Langley is not on Hat Island. It never has been nor will it ever be.

Yet, good luck trying to convince Apple Inc. of that fact, or for that matter even getting a media representative on the horn. That such a large and respected tech company could make such a mistake in the first place is difficult to believe. That they would ignore repeated requests to fix the error, however, one that’s persisted for years, is rude and just plain irresponsible.

The computer, smartphone and tablet manufacturing mega giant has for years listed the Village by the Sea as being located on Hat Island, also known as Gedney Island. The small and privately-owned community is located in Possession Sound between Everett and Langley, the real Langley.

The problem is believed to date back to 2012 when Apple split with Google Maps. Ever since, the company has used its own “Maps” navigational program for all its mobile devices, which use the iOS operating platform. Unfortunately, the program was plagued with errors from its launch, some so grievous that police in Australia warned the public that using the program could actually kill you.

It seems unlikely that iPhone users will accidentally drive off Whidbey into Puget Sound any time soon in an attempt to get to Langley, as the smart phone’s directions actually instruct people to take the Clinton ferry and drive to Everett, but there are legitimate economical concerns at hand.

Imagine you’ve never been to Whidbey Island but have heard all about Langley. You’ve just gotten off the ferry and ask Siri, Apple’s built-in assistant, to take you to Langley and, whoops, the friendly voice says you’ll have to turn around, take the boat back to Mukilteo, drive to Everett and board a passenger-only ferry to Gedney.

Or, in a similar scenario, a visitor is coming from North Whidbey and comes up with the same search results. Following their trusty iPhone’s directions, they decide to pass the highway road signs directing motorists to Langley and board the Clinton ferry only to learn later that they passed the community by.

In all likelihood, the vast majority of people are getting to Langley just fine, but the potential for missed visitors is there, especially considering the number of Apple users out there. The company has reportedly sold 500 million iPhones worldwide, and, according to some sources, nearly one in four Americans has one in their pocket.

Langley might not carry the weight or influence of New York City or Seattle, but that doesn’t give Apple the right to simply ignore the problem.

Get it fixed, Apple; people have been asking for years, and there are 500 million reasons why it’s your responsibility to get it done.