It's to prove that Apple actually has something of a track record for saying that it's sorry, and in the case of Maps, going so far as to recommend its chief rivals (Google and Nokia) by name as stop-gap alternatives.

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After a win over Leeds United, Sir Alex slammed his opponent, saying he felt sorry for its manager, since it had played badly all season and had only tried hard against his team.

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He credits graduating high school to the U.S. Marine Corps, saying his teachers felt sorry for him because he was heading to Vietnam.

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In August 2009, then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote a letter in the Daily Telegraph saying that he was sorry for what had happened.

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Saying sorry is rare enough in politics for the effect to be extraordinarily disarming.

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Founder Michael Fowler posted a message on the company's website saying he was "extremely sorry" for the issue.

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Sir Irvine has already apologised for his comments saying he was "deeply and sincerely sorry" and insisted he had been given "wholly inaccurate" information by police officers.

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At the time the BBC apologised, saying it was "genuinely sorry" for causing upset, but hoped "it would be clear from the absurdity of the context that no offence was intended".

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Minutes earlier, Martin had read out an official statement to Parliament saying that he was "profoundly sorry" to the British public for his role in the MPs expenses controversy.

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He apologised a day later saying Liverpool fans were "in no way to blame" for the disaster and that he was sorry if he had "caused any further upset".

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