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Apple Maps Was Down For All Users Earlier Today (engadget.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: Apple Maps is down and has been for a few hours today, 9to5Mac reports. Users are noting on Twitter and Apple Support that the service isn't working on phones, Apple Watch or CarPlay and searches for certain places or points of interest result in a "No Results Found" response. Apple has noted on its system status site that all users are experiencing issues with both Maps search and navigation. Update: It is functional again.

74 comments

  1. All users? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    So, IOW, no one at all is affected?

    1. Re: All users? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "No cell phones in prison..."

      Cute. But there are. Drugs and weapons too. It's called "contraband" and the searches always yield results.

  2. You're holding it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Works for me

    1. Re:You're holding it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Working for me as well. It's running kind of slow, but I've been able to do searches and get directions that weren't previous cached.

    2. Re: You're holding it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet nobody even bothered to try turning it off and then on again either.

    3. Re:You're holding it wrong by WankerWeasel · · Score: 4, Informative

      By the time this hit Slashdot front page, Apple had resolved the issue. https://www.apple.com/support/...

    4. Re:You're holding it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's 1:38 EST and it's still down for me here...

      WTF is going on!?

      CAP === 'parody'

    5. Re:You're holding it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Legendary apple quality

    6. Re:You're holding it wrong by saloomy · · Score: 1

      Actually, I believe he was Buddhist .

    7. Re:You're holding it wrong by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Thank god, I wouldn't use Slashdot's speed of reporting as a metric of good customer service.

  3. Oh no! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How is creimer supposed to find his next Starbucks?

  4. Can you imagine if this happened with self driving by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If this happened once all cars are self driving, the entire country would grind to a halt. Economic output would plummet and we could be facing recession.

  5. As of 1:20 pm ET, service has been restored. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    old news ... As of 1:20 pm ET, service has been restored.

    1. Re:As of 1:20 pm ET, service has been restored. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Was it old news at 1:15PM ET when it was posted? GTFO.

    2. Re:As of 1:20 pm ET, service has been restored. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no, it was not, you're right. Sorry!

  6. It was probably a problem with their Hosts File by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't cha know, hosts files can cure anything!

  7. Danger, Will Robinson! by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 2

    Do you want to get lost in space? This is how people get lost in space.

  8. TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    And shit like this is why I will stick with my TomTom instead of a damned phone to navigate.

    My TomTom isn't dependent on a network connection, someone else's servers, or anything outside of my car besides the actual satellites. And, nobody gets to track me for advertising purposes.

    On-line stuff has a bad habit of failing you at the least opportune moments.

    There's nothing more hilarious than one of the phone zombies who finds themselves out of signal range -- no Facebook, no music streaming, no cat videos ... just them and a phone which can no longer do anything for them. They just stare at their phone like their world has just collapsed.

    I'll stick with my dedicated iPod and GPS which are immune to this crap, and doesn't include ads, analytics, or DRM.

    1. Re:TomTom ... by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And shit like this is why I will stick with my TomTom instead of a damned phone to navigate.

      You do realize there are oodles of offline map apps that can navigate without any connectivity, right?

      I have Navigon, but there are a number of others... including TomTom. And they all work way better on the phones than the physical dedicated devices.

      Well, except for the GPS, that's usually a bit better in the dedicated devices... but you can also get external bluetooth GPS units that enhance GPS reception to the level of any other good dedicated GPS device.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    2. Re:TomTom ... by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      And shit like this is why I will stick with my TomTom instead of a damned phone to navigate.

      My TomTom isn't dependent on a network connection, someone else's servers, or anything outside of my car besides the actual satellites. And, nobody gets to track me for advertising purposes.

      On-line stuff has a bad habit of failing you at the least opportune moments.

      There's nothing more hilarious than one of the phone zombies who finds themselves out of signal range -- no Facebook, no music streaming, no cat videos ... just them and a phone which can no longer do anything for them. They just stare at their phone like their world has just collapsed.

      I'll stick with my dedicated iPod and GPS which are immune to this crap, and doesn't include ads, analytics, or DRM.

      So you haven't worked out how to download offline maps on your phone?

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    3. Re:TomTom ... by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Do any of them take traffic conditions into account? I use my phone to navigate to places where I already know the route just so I'm not caught off-guard.

    4. Re:TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And shit like this is why I will stick with my TomTom instead of a damned phone to navigate.

      You do realize there are oodles of offline map apps that can navigate without any connectivity, right?

      Not really an 'app guy', because I don't give a fuck. My work phone is used for calls, emails, and the odd text message. When I get home, it stays in the laptop bag until the next workday. My personal phone has no data plan at all.

