As Apple takes heat, Google rolls out new Map features Apple and Google have collided in a heated battle for the smartphone market. Apple has been taking a lot of heat for launching a maps app that critics complain doesn't feel complete. Apple dropped Google Maps from iOS 6 in favor of its own Apple Maps app. Google Maps had been a default on the iPhone since its initial release in 2007. The company faces overwhelming criticism and even ridicule for the imperfections of Apple Maps. Following the update, users complained of getting lost, not seeing landmarks and the lack of directions on public transportation. Apple's chief executive officer Tim Cook released an apology to customers that are frustrated with Apple Maps. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better," Cook said in the letter published Friday on Apple's website. Google, on the other hand, may be benefiting from the rare Apple flub by launching several updates to Google Maps. The search giant announced Friday that it improved aerial and satellite imagery for 17 cities and 112 countries or regions. On Tuesday, Google took street view under water and unveiled stunning images of the Great Barrier Reef. Speculation persists that Google is working on an iOS 6 app, although Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt has said the company is not working on a Google Maps app for iOS 6. If Google chooses to keep Google Maps as an exclusive feature on Android phones, it could give the company an edge over Apple. Forbes contributor Chunka Mui posits that by depriving Apple fans of Google Maps, it would push users to Android devices. "Upping the bet to make Google Maps exclusive to Android would increase Google's chances in the escalating war for mobile device dominance," Mui writes. The competition between Apple and Google is nothing new. Although the move to launch an imperfect version of Apple Maps has irked critics, the company has bounced back from mistakes in the past. Apple has faced widespread complaints following a new product release. Soon after the iPhone 4 was launched in 2010, users complained of frequent dropped calls. The incident was coined "antennagate" and the computer giant's late CEO Steve Jobs held an event explaining the issue and offered a solution in the form of free cases. This time around, Cook has instructed users to download other map apps while Apple works to improve Apple Maps. While the solution is puzzling to many, the company is at the very least attempting to make amends with frustrated fans. Two years after "antennagate" the iPhone is still breaking records. The iPhone 5 was sold out over its first weekend, raking in 5 million in sales. History suggests that Apple will recover from what people are calling "mapplegate." As Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps said in a blog post: "consumers and journalists seem to expect perfection from Apple. But like any company attempting to innovate in this highly competitive consumer tech market, Apple is not infallible - there's a map for that.