Apple, caring deeply about the satisfaction of its Iphone customers, rolled out a fix for its awful Maps application to wild acclaim from commentators, who praised it as the best in the market… Or, not.

Actually, the real news is Google rolled out a Google Maps app for the iPhone today that does everything Apple should have done, but didn’t.

The irony, of course, is it was Apple that wrecked its own Maps app by firing Google as its mapping provider and deciding it could develop a superior product. That product, of course, was badly flawed and resulted in a major PR black eye for Apple.

So Google, after being fired, has swooped back in to rescue those iPhone users who care about actually getting where they are going. Weird, but true.

The really good news is that following my “extensive” testing of the Google Maps app, I can report that it solves the Map apps problem. It does everything the old Maps app did — using Google data — and more. It even gives turn-by-turn directions. The critics are raving.

The New York Times’ David Pogue said:

Today, Google Maps for the iPhone has arrived. It’s free, fast and fantastic.

What’s left to say after that? Just go ahead, download it and forget the Maps app fiasco over occurred. Although, I’m sure it won’t be that easy for the folks who work at Apple.