Australian police: Apple maps 'life threatening'

Police have had to rescue five motorists who followed directions from their iPhones operating on the new iOS6 system but were led more than 70km off-course. Photo / AFP

Victoria Police say a glitch in Apple's new iPhone mapping system is putting lives at risk by sending motorists into isolated parkland.

Over the past month, officers in the far northwestern Victorian town of Mildura have had to rescue five motorists who followed directions from their iPhones operating on the new iOS6 system but were led more than 70km off-course.

Motorists had intended to drive to Mildura but ended up lost in isolated and dangerous terrain inside Murray-Sunset National Park.

Some of the motorists who were left stranded waited up to 24 hours without food or water and had to walk long distances to get phone reception, police said.

Victoria Police issued a warning today about the potentially life-threatening situation.
"Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees," a police statement said.

The Mildura mapping flaw is one of many complaints users have levelled against Apple since the company's software update and new mapping application made its debut earlier this year.

In September, Apple chief executive Tim Cook apologised for the string of problems with its maps application and recommended users rely on other maps instead.

"We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make maps better," Mr Cook's open letter said.

A local Apple spokesperson said the map app has an icon that enables people to report problems.

Victoria Police has notified Apple of the problem.
Anyone travelling to Mildura or other locations within Victoria is being urged by police to rely on other forms of mapping until the error is fixed.

- AAP