      I don't walk around tethered to a phone, because gadgets and technology aren't things I give a damn about any more. I've been around that stuff for decades now, and have ultimately decided most of it is a waste of time and money. I've lost count of the number of on-line services and gadgets I've seen people buy, decree was the best thing ever, and not be using within a month once the novelty wears off.

      I can easily go several days without even touching a cell phone.

      My TomTom has maps for the US, Mexico, and Canada and I update it every 3-6 months. It just sits there in my windshield until I need it. And I don't need to have shit like location services enabled on a phone, pay roaming costs, or have to worry about lack of coverage or an outage.

      Life is just too damned short to clutter up with digital crap which adds little of value to your life. If you find these things useful, either you have a different definition of useful, or you're just soothing your own anxiety with toys. And, judging by the number of people I know who can't go 30 minutes without checking their Facebook feed ... I'd say it's generally the latter.

    5. Re:TomTom ... by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

      My personal phone has no data plan at all.

      Don't need one for ANY of the offline map apps I mentioned.

      ?I can easily go several days without even touching a cell phone.

      Oh yeah? I can (and have) gone WEEKS with no cell or data connectivity. I guess that makes me more manlier or something. (spits in bucket).

      My TomTom has maps for the US, Mexico, and Canada and I update it every 3-6 months.

      The TomTom (and other) offline map apps can download over wiFi maps for anywhere in the world on demand. I've used the Navigon app in Europe for example when renting a car, as well as the US and Canada.

      It just sits there in my windshield until I need it

      Mine is in my pocket all the time so if I happen to be on public transit or riding as a passenger I can still use it to look where things are.

      And I don't need to have shit like location services enabled on a phone

      And if the phone has no data plan you care about that why exactly? You don't have to leave location on.

      or have to worry about lack of coverage or an outage.

      HELLLLLOOOOOOOO Knock Knock Knock anyone in there? Do you know what offline maps even means? That's exactly why I have those apps, so I too do not need to worry about coverage or outages (I originally got Navigon to drive in Europe so I wouldn't have to use cellular data to navigate, that was when I wasn't with T-Mobile which has free international roaming).

      Life is just too damned short to clutter up with digital crap which adds little of value to your life.

      Life is too short to bother with devices that have worse performance by any measure and are not around when you need them in a pinch because you left them on your windshield.

      I also had a dedicated TomTom, they are the best of a sea of bad options to be sure. But ANY offline navigation app (including TomTom) is vastly easier to use than any dedicated GPS device, not to mention the screen is far superior at this point on just about any phone. And I have just the phone instead of a phone and a TomTom like you have... and Like I said, I always have the phone with me, just not always connected. I connect when I choose, not when the device chooses. It doesn't take the willpower of a god to simply not use a phone until you wish.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    6. Re:TomTom ... by whoever57 · · Score: 1

      So you haven't worked out how to download offline maps on your phone?

      My phone does this automatically for the area around my home and work.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    7. Re:TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So you haven't worked out how to download offline maps on your phone?

      I don't have a phone, you insensitive clod!! ;-)

      Or, more accurately, my phone is capable of phone calls and SMS messages, and I have yet to find any discernible reason or compelling need to change that.

      Social media, cloud services, streaming ... and being constantly tracked by ad agencies ... none of these are compelling to me.

      After several decades in the tech industry, I'm over gadgets and toys for the most part. No smart home, no smart phone, no social media, no streaming media except to my big screen TV, no fitness devices, no smart thermostats, no internet connected butt plug (which, apparently, is an actual thing, I'm told).

      Just blissful peace as I put down tech at the end of the day and walk away from it. Sure, I've got a computer and an Apple TV. But I'm long since the point of caring about most other technology.

      The sad thing is half of management these days can't hold a normal conversation as they endlessly check their phones. They're as bad as teenagers.

      If I want to play with technology, I can always go to the server room and watch the blinking lights and randomly unplug network cables. That always makes for such amusing squealing, especially on a Friday afternoon. Speaking of which ... I think the marketing team is due for a little BOFH time.

    8. Re: TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It doesn't take the will power of a god...
        Unless you're an idevice user.

      Don't forget that the quick control for turning off WiFi still reports home when a known WiFi is in range.

      Every time you want to really turn things off, it's not a simple swipe tap

    9. Re: TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm surprised you even bothered responding. I read his post as a series of increasingly angry "get off my lawn" yells.

    10. Re:TomTom ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep. You can download areas in google maps to use offline if that's your thing.

    11. Re:TomTom ... by _merlin · · Score: 1

      Navigon's dead. At least in Asia/Pacific they're discontinuing the service. No more updates.

