Apple’s revamped Maps is now available across the country. The redesigned Apple Maps adds much more detailed information and reduces Apple’s dependence on third-parties to supply data. Not only that, but it also adds the new Look Around feature that competes with Google’s Street View — though Look Around isn’t yet available in all markets.
Apple originally launched Apple Maps in 2012, but the launch was riddled with bugs — to the point where Apple CEO Tim Cook even apologized for the issues. Since then, Apple has been working hard to improve Maps, and announced a full redesign of the service in 2018. The redesign first made it to certain cities, like the San Francisco Bay Area, and by the end of last year, it was available in around half of the United States.
“We set out to create the best and most private maps app on the planet that is reflective of how people explore the world today,” said Eddie Cue, Apple senior vice president of internet software and services, in a blog post. “It is an effort we are deeply invested in and required that we rebuild the map from the ground up to reimagine how Maps enhances people’s lives — from navigating to work or school or planning an important vacation — all with privacy at its core.”
Other new features have been added to Maps since the announcement of the redesign, too. For example, Apple also added a feature called Collections, which allows users to build and share lists of their favorite locations. Apple is also adding real-time transit information to Maps, but that feature is currently only available in select cities, like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Now that the revised version of Maps is available around the U.S., Apple says it will be expanding to the rest of the world. According to the company, the new Maps will begin rolling out across Europe later this year. It’s likely Apple will aim to bring the new Maps to the entire world over the next few years, though considering the relatively slow rollout around the U.S., it’s hard to predict how long that will take.
