June 16, 2017
Iranian users are angry at the Microsoft Maps app that has removed all but a single map of the country.
According to Microsoft’s questions and answers page, several Iranian users of the operating system wrote to the company expressing outrage that Micro-soft had deleted all but one Iranian map without notice.
One user, Mehrdad Aria, wrote about his dismay that the company has now grouped Iran with countries like Guinea, which lack mapping data.
Another user based in Mashhad said the city had been removed entirely from Micro-soft’s mapping application. The situation, however, does not seem to be related in any way to American sanctions on Iran. The change could be a result of the Microsoft decision to sever its ties with Here Maps, originally created by Nokia, and recently purchased by a consortium of German automakers for their self-driving car technology in 2016.
In response to the complaints, Microsoft simply gave its standard line that users should uninstall the application and reinstall it. Beyond that there was no response to the complaints.
However, the poor quality of Microsoft service to Iranians is a boon for both Apple and Google, which offer their own mapping services and have numerous Iranian maps.
Iran is the biggest user of Microsoft software in the Middle East and Central Asia with millions using the software – albeit via pirated versions.
The Seattle-based firm has had a tenuous history with Iranian users, only relenting in 2015 to allow Iranian users access the company’s app store after 30,000 people signed a petition demanding their right to download free apps.