Another day, another software update for one (or more) of our devices. This time it’s from Apple in the form of an update to iOS, which brings the software to version 6.1.3.

According to Apple, iOS 6.1.3 fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the passcode and access the Phone. Bummer. It also provides improvements to iMaps in Japan. Well, that’s nice for Japan, but what about here in the U.S.?

Maybe next week, right Apple? Meantime, we’re liking Google Maps just fine in iOS, thank you.

The download is 17 MB in size and can be found by going to System Prefs> General on your iOS device. We’re updating now and will report back if anything breaks or, more to the point, improves.

In what most will consider a bold, decisive move (and a few will think of as a simple attempt to save face), Apple CEO Tim Cook sent out a letter of apology today to all users of Apple’s new Maps application. In the letter, Cook admitted that Apple “fell short” on its commitment to customers.

In addition, he recommended that while the company works to fix its maps, users should check out other options for iOS including MapQuest and Microsoft’s Bing app. No mention of Google Maps, however. Shocking, I know.

The full letter is after the break.

Whatever your experience with Apple’s new Maps application in iOS 6 (some people hate it, others are less critical) it is now part of the equation. If you update to iOS 6 or buy an iOS device with it already installed, you’ve just got to take the Apple Maps application and use it, right?

Well, maybe not. One enterprising iOS hacker by the name of Ryan Petrich has taken matters into his own hands and on Sunday posted a video that demonstrates the original Google Maps program from iOS 5 running on iOS 6.

Now before you get too excited the hack isn’t available to the public yet as, according to Petrich, it isn’t stable enough yet to do so. Also, and you should have seen this coming, you will have to jailbreak your iPhone running iOS 6 for this hack to work.

Still, if you just can’t get iMaps in iOS 6 to work for you and you’re willing to go through the steps necessary, relief for you may be in sight. That is until Apple closes this hole in the next iOS 6 updaate. Until then, go nuts!

Check out the video of this in action after the break.

Perhaps this is a good thing and will lead to those much-desired turn by turn directions on the iPhone that users have wanted? Let’s hope so.

What am I talking about? Well, it seems Apple has decided to get rid of Google Maps in iOS 6 and going for an in house solution instead. According to the folks at 9to5Mac, the mapping solution will be in-place for the next major version of the mobile operating system, combining technologies from the acquisition of Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9.

According to reports, the new maps app will feature a state of the art 3D mode with graphics provided by C3. The look and features of said 3D maps will supposedly “blow your head off”, at least according to the report.

As someone who’s used both iOS and Android, it’s very clear which has the superior maps application with far more features including turn by turn. With Apple and Google moving farther apart it makes sense that Apple would want to go out on its own this way.

Competition is good and let’s hope that leads to a better maps experience in iOS 6. We expect this to be revealed in much more detail during Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Dev Conference next month.