Apple CEO says 2012 Apple Maps was 'big mistake'

Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has reflected on his time as head of the tech giant. Mr Cook will bow out as Apple boss in September. He revealed which Apple products he deemed to have been less than perfect. In particular, he singled out Apple Maps as being a "really big mistake". In 2012, he recommended using what he thought were more reliable map apps from Apple's competitors. He said admitting this was a hard thing to do. The original Apple Maps was widely criticised upon its release for guiding drivers to bizarre places due to faulty data and mapping errors. These included non-existent bridges, businesses in the ocean, and fields of wheat shown as airports.

Tim Cook was appointed CEO of Apple in 2011. He succeeded visionary pioneer and co-founder Steve Jobs. During his tenure, Cook transformed Apple from a $350 billion company into a $4 trillion company. It continues to generate enormous profits and growth through products like the iPhone. Cook has ensured Apple's brand represents a superlative lifestyle choice. Today, roughly one out of every five people on Earth uses an Apple device. Apple products are among the most integrated in our lives. Cook revealed that his greatest achievement was the Apple Watch, and its impact on health, fitness, and daily habits. He said: "Apple's greatest contribution will be in the health and wellness area."

1. PAPER MAPS: Students A strongly believe paper maps are better than map apps; Students B strongly believe map apps are better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
2. BIG MISTAKES: What big mistakes have you made in these categories?

 

Mistakes

How I Felt

What I Did

Shopping

 

 

 

English

 

 

 

Cooking

 

 

 

Friends

 

 

 

Money

 

 

 

Fashion

 

 

 

3. APPLE: What do you know about these Apple products and put the best at the top.

iOS Apps

·         Apple Music

·         iPad

·         Apple Watch

·         AirPods

·         Vision Pro

·         iPhone

·         iMac

·         Apple TV

4. Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1.

outgoing

a.

To leave or stop something, often politely.

      2.

wheat

b.

Very strange or unusual.

      3.

bow out

c.

Leaving an office of position.

      4.

deemed

d. 

A grass grain used to make flour for bread, pasta, and cakes

      5.

reliable

e.

Thought or decided by people.

      6.

bizarre

f.

Someone or something you can trust.

      7.

faulty

g.

Not working correctly or having a problem.

    Paragraph 2

      8.

appointed

h.

The best or highest in quality.

      9.

succeeded

i.

Chosen for a job or position.

      10.

pioneer

j.

The time someone spends in a job or position.

      11.

tenure

k.

With various parts or aspects linked or coordinated.

      12.

superlative

l.

Took over a job or industry from someone else.

      13.

integrated

m. 

 To make something certain to happen, to guarantee

      14.

ensured

n.

A person who is one of the first to do something.

5. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. reflected
  2. revealed
  3. reliable
  4. bizarre
  5. faulty
  6. succeeded
  7. superlative
  8. integrated
  9. achievement
  10. fitness
  1. weird
  2. merged
  3. disclosed
  4. malfunctioning
  5. accomplishment
  6. thought about
  7. well-being
  8. replaced
  9. premier
  10. dependable


6. Role play: Why is each one of these considered to be a visionary?

  1. Steve Jobs
  2. Elon Musk
  3. Jeff Bezos
  4. Bill Gates
  5. Mark Zuckerberg


7. Which ones of these technologies had the biggest impact on the way we live:

  1.  The Printing Press
  2. Electricity
  3. The Internet
  4. The Personal Computer
  5. Smartphones
  6. Vaccines
  7. The Automobile
  8. Airplanes
  9. Artificial Intelligence
  10. The Telegraph
  11. The Telephone
  12. Radio
  13. Television
  14. Satellites
  15. Antibiotics

8. QUESTIONS 

  1. What do you think of the tech company Apple?
  2. Which business leaders do you like and dislike?
  3. What tech giants do you like and dislike?
  4. What do you think of using map apps?
  5. What do you think is the best Apple product?
  6. What do you need to be a great CEO?
  7. When was the last time you admitted making a mistake?
  8. What's the worst tech product you've ever used?
  1. Who do you think are visionaries?
  2. Why do you think the Apple brand is so well liked?
  3. Do you have what it takes to be a CEO?
  4. What do you think of Apple's logo?
  5. What do you think of smart watches?
  6. How does technology affect your health and wellness?
  7. What questions would you like to ask Apple's CEO?

9. Controversial Discussion Scenarios (Agree or Disagree?)

Discuss these statements in pairs or small groups. Justify your opinions with examples:

  • “Tech companies are more powerful than governments.”
  • “Admitting mistakes publicly makes a CEO stronger.”
  • “Apple’s success is more about marketing than innovation.”
  • “Big tech companies should be more strictly regulated.”
  • “Privacy is less important than convenience in modern technology.”

10. Design a Tech Company

Create your own tech company inspired by Apple.

