The whole point of beta releases is so that beta testers can weed out the bugs in a program before it is released to the general public. That being said, it seems that Apple had known about the various bugs plaguing its Maps app before it was released in the iOS 6 update. This is according to six iOS developers who spoke with CNET, claiming that they had sent various emails, filed multiple bug reports, and posted the issues on private message boards about the Maps app while it was still during its beta period.
While Apple did fix some of the issues brought up about its Maps app during the beta phase, they were not the problems that the public complained about when it launched. The developers also revealed that glaring issues such as incorrect location data, cloud-covered areas and etc. were well documented but in the end Apple chose to ship the app as it is. However there have been recent reports which have indicated that Apple’s Maps app is starting to improve, although there’s still quite a ways to go before it will be on par with Google Maps.