iOS 6 Maps and Siri in Malaysia: What You Need to Know
Apple iOS 6 release date is September 19, 2012. There are over 200 new features in iOS 6. Some features are not available in every country. In this article, I will discuss iOS 6 Maps and Siri features in Malaysia.
[box type=”info”]iOS 6 is free update, available via your iDevice (Settings > General > Software Update) or iTunes.[/box]
Maps (iOS 6) in Malaysia
Starting from iOS 6, Apple will not use Google Maps database for its Maps app. Instead, Apple built their own Maps app with better features.
The map elements are vector based, no map data loading when zoom in/out. When you tilt and rotate map view, Maps app also auto adjust the names of streets and places to your view.
Apple has made turn-by-turn navigation (read: iPhone as GPS navigator) available to 56 countries. Today, Apple has updated this page to include Malaysia as one of 9 additional countries to get Maps app’s turn-by-turn navigation feature in October 2012. Other 8 countries are: Australia, Brunei, Egypt, Macau, Morocco, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand.
However, Malaysian iOS 6 users will miss Traffic feature, which is now available in Maps app for iOS 5. Maps in iOS 6 for Malaysia does not display traffic information.
[box type=”info”]No Turn-by-turn navigation for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 1[/box]
Siri in Malaysia
Siri, the famous iOS personal assistant, won’t be helpful for Malaysians because it do not do the follow tasks:
- search sports results
- tweet a message
- update facebook status
- tell map directions
- search local information
- search restaurant info
- search movie information
However, you can ask Siri to launch apps. And Siri now understands more languages than ever. New languages Siri learned are Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien.
It would be interesting to communicate with Siri using Chinese dialects. Check out the video below for an idea:
Too bad, Siri hasn’t learnt Bahasa Melayu (Malay language) yet.
[box type=”info”]No Siri for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 1, iPad 2[/box]
Unfortunately most of the time, iOS new features also become crippled in Malaysia.
I would really hope they stick back to Google Maps, which is slowly advancing in Malaysia map.
Hilarious. Liew asked Siri “Lei kiew meh meng? (what is your name)” and Siri replied in a typical HK fashion: “I’m Siri. But you already know that la!”
Tamil version:
Me: What is your name?
Siri: Dei… You already know my name. Porrraaah!
Bro, where is the Nexus 7 review? Takkan la you went for the launch and only took photographs of the girls? Habuk pun takde.
I was pretty sad with Apple Maps, but highly shocked when Apple CEO apologize for the matter. this is the first time in history Apple asks for a forgiveness.
Really concern for Liew. His last posting was Sept 17, nearly 3 weeks ago.
Didn’t even acknowledge any comments directed to him.
Did he attend the Asus Nexus 7 launching that he wrote earlier?
Anyone has any news?
Thanks for concern. I am fine now, was sick. :)