Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 04:46 pm

Samsung ad pokes fun at Apple Maps' Australian mix-up

By Mikey Campbell

In another reactive advertising move, Samsung has put together an elaborate showcase in Australia that takes a jab at Apple over a recent Victoria police announcement which warned travelers against using iOS Maps to navigate to the city of Mildura.


While not as produced as the company's usual anti-Apple television campaigns, Samsung's newest effort, spotted by CNET Australia, can be considered more of an installation than a traditional ad as it involves a number of set pieces including an actual off-road vehicle.

As seen above, the setup is clearly aimed at Apple's latest mapping fiasco with what CNET Australia calls a "a rather lost looking four-wheel drive" next to a sign that reads, "Oops, Should have got a Samsung GALAXY S III. Get navigation you can trust."

On Monday, police in Victoria issued a release on its website saying that a number of motoroists had become stranded in the remote regions of a national park due to incorrect information provided by Apple's Maps app. The problem was fixed within hours, and while no official word has been given as to the source of the erroneous data, The Guardian speculates the cause was a double listing for Mildura in the Australian Gazetteer.

Smartphone mapping apps have come under increasing scrutiny as the proliferation of connected mobile devices extends ever wider. Earlier on Wednesday, Australian police in the town of Colac voiced concern over issues with Google Maps, which reportedly directed drivers down a one-way road not intended for heavy traffic.

As with all technology, GPS-based navigation solutions are not infallible and caution should always be exercised when taking advice from any system, regardless of its manufacturer.