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Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vice president of iOS software, can be seen below showing off the new version of the Maps app on the iOS6 mobile operating system at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. He uses Citizen Chain Cycles of San Francisco to demo how users will find businesses on Maps.
Apple says Maps will be “the most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever.”
It will feature turn-by-turn directions for motorists – licensed from TomTom – and will flag iPhone apps that give similar directions for walkers, cyclists and users of public transport.
The industry-funded Bike Hub app works on Androids and iPhones.
On Apple’s website for iOS6 another bike shop is plugged, DD Cycles, also of San Francisco.
iOS6 is scheduled for release in the Autumn.
A video of a mountain bike ride was also present in the WWDC presentation for Apple’s new MacBook Pro laptop.
Such use of bikes – and bike shops – is nothing new: Apple has used bicycles in its marketing for many years. Perhaps this is a recognition the company was nearly known as ‘Bicycle’?
Andy Hertzfeld, one of the Apple techies that helped develop the Macintosh, says this on Apple history site Forklore.org:
“Jef Raskin [father of the Macintosh] chose the name ‘Macintosh’, after his favorite kind of apple, so when Jef was forced to go on an extended leave of absence in February 1981, Steve Jobs and Rod Holt decided to change the name of the project, partially to distance it from Jef.
“Apple had recently taken out a two page ad in Scientific American, featuring quotes from Steve Jobs about the wonders of personal computers. The ad explained how humans were not as fast runners as many other species, but a human on a bicycle beat them all.
“Personal computers were ‘bicycles for the mind.’”
“A month or so after Jef’s departure, Rod Holt announced to the small design team that the new code name for the project was ‘Bicycle’, and that we should change all references to ‘Macintosh’ to ‘Bicycle’.
“Rod’s edict was never obeyed. Somehow, Macintosh just seemed right. It was already ingrained with the team, and the ‘Bicycle’ name seemed forced and inappropriate, so no one but Rod ever called it ‘Bicycle’. For a few weeks, Rod would reprimand anyone who called it “Macintosh” in his presence, but the new name never acquired any momentum.”
