Apple Maps Launches New Parking Feature in U.S. and Canada

[MacRumors]

In partnership with parking platform SpotHero, Apple Maps now provides parking information for more than 8,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Parking availability can be filtered based on EV charging, wheelchair accessibility, and more.

On the iPhone, users can open the Apple Maps app and search for a popular destination such as Madison Square Garden in New York or Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, tap on the "More" button in the place card, tap on the "Parking" option in the menu, and proceed to search for and reserve nearby parking on the SpotHero website without leaving Apple Maps. SpotHero says the feature will also be available on the Mac.

In 2019, Apple started rolling out a revamped Maps app with more detail, improved navigation, custom-designed 3D models of popular landmarks, immersive turn-by-turn walking directions powered by augmented reality, and more. The new parking feature is another step towards Apple's goal of making the app an all-in-one resource for navigation.

Article Link: Apple Maps Launches New Parking Feature in U.S. and Canada

 

[MegaBlue]

Would’ve been cooler if it was actually in the app, instead of just sending you to a third party website.

 

[neuropsychguy]

This counts as one of the "ads" in Apple Maps that a few people here on MR have been complaining about. Not all ads are useless.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Nice! Will definitely come in handy around the downtown area. Can't wait to try it.

 

[mapsdotapp]

if you’re not taking public transportation to midtown Manhattan you are a rube.

where is the bicycle parking feature?

 

[txscott]

Yep, this is just a click through ad. Not worthy of Apple. Wonder how much Spot Hero paid.

The whole reservations system is killing things by the way. I can't decide to go to any reasonably decent restaurant on the night of anymore. I'm not in to thinking about where and what I want to eat friday on monday.

 

[Cheesehead Dave]

Does this work within Carplay or only on the phone?

 

[CoMoMacUser]

if you’re not taking public transportation to midtown Manhattan you are a rube.

Unless things have changed since I lived on LI, most people from Suffolk County going to a concert or game at MSG drive there.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

So it’s just a webview?

 

[CK1Czar]

The whole reservations system is killing things by the way. I can't decide to go to any reasonably decent restaurant on the night of anymore. I'm not in to thinking about where and what I want to eat friday on monday.

I actually enjoy the reservation system. I hate waiting and I enjoy making plans ahead of time. It's nice to know that when I go to a place, my table is ready and I'm not wasting my time standing in someone's lobby or outside. Being able to reserve your seat at the movies is the best thing ever!

Not having to drive around for a parking spot would be a godsend.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Since all the gas companies have apps now, it would be cool to have one unified place to pay for gas, electric car style. The parking thing is cool too.

 

[ghostface147]

Definitely useful if going somewhere I'm not familiar with.

 

[ignatius345]

Unless things have changed since I lived on LI, most people from Suffolk County going to a concert or game at MSG drive there.

Which sucks, because MSG is literally directly on top of the train tracks that lead to Suffolk County.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Oh fun. This may prove helpful when trying to park in a heavily congested or unfamiliar area. I look forward to a time when this is baked into Maps and not a 3rd party offering. Still, Maps has better functionality today than it had yesterday. I'll take it.

 

[Macintosh Quadra 840av]

SpotHero is solid. I've used it a number of times to reserve a spot in areas where getting parking is a pain. Great for getting a parking spot a couple days before a sports game, close to the stadium but without the insane prices or the driving around trying to find a place.

 

[PowerMacBook]

Apple Maps is a joke: still no bike roads in Europe, after so many years, and still way too many features which are only USA/Canada based, like there is nothing else in the world...
O wait, in China you have bike roads, but not in Europa?!

 

[sunman42]

if you’re not taking public transportation to midtown Manhattan you are a rube.

where is the bicycle parking feature?

It's in your backpack: a tool to unlock your front fork lock (because you bothered to install a secure lock), and a chain with which to secure your back and front wheel to a light pole.

 

[Speed38]

Is this iPhone specific. I have an iPhone X and I just tried it out in downtown Washington, DC, and NYC and when I tapped on [More] I got pricing, but not parking.

 

[dwaite]

So it’s just a webview?

SFSafariViewController

 

[spatlese44]

Works on iPad as well. I looked up Fiserv Forum and I got a list of upcoming events. Useful if you want to avoid congestion in the area and something I do regularly.

 

[Mousse]

Would’ve been cooler if it was actually in the app, instead of just sending you to a third party website.

I prefer the current way more for 2 reasons: 1) the data will always be more up to date and 2) less bloat in the Map app.

 

[timber]

These are the sort of features that fly by anybody not in the US or at least North America. The list is so long that I can't even remember.

And people wonder why Apple market share dives outside those markets.

 

[Itinj24]

if you’re not taking public transportation to midtown Manhattan you are a rube.

where is the bicycle parking feature?

Public transportation in Manhattan is a war zone. When it gets cleaned up, then I’ll think about it.

Oh and be careful on that bicycle. They’re getting hit by cars regularly.

 

[TomaxXamot]

I just tried for both Victoria, BC and the hotel I’ll be staying at there this weekend and neither gave me a Parking option under More. I’m on iOS 16.2.

 

[MarchyStar]

So it’s just a webview?

No, no, no.

It's a webview hidden behind a More '...' button and a Parking menu item.

Moreover the webview does NOT take you out of the Maps app. It overlays on top of it so it is still "fully" integrated!


In all seriousness, from real-world practice this scenario would be fantastic to facilitate – but this lame integration far from solves the problem at hand. It's not about finding parking in the specific spot you're arriving at – it's about finding all the potential parking spots around and being able to use a map-driven discovery tool to see how far you're willing to walk given the price difference.

"A" for effort – however the main win here is that other parking providers could plug into these launch points and provide a (much) better experience to facilitate it then this dreaded web-view.