Google Maps lands back on IOS 6

THE APPLE MAPS APP caused a stir after Apple launched it on IOS 6 last month.

It replaced Google's much relied upon Maps service and soon proved so unreliable that it fails to admit that some train stations and whole towns exist in the UK, and also gives bad directions.

However, a cunning developer named Katsumi Kishikawa has developed a simple, basic and free maps app that he calls Classicmaps. Once installed, it replaces Apple Maps with the environment of Google's Maps app.

Though it is only an overlay on the Apple Maps engine and fails to bring back the features of Google Maps that we knew and loved - such as public transport directions and navigation - it is pretty much the closest thing yet to having the old Google Maps app back again on Apple devices running IOS 6.

Google Street View is also missing, and dropping pins doesn't work as well as it should. But if you really do miss Google Maps that much, this is the best solution available right now.

The app has hit the App Store after Google has already revealed that it won't be bringing Google Maps back to IOS 6 anytime soon. Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt announced the bad news a couple of weeks ago, saying that the firm "hasn't done anything yet" with regards to developing a Google Maps app for IOS 6. µ