Apple Surveying Canada's Largest Cities With Specialized Backpacks to Improve Maps

[MacRumors]

Apple Maps team members wearing specialized camera-equipped backpacks will be walking in Canada's three largest cities of Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver through October to help improve the Apple Maps app.

Apple Maps backpack in Southern California as spotted by Joanna Stern​

Apple typically drives a fleet of vehicles around the world to collect Maps data, including street-level imagery for its Look Around feature, but it conducts pedestrian surveys "in areas where vehicles simply can't go." Apple promises that the pedestrian surveys offer the "same privacy protections as the Apple Maps vehicles."

A list of locations maintained on Apple's website reveals that the company began the pedestrian surveys in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver on September 11. Apple will also be surveying the Region of Durham immediately east of Toronto.

Apple says it is committed to protecting the public's privacy while conducting these surveys. In line with Google's Street View, Apple censors faces and license plates in imagery made available through its Look Around feature. If you have comments or questions about this process, your privacy rights, or would like to request that a face, license plate, or your own house be censored, Apple says to email mapsimagecollection@apple.com.

Introduced in iOS 13, Look Around provides 3D street-level imagery that can be zoomed and panned. The feature is already available in Canada, but Apple periodically revisits some locations "in an effort to maintain a high-quality, up-to-date map." Look Around is also available in parts of the United States, UK, Ireland, and Japan.

Article Link: Apple Surveying Canada's Largest Cities With Specialized Backpacks to Improve Maps

 

[orbital~debris]

These will be Droids one day, walking around surveying, doing the heavy lifting.

 

[dannyyankou]

That looks ridiculous lol

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

 

[robinp]

Seen these around London (UK) a few times over the last year or so. Makes sense as there are lots of places where cars can't go, such as paths across parks, alleyways, pedestrianised areas etc.

 

[fwmireault]

The backpack looks like a giant MagSafe Battery pack

 

[AngerDanger]

"How do we test our jetpack project in public without people noticing?"

"You know the 'Apple Maps' text we put on surveying cars?"

 

[pdaholic]

Backpack and headgear look both comfortable to wear and stylish.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I low key want this bag pack 😂

 

[Expos of 1969]

That backpack is the item being tested. It will provide all day battery life when you are wearing the Apple Glasses.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

These will be Droids one day, walking around surveying, doing the heavy lifting.

Heavy indeed. What does that get up weigh?!

 

[sinsin07]

Does backpack come with Excedrin or Tylenol?

 

[iBug2]

This is hilarious!!

 

[Skewlovevism]

"How do we test our jetpack project in public without people noticing?"

"You know the 'Apple Maps' text we put on surveying cars?"

Only one thing missing now, strapping some cymbals to their knees. Perfection.

 

[PowerMacBook]

Canada, United States, UK, Ireland, and Japan.

That's amazing! The richest company on the planet already has 5 countries PARTIALLY covered!!!
It's like bicycle maps in Apple Maps, it simply is too sad for words.
How difficult can it be, and how expensive can it be to send some thousands on a bike world wide?
You will solve a lot of unemployment and increase the quality of your product.
Instead, most of the time I have to look for another app, if there is.

Apple Maps introduction: September 19, 2012

That's whopping 9 years ago!!!
Already 5 countries PARTIALLY covered???

Literally a long way to go..............

 

[UltimateSyn]

That thing looks tremendously heavy.

 

[Sciomar]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

In city guidance with AR, the pack is using LiDar and GPS and probably some 360 cameras for that look around feature. Someone has to make the initial walk so the data is there for the customer to get that cool AR navigation.

The pack would be less of a burden if they cinched it up and put the weight on their hips with the waist brace/strap.

 

[hasanahmad]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

Nooks and Corner images. Images of trekking and hiking areas. Images of Parks inside where cars cannot reach. Images of inside malls

 

[madmin]

Maps is just a cover, in reality they are searching for L0ve2Dream and other leakers

 

[cww5336]

I really hope the improvement gets implemented fast. My 12 pro max was experiencing issues in NYC so I hope they fix that issue.

 

[InVinoVeritasty]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

All of it

 

[hagjohn]

This is too much. What data are they even trying to collect?

Street view & walking information, I imagine.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Street view & walking information, I imagine.

We got google street maps for that 😬

 

[hagjohn]

We got google street maps for that 😬

Looks like you will have Apple Maps for that too.

 

[SuperCachetes]

Interesting. I'd be way more interested in what all components are in that backpack than what's in the next iPhone.