I feel bad for the Apple maps team - trying to catch up to a fast moving target.
Apple Maps might need to ally with other Google rivals to get the mindshare/critical-mass needed to have any competitive chance.
They are just trying to get a 95% default solution to prevent Google from using its leverage to make changes to the OS e.g. sending more user information to Google. And by all accounts they have achieved this.
That said, it works really well where I live, and I don't live anywhere near a major tech hub.
Granted, I'm sure that interface can evolve, but the fact of the matter is that Waze's technology is not defensible.
Waze can tell you if there's an accident along your route, and point out where it is, and it is pretty accurate most of the time. That feature alone has saved me countless hours. As far as battery usage goes, it's no worse than Google Maps.
I'm not a huge fan of the interface, or the gamification aspect, but the data is just that good.