  9. You still don't get it, do you?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple does not go down. It's everybody else thats using it wrong!

  10. Nope by Ryanrule · · Score: 1

    Works for me.

    1. Re:Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same here. Used it four times already this morning.

  11. But how will I get to the Ivars in Puget Sound? by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    It's underwater.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:But how will I get to the Ivars in Puget Sound? by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 2

      Take a Lime bike. Those seem to be ending up in the water more and more these days.

  12. I am not affected ... by perpenso · · Score: 1

    Apple Maps is Down, 'All Users' Affected

    I am not affected in the sense that I am still mobile and able to find new and unfamiliar places. I have my old Thomas Bros maps in the trunk. Haven't used them in many years but hey, they are backups. :-)

  13. Blessing in disguise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At least no one will end up in the ocean today.

  14. Courage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple is just acting courageous again, removing maps from Maps.

  15. Just use Google Maps on CarPlay.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    or WAZE, or ...oh yea, you can't. IOS 12 can't get here soon enough.

  16. They were updating California maps... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For the upcoming 3-way split that Apple will pay (bribe) for.

  17. I've been reading forums trying to solve this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    But I've been going round and round in circles.

  18. so? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    just use google maps.

    or just eat a piece of cake out in the sun with a cold glass of sangria. wtf is wrong with you idiots?

  19. no biggie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Got restored within hours, not bad.

  20. Search Term Exploit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Someone searched for directions to "Updated Mac Hardware"

  21. My brain by DogDude · · Score: 1

    Unlike so many phone addicts, my brain still works. I get around without an electronic map at all! Honestly, it's still possible!

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
    1. Re:My brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your brain might still work, but you are still a cunt.

  22. Re:Can you imagine if this happened with self driv by Hadlock · · Score: 4, Informative

    Other than OTA updates, self driving cars are completely autonomous. So probably not.
     
    My boat did not sink when I took it from San Francisco to Monterey and we went out of cell phone reception. The nav software in the chartplotter just did it's thing. I think it was last updated in 2005.

    --
    moox. for a new generation.
  23. Re: Can you imagine if this happened with self dri by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That will be a feature, not a bug.

  24. Welcome to the cloud by Nkwe · · Score: 2

    Welcome to the cloud. This is a reminder that critical services in the cloud are a risk. As we all (should) know, the cloud is just someone else's computer that you are renting time on. With the cloud you are outsourcing the management of computing services to someone else. To be fair, your cloud provider may very well be able to run services more reliably that you can, and the accounting / cost models may make fiscal sense (expenses vs. assets, etc.), but it's important not to forget that there is nothing magic about the cloud. Failures can and do occur. Apple maps may or may not be a critical service for you, but the point is the same.

    1. Re:Welcome to the cloud by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      The thing is, if the companies running those servers knew a tiny bit about server redundancy they'd have backup servers in place to take over as soon as the primary servers were found to be faulty.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Welcome to the cloud by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reminds me of the last time we had an outage. (back in 2002).

      One datacenter went down due to natural disaster. Backup datacenter with all services was ready to take over. Except for a few hundred configuration files, which were never mirrored to the backup datacenter, since all clients were harcoded to use the ones in the primary datacenter even during testing of the backup datacenter.

      It took about three hours to restore those file from a few dozen off-site backup tapes. Those were some of the longest hours in my career.

    3. Re:Welcome to the cloud by MrData · · Score: 1

      Except that a no-nothing MBA has to approve the budget ...

    4. Re:Welcome to the cloud by MrData · · Score: 1

      Oops no-nothing => know-nothing.

    5. Re:Welcome to the cloud by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      The thing is, if the companies running those servers knew a tiny bit about server redundancy they'd have backup servers in place to take over as soon as the primary servers were found to be faulty.

      Yep, we all know redundancy never fails. It is fool proof!

    6. Re:Welcome to the cloud by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Mr. Data, report to engineering for a complete diagnostic.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    7. Re:Welcome to the cloud by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      That's why Starfleet requires a secondary backup!

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
  25. Yes, some do by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    Do any of them take traffic conditions into account?

    Some of the offline navigation apps do take traffic conditions into account as long as you have a data connection to pull traffic info over (some may store historical traffic info to use offline? Not sure about that though). It's usually an extra fee to access.

    I still don't trust any other app for traffic more than Waze though, since the other apps are getting just city traffic data feeds and Waze gets that plus all of the live user tracking and reporting. Happily anywhere there is significant traffic I'd have data connection anyway, it's only the really remote places where traffic is not an issue that I need the offline maps.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  26. damn shame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When Apple maps goes down you can't find those goddam queers.

