- The comparison
- Mobile
- Apple Maps is undergoing a major visual overhaul in its fight against Google Maps
Apple hasn't abandoned Apple Maps yet. For a long time, Apple Maps has been terrible, but the latest update could bring it up to date with Google Maps. The images on the card are undergoing a major overhaul, and Apple is adding more data and increasing accuracy, according to its press release. The changes are rolling out to parts of the United States first, available immediately, but will also be heading to Europe in the coming months. Upgraded users will immediately see a visually enhanced map of the United States. The biggest improvement you'll see is the amount of detail that appears on the map. Before, roads, highways, and businesses were displayed, but now you'll see individual buildings, including residences, as well as different types of land to help you easily see parks, airports, malls, and more. even more. You'll also get even more real-time transit data, as Apple just added data for Miami.
Required updates
Since these updates are primarily used to align Apple Maps functionality with what Google Maps offers, they seem more like necessary updates rather than exciting new features. But, Apple has placed a special emphasis on privacy with the latest update to Apple Maps. Apple notes that Apples Maps is "in no way connected to an Apple ID." Some special processing, such as suggested times, is also done directly on the device instead of communicating with a remote server. Going further, Apple notes that random identifiers are used when you enter search terms, get a navigation route, or check traffic information, and that these identifiers are continually reset. Apple Maps' privacy policies limit the location information stored, it does not maintain "a history of a user's search or location." So while the update compares Apple Maps to Google Maps in many ways, Apple has tried to point out that privacy makes it different.