iPhone 5 Review: Botched Map App, Stock and Taxes Overshadow Apple Release

Culture

All the way from Japan to Australia to California, die hard Apple fans lined up the streets for sixth consecutive time to update their beloved hardware and software while lifting the Cupertino, California, company's stock even further and helping to consolidate Apple as one of the most valuable companies in history.  

And they did it again, as Thursday night became Friday morning around the world and the sun came out (literally and figuratively) for the hundreds of thousands of Apple groupies eagerly waiting to put their hands on their new toy: a latest generation iOS device with a bigger screen, a lighter and slimmer frame, a faster processor and -- for the first time! -- 4G LTE wireless connections.  

But not all is rosy for Apple, which took 2 million pre-orders for the phone in the first 24 hours they were available last week on September 12, expecting to sell more than 10 million by Monday. Some users have complained about Apple's new operating system -- iOS 6 -- that is debuting its own "in-house" map service after the Apple/Google epic breakup

The complains are best summed up on the ironic Tumblr blog "The Amazing iOS 6 Maps" where angry iPhone/Google Maps users have taken to vent their frustration over what they say is Apple's "crappy" new map service with its pixelated inaccuracies and "Inception-type” graphics that shows lakes where schools should be and rock climbing landscapes instead of highways. 

The map issue is soon becoming a deal breaker for users and the industry, as Apple vows to improve its new and crowd sourced service and Google -- on the other hand -- suggests users to download and install its map service as a web applications on their newly minted iPhone 5 devices. 

But the maps fiasco could be the least of the Apple's problems. The company is starting to face new scrutiny over its finances, as the astronomical sales of iPhone 5 propel the company's stock and value once again. Fresh concerns about the company's tax practices, which aren't by any means illegal, have surfaced as Apple has been successful not only at producing and selling high quality products but also at minimizing tax liabilities in California and 20 other states through its financial subsidiary -- Braeburn Capital -- located in Reno, Nevada.