    1. Re:damn shame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, that's when Grindr goes down.

  27. And nobody noticed by wonkavader · · Score: 2

    Because every single person on the planet prefers something else to it.

  28. Sure it is by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Every time you want to really turn things off, it's not a simple swipe tap

    If you REALLY want to turn things off, it is.a swipe tap - on airplane mode. That sticks until you undo airplane mode.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  29. All are optional, you are missing out by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Social media, cloud services, streaming ... and being constantly tracked by ad agencies ... none of these are compelling to me.

    You don't need to use any of those things (and if you have an iPhone don't need to be worried about ad tracking, just opt out of sharing anything with Apple).

    The iPhone is not a toy, or rather it can be WAY more than a toy. It has a number of incredibly useful tools, I use it way more as a toolbox than a toy. I can measure things with it, I can have access to maps at any time regardless of connectivity, I can look up something I would like to know, when I want to. I can use the camera to keep track of things like what an area of landscaping looks like before and after to compare results.

    I have pretty much all notifications off. The phone can be a dark brick that does nothing if you like until you will it to action. So why fear such an incredibly useful tool? You are only limiting your own potential. Even if I had no cell service I would find it invaluable and still carry one, just like a pocket knife.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:All are optional, you are missing out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So why fear such an incredibly useful tool?

      I'm not afraid of it, I don't give a fuck about it. There is a difference.

      Work pays for an iPhone ... other than periodically checking email and dialing into conference calls, I make little use of it.

      I've had access to the internet for like 30 years now ... the novelty wears off, and looking up what I want before I leave the house is just as easy.

      I just don't find myself with the need to be constantly connected ... in fact, I find myself actively not being connected unless I'm sitting at a desk. And I do enough of that that when I'm not at a desk, I'm about as offline as you get.

  30. All users down! Massive outage impacts no one. by torkus · · Score: 1

    Because honestly, Apple maps going down won't make those 5 people any more or less lost on a daily basis.

    --
    You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
  31. And no one noticed. by dowens81625 · · Score: 1

    And no one noticed.

  32. Apple maps, have they ever worked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Worst thing Apple ever did was create their own map application. Its even less accurate then Microsoft's Map in Windows 10 and that's saying something.

  33. Re:Can you imagine if this happened with self driv by saloomy · · Score: 1

    Cars do not have all map data on a hard drive. Your boat probably has the waterways in your region downloaded, since that data is so much simpler.

    A car that is FSD would plan its route, and cache the relevant data it needs (traffic light positions, speed limits, construction alerts, geo-coordinates, all kinds of metrics needed for the car to maneuver the route.

    If Apple Maps were supplying the data, your car would not have been able to enter FSD, since you wouldn't have been able to find your destination. You would have had to start off going on your own.

    For those who would be en-route, your route would be finished, since it would have been downloaded before you took off.

  34. Re:Can you imagine if this happened with self driv by Hadlock · · Score: 1

    My point is that nobody in their right mind would ever ever ever use apple maps to stream data for autonomous driving for exactly the reasons you're stating. I don't know how you think that would ever work or how any halfway sane engineer would sign off on that as safe.

    --
    moox. for a new generation.
  35. Re:Can you imagine if this happened with self driv by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If this happened once all cars are self driving, the entire country would grind to a halt. Economic output would plummet and we could be facing recession.

    You would probably not do any of Apples typical design choices if you are making a self driving car.
    Apples technology tends to be nice when everything works. When it doesn't you are screwed and have no way to work around it.

    A map service is something that you typically need more when you aren't at home.
    Relying on internet services seems like a bad choice to begin with.
    Why wouldn't they have locally cached maps?

  36. Re:Can you imagine if this happened with self driv by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cars do not have all map data on a hard drive. Your boat probably has the waterways in your region downloaded, since that data is so much simpler.

    The road map data is a lot bigger yes, but it isn't the 90's anymore.
    Dedicated GPS devices have had built in maps since the start. The only reason not to have it on a phone is that the map data competes with other data.
    For a self driving system there is no problem storing the maps locally and even the flimsiest storage solution is better than internet reliance.
    You still want internet access to pull in updates, but there is no reason the car shouldn't be able to plan a route when the map update services are unavailable.

  37. Interesting, still works in US (but is shut down) by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    I see what you mean, I could download maps for areas but after that got a message saying they were discontinuing development on the app - it must have been a bit ago as it's not been re-formatted for the iPhone X. Sorry to hear that as I kind of liked the app, but at least I have a few others - and the Navigon app still technically works.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley