Either it's "Apple releases after everyone else, but gets it right", when that doesn't work, like now, it's "Oh, it's understood to be less than perfect, but will be getting better.
And Apple Maps was in part, released because Apple didn't want Google getting user data (I don't like calling it "their user's data" because that implies those users are owned by Apple). So they released a terrible experience for their own benefit - while continuing the narrative of "we're the only ones who care about your experience".
And I suspect that they were more between a rock and a hard place with respect to "it has been hyped so much, everyone is expecting something, we've promised something. But so far, it ain't great."
Apple of old wouldn't release. Apple now, does. But I don't think it should be necessarily be painted as some kind of deliberate strategy of theirs.
Sure apple map was bad at release, but I can't think of any other product that released so badly and was improved on. That's the exception to the rule.