I agree with Gassée. Apple maps are really not that bad, I am sure they will get better and I am sure they are worse in other areas. I think Apple should have used a "beta" monicker similar to Siri, or something along those lines, that would have allowed the learning process to be documented.
This is a good lesson for most businesses. Be upfront and honest with your customers. No business is perfect and as long as customers get more benefits from your greatness, they will look past your flaws.