desire to use that feature on any product. When I use maps I just look once, memorize the major pieces of the trip (freeways, exits etc) and then just go and try to find my way.

I came to iPhone from Android and have since severely missed turn-by-turn on the default map app. I depend on Waze and sometimes on Mapquest although the latter uses a stupidly outdated map.

This is just a silly sentiment. The iPhone maps app may not be perfect but having no clue why it was created makes it sound like you are dumb or just being difficult.

A mapping service with directions on a device that is supposed to be with you all the time is supposed to be mostly handy for driving purposes (at least from my perspective). That's a fundamental requirement. Lack of voice turn-by-turn makes it incomplete, not "may not be perfect".

I questioned why it was neutered the way it is now - not why it was created. I buy Apple products for wholesome user experience and the Google maps ain't one of them (neither is the mail app and so on). If you think this is a silly sentiment, then you must be pretty dumb about user experience issues in mobile situations.

Have you ever walked somewhere?

Driving is not the only mode of transport. And SatNav is not the only type of useful map.

Paper maps are useful - an equivalent to a paper map that holds data for the entire world, can put a pin in my exact global location, and can tell me where the nearest Starbucks is? Yeah, I can't see any use for that at all.

I don't know where you live but where I do, driving is the main mode of transportation and especially the only one where directions matter.