Apple Axes Maps Chief

The manager who oversaw Apple's mistake-ridden maps software has been told to clean out his desk and attempt to find his way out of the building. Mapping team chief Richard Williamson was fired as part of a management shake-up last month, sources tell Bloomberg, and his replacement is scrambling to improve the heavily criticized software.

After Apple released its answer to Google Maps in September, it soon received reports of errors including misplaced landmarks and routes that got people lost, prompting a public apology from CEO Tim Cook. Some problems have been fixed and the company says it is continuing to improve the product, but it will soon be competing with a Google Maps app for Apple devices, which could be out before the end of the year, the New York Times notes.