Saying a “shipping” version of something feels (or objectively IS) incomplete isn’t usually the kind of thing I’d say about Apple. Windows 8 feels Incomplete. Windows 8 phone IS Incomplete. So is iOS 6.
When Apple is still working on things behind the scenes (this is before even announcements, not just when it ships) they occasionally ask a few developers to help them demo the top secret project. Lately, it’s been game developers demoing how great the new GPU and screen are. They should have been populating this list instead. Xcode includes a Maps Integration checkbox (followed by checkboxes for the various types). You’d think they’d at least get Amtrak in there. Who knows why there isn’t anything there: maybe they did talk to transit agencies but they didn’t deliver, maybe they could’ve delivered if they heard about it before WWDC, maybe it’s just an oversight because everyone drives to 1 Infinite Loop.
I’d like to believe there’s a good reason, but the most likely scenario is that no one (like Amtrak for example) heard a word of this until WWDC, followed by Apple not promoting “hey, you guys need to write Apps that will appear here” at WWDC or on developer.apple.com. In fact, I couldn’t find any documentation on how to do anything if you select those checkboxes. Is it just a .plist entry that makes your app appear there? Is there a URL scheme you need to support? Developer.apple.com’s iOS 6 main page has guides written for Passbook, iCloud, Location Awareness (the new kind of localization, not maps related per se), and the new Social Framework which expands/obviates the old twitter framework, but nothing related to this.
It’s also odd that they wouldn’t put something here to help demonstrate another feature of iOS 6: the ability for apps to present and purchase ANY iTunes content, not just their own In App Purchases as was the case prior to this. Conflictingly, when you open the also empty passbook, it takes you to the app store rather than displaying its own empty list.
At least they had the documentation for passbook and we’ve heard loud whispers from agencies intending to use it. But the contradiction in UI is another point to bring up. The black nav bar for the empty maps apps list seems to be the new brushed metal. It’s in the new apps in random places but not across the board. The rest of iOS 6 maps uses and exclusive shiny chrome look (not anodized aluminum looking) and a lot of apps still use the old blue on iPhone and silver on iPad. The iPhone settings app still has its pinstripes!
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None of this relates to why I don’t have any of my apps ready on launch day. Those reasons are a little more complicated. For one, I can’t build from Armv6 devices (anything before the 3Gs) anymore so any update to Auto Adjust is going to push it to iOS 4.3, so I’m targeting 5.1 on that. Besides, other than letterboxing on the new iPhone, the store builds of all my apps run without a hitch on iOS 6. There was one small bug in Normalize I was waiting for iOS 6 to submit with and it should land on the app store whenever Apple approves it. I also don’t like being in the day one update deluge. By doing so you basically forfeit your position in the By Date lists. It’s also a bit laughable to ship something without testing it on a real device. I’m not going to just take Apple’s word that the new iPhone is just as easily onehandable until I hold one and confirm my thumb can still reach the corner controls.