Apple Dismissal: Tech News Round-Up (Update1)

(Adds Microsoft's response in eighth paragraph.)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It seems like corporate-error tolerance is nearing zero these days in the cut-throat world of high-tech hardware and software.

Take, for instance, a gentleman named William Richardson. Until recently he was known as Apple's (AAPL) senior director of iOS services. He was recently put in charge of a number of items including the new Maps app proudly released by Apple to take the place of the standard Google Maps software Apple removed from its products. Notice I used the word "was".

That's because, according to Bloomberg, his boss, Apple Senior VP Eddie Cue, has reportedly just fired Richardson. Seemingly over the apps failures. Apple's CEO Tim Cook had already apologized to iPhone 5 customers for the app's failings.

Apple has not yet responded to TheStreet's request for comment on this story.

Then there's Microsoft (MSFT) which, reportedly, is hard at work preparing an upgrade/fix for some of the problems in its newly-released Windows Phone 8 operating system.

Already dubbed "Apollo Plus" Microsoft's first over-the-air software update will add some new features and also fix a few problems, such as allowing Wi-fi to remain on when the screensaver kicks in. Expected release date is not until February.

There's no word yet on when Microsoft might offer a similar fix for the audio problems we found while testing a number of new Windows 8 and Windows RT devices.

Microsoft said it "makes it a practice to not comment on rumors or speculation."

But Microsoft has announced its release of an app bringing a dedicated Outlook.com to Android devices. It adds a bunch of new features -- including bringing Exchange ActiveSync compatibility to all Android phones.

And Google (GOOG) has made a big addition to its browser-based Gmail software. Big as in 10 GB big. As of today, Google Drive, its cloud storage service, is now integrated into your Gmail account and allows you to attach files as large as 10 GB. The old limit was 25 MB.

So far, this compatibility is for computer users. No word on when mobile devices will be allowed the same privileges.

-- Written by Gary Krakow in New York.

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Gary Krakow is TheStreet's senior technology correspondent.