Updated Apple Maps Design Expanding to Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia

[RickDEGH]

I think I’ve seen Look Around in one place, ever. And I use Apple Maps on a daily basis. Where Look Around exists, it’s so much nicer than Street View, but it just doesn’t have the coverage.

I live Germany, in a small town. Look Around is everywhere. I’m looking for a new apartment and the feature has come in so handy. Every single address I’ve typed in has Look Around, and it’s so awesome. It’s virtually everywhere. The trick is that you must type a complete address. None of the addresses have Google’s Street View.

 

[RickDEGH]

I keep encountering more and more places where Apple Maps is better than Google Maps, and their public transport coverage is much better in most of the cities around me. Love seeing this!

Exactly what I’ve found.

 

[svish]

Great to hear. Want to see the updated maps in more countries.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I keep encountering more and more places where Apple Maps is better than Google Maps, and their public transport coverage is much better in most of the cities around me. Love seeing this!

Oh it is a millions time better for me as well. Even with what was once Waze strong point; safety/speed camera notifications. Sure it has taken a while but the Apple Maps implementation is just so much better with really good notifications when required, and silence when not required, and in good time.

And all whilst not looking like some cartoon...

 

[Worlrl]

As an Israeli I tried to use Apple Maps but it misses one big feature that Waze do have- to set the app to block dangerous routes in the West Bank.
I can drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and it can think that taking me from hostile palastinian village is a good idea.
There’s a lot of stories in Israel when civilians didn’t turn on this feature on Waze and got caught in a lynch by Palestinians

 

[CaptainV]

I was expecting that the Netherlands would be added first..

 

[Makanmata]

I was just in Israel and Apple Maps sucked big time so this will be a much welcome update. I hope it also has Transit directions as it's completely missing. Google Maps is way ahead and Waze is the best for driving.

For Transit directions in Israel, you can't beat Moovit (part of Mobileye, and owned by Intel). Works great (and without the horrible adds that destroy the UX in the US version.

 

[TigerNike23]

Apple said that us dutchies will get the new maps with iOS 16.

Hello Dutchie!

Hello Dutchie from Top Gear

 

[one more]

Apple said that us dutchies will get the new maps with iOS 16.

Going by my French experience, new Apple Maps do not necessarily bring cycling directions along. A bit of a lottery.

 

[one more]

I live Germany, in a small town. Look Around is everywhere. I’m looking for a new apartment and the feature has come in so handy. Every single address I’ve typed in has Look Around, and it’s so awesome. It’s virtually everywhere. The trick is that you must type a complete address. None of the addresses have Google’s Street View.

Same in France, Look Around is everywhere and is awesome!

 

[michaele11111]

Apple Maps in Israel is horrible. No transit in any cities. Tel Aviv lacks transit information , key landmarks, efficient routes. It is really bad. Expanding coverage when current coverage is very poor seems ridiculous.

I do not care for Google anything except Waze, but in Israel, Google Maps and Waze are your only solid choices

 

[ndouglas]

As an Israeli I tried to use Apple Maps but it misses one big feature that Waze do have- to set the app to block dangerous routes in the West Bank.
I can drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and it can think that taking me from hostile palastinian village is a good idea.
There’s a lot of stories in Israel when civilians didn’t turn on this feature on Waze and got caught in a lynch by Palestinians

Every border implies the violence of its maintenance… sigh.

 

[djgamble]

This sure must cost Apple a lot. I often wonder about the practicality of two tech titans both performing the same mega-expensive and resource intensive operation... It's not as though it's driving the cost down for anybody, although I do agree that I'd rather Apple manage my location than Google from a privacy consideration. I wonder if iPhones cost more as a result - it stands to reason they would.

If I was in Saudi Arabia I'd have broader privacy concerns than Apple v Google

 

[TheGhostWalker]

Good to see Palestine is included in this

 

[Razor_Crest]

I think I’ve seen Look Around in one place, ever. And I use Apple Maps on a daily basis. Where Look Around exists, it’s so much nicer than Street View, but it just doesn’t have the coverage.

I live in Colorado and it rarely exists. I can't imagine how much it costs Apple to maintain the maps in those areas and send artists to build them up in the first place, though.

I've also wondered if it's possible to pay Apple to get your area done. I can imagine this would be extremely useful for business owners looking to attract new customers.

 

[kc9hzn]

I think I’ve seen Look Around in one place, ever. And I use Apple Maps on a daily basis. Where Look Around exists, it’s so much nicer than Street View, but it just doesn’t have the coverage.

It’s available in most major US metro areas, and it’s available in my city, so I used it fairly often. I do keep the Google Maps app installed on my phone for Street View in places where Look Around isn’t available. I’d probably delete it if Apple rolled out Look Around more widely.

I think Apple captured Look Around footage for most of the US when they captured the LiDAR data for the improved maps. But it seems like Apple’s process for approving Look Around imagery requires a lot of human input (maybe it’s the face blurring?), so Apple is a lot slower to roll out new Look Around footage than Google was Street View.

As far as the USA is concerned, I can see from Apple’s site that they’re capturing vehicular information throughout the US this year. Maybe we’ll see a mass update for most of the US (similar to Canada’s mass update last year) next year. When that happens, I’ll probably delete the Google Maps app off my phone but retain a third party Street View app like Streets for the occasional overseas “Street View vacation”.