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Apple Maps was Tim Cook’s biggest mistake

Speaking to employees, outgoing CEO Tim Cook talked about his time leading Apple, citing both the successes he is most proud of, and admitting to the one main failure.

Satellite map on a smartphone showing Hoover Dam area, desert terrain, Highway 93 label, a red location pin, navigation options, and 3D view button at the bottom left
Screenshot of an unfortunately typical Apple Maps failure in its early days

As announced, Tim Cook and incoming CEO John Ternus held an Apple Town Hall meeting for employees on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. It was specifically to answer questions about the handover to Ternus, but Cook also addressed his own time as CEO.

According to Bloomberg, Cook described the 2012 launch of Apple Maps as his “first big mistake” after taking over from Steve Jobs.

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