Student Task:

  • Define your mission (What problem do you solve?)
  • Name your company
  • Describe your main product
  • Explain how your company is different from competitors like Apple or Google
  • Present and defend your company to the class
11.Scenarios:

Here are scenarios designed for someone working as a producer (film/TV/media production), 

1. 🎬 “The Broken Vision” (Creative Control vs Reality)

Scenario:
Halfway through production, you realise the original vision of the film is no longer achievable due to time, budget, and technical limits.

Student Task:

  • Do you change the vision or push to keep it?
  • Should a producer protect creativity or practicality?
  • Who has the final say: producer or director?

2. 💸 “Over Budget Crisis” (Money vs Completion)

Scenario:
The project is significantly over budget, and funding may be cut unless you reduce costs immediately.

Student Task:

  • Do you cut scenes, staff, or quality to stay on budget?
  • Is it better to finish a weaker project or stop production?
  • How do you balance money and artistic quality?

3. ⏰ “Deadline Pressure” (Quality vs Speed)

Scenario:
The release date is fixed, but the final product is not fully ready. Rushing could affect quality.

Student Task:

  • Do you delay the release or deliver on time?
  • How important are deadlines in production?
  • What would you sacrifice: time or quality?

4. 🤝 “Difficult Talent” (People vs Production)

Scenario:
A key actor or crew member is highly talented but consistently causes conflict on set.

Student Task:

  • Do you keep them or replace them?
  • Is talent more important than teamwork?
  • How should a producer handle conflict on set?

5. 🎥 “Creative Disagreement” (Vision Conflict)

Scenario:
The director wants a bold artistic direction, but the studio wants a safer, more commercial version.

Student Task:

  • Do you support the director or the studio?
  • Can art and commerce coexist in production?
  • Who should a producer ultimately represent?

6. 🎞️ “The Scene That Went Too Far” (Artistic Risk vs Responsibility)

Scenario:
During filming, a scene becomes more intense or controversial than originally planned, and some crew members feel uncomfortable.

Student Task:

  • Do you stop filming or continue as planned?
  • How should a producer balance artistic freedom and safety?
  • Where is the line between creativity and responsibility?

7. 🌍 “Cultural Sensitivity Issue” (Global Audience vs Accuracy)

Scenario:
A film includes cultural elements that are popular with international audiences but are criticised as inaccurate or stereotypical by local groups.

Student Task:

  • Do you change the content or keep it for global appeal?
  • Should producers prioritise accuracy or market success?
  • Who has the final authority on cultural representation?

8. 🎭 “Actor Replacement Crisis” (Continuity vs Practicality)

Scenario:
A main actor suddenly leaves the project halfway through production.

Student Task:

  • Do you recast, rewrite, or cancel the project?
  • How important is continuity in storytelling?
  • What is the least damaging solution for production?

9. 📡 “Leaked Footage” (Control vs Publicity)

Scenario:
Unfinished or behind-the-scenes footage is leaked online and goes viral before the official release.

Student Task:

  • Do you respond publicly or ignore it?
  • Can leaks ever benefit a project?
  • How should producers control information in the digital age?

10. 🎬 “Studio Interference” (Independence vs Funding)

Scenario:
The studio financing your project demands major changes that alter the original story.

Student Task:

  • Do you accept the changes or risk losing funding?
  • Can a producer protect creative integrity while depending on investors?
  • Who really owns a creative project: creators or funders?

11. SCENARIOS:

1. 📊 “Clickbait vs Credibility” (Traffic vs Trust)

Scenario:
Your job is to increase website traffic, and clickbait headlines bring in far more readers than accurate ones.

Student Task:

  • Do you prioritise clicks or credibility?
  • Is clickbait always unethical?
  • How can you attract readers without misleading them?

2. 💰 “Sponsored Content Pressure” (Revenue vs Independence)

Scenario:
A major advertiser wants a sponsored article that looks like real journalism.

Student Task:

  • Do you clearly label it as sponsored or make it blend in?
  • Does this damage audience trust?
  • Can media stay independent while relying on advertisers?

3. 📈 “Data-Driven Decisions” (Analytics vs Editorial Values)

Scenario:
Analytics show that celebrity gossip gets more engagement than serious news.

Student Task:

  • Do you promote more entertainment content?
  • Should audience data shape journalism?
  • What is the role of journalism: inform or entertain?

4. 🎯 “Targeting the Audience” (Personalisation vs Privacy)

Scenario:
You can use detailed user data to target readers with highly personalised content and ads.

Student Task:

  • How much data use is acceptable?
  • Should users have more control over their data?
  • Is personalisation helpful or invasive?

5. 🌐 “Brand Image Crisis” (Reputation & Strategy)

Scenario:
Your news organisation is criticised online for bias, and public trust is falling.

Student Task:

  • How do you rebuild credibility?
  • Do you change strategy or defend your brand?
  • Can marketing fix a trust problem?


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