Apple Maps
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Use MapKit to give your apps a sense of place. Load Apple Maps directly into app windows and views, add annotations and overlays to call out points of interest, and offer text-completion to make it easier for people to search for a destination.
MapKit JS lets you embed interactive maps directly into your websites across platforms and operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Android. Like MapKit for apps, you can also add annotations and overlays to the map to call out points of interest or user destinations.
Create efficiencies across platforms for a variety of Apple Maps features, such as geocoding, search, and estimated time of arrival. The Maps Server API uses REST principles to increase performance, lower data usage, and improve battery life.
Apple Maps is a web mapping service developed by Apple Inc. The default map system of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, it provides directions and estimated times of arrival for driving, walking, cycling, and public transportation navigation. A "Flyover" mode shows certain urban centers and other places of interest in a 3D landscape composed of models of buildings and structures.
First released in 2012, Apple Maps replaced Google Maps as the default map system on Apple devices.[1] At launch, it drew criticism from users and reviewers for incorrect directions, sparse data about public transportation, and various other bugs and errors. Apple has since further developed the software to address the issues raised by such criticism.[2]
Apple revealed that the application would replace Google Maps as the default web mapping service for iOS. Apple also announced that the application would include turn-by-turn navigation, 3D maps, and the virtual assistant Siri.[5][6] The mapping service was released on September 19, 2012.[7] Following the launch, Apple Maps was heavily criticized, which resulted in a public apology by Apple CEO Tim Cook in late September and the departure of two key employees of Apple (see also Early inaccuracy).[7][8]
Google Maps was the default mapping app in iOS from the first generation iPhone in 2007.[9] In late 2009, tensions between Google and Apple started when the Android version of Google Maps featured turn-by-turn navigation, a feature which the iOS version lacked. At the time, Apple argued that Google collected too much user data.[10] When Apple made iOS 6 available, Google Maps could only be accessed by iOS 6 users via the web.[11] Although Google did not immediately launch an iOS version Maps, shortly after the announcement of Apple Maps, Google did add a Flyover feature to its virtual globe application Google Earth.[12] Three months later, in December 2012, Google Maps was released in the App Store. This version of Google Maps, unlike the previous version, featured turn-by-turn navigation. Shortly after it was launched, it was the most popular free application in the App Store.[13]
Speculation around Apple creating a mapping service of its own arose in 2009 after computer magazine Computerworld reported that Apple had acquired Jaron Waldman's company Placebase, an online mapping service, in July of that year.[14][15][16] The CEO of Placebase became a part of Apple's "Geo Team".[17][18] In the following two years, Apple acquired two more mapping related companies who specialized in 3D maps: Poly9 in 2010 and C3 Technologies in 2011.[19][20] C3 Technologies' imagery was later used for the Flyovers feature in Apple Maps.[21] Earlier in 2011, Apple indicated its plan for a mapping service when it stated on its website that it was collecting location data to create "an improved traffic service in the next couple of years" for iPhone users.[22] In September 2012, when Apple Maps was released, a "source" connected to both Google and Apple Maps claimed to technology website TechCrunch that Apple was recruiting Google employees that worked on Google Maps.[23]
In the first year after its release, Apple Maps received a number of improvements which solved various errors in the application.[24] Other changes included adding more satellite imagery and making the navigation available in more cities. In 2013, Apple also acquired a few companies to improve Apple Maps, namely HopStop, Embark, WifiSlam, and Locationary, as well as the team and the technology of the company BroadMap. HopStop and Embark both specialized in mapping public transportation, WifiSlam specialized in interior maps, Locationary provided accurate company data for mapping services, and BroadMap managed, sorted, and analyzed map data.[25][26][27]
During WWDC in June 2013, Apple announced the new version of Apple Maps in iOS 7. This new version (and the rest of the operating system) had a new look and icon.[28] Several new functions were also implemented, including full-screen mode, night mode, real-time traffic information, navigation for pedestrians, and the Frequent Locations feature. The latter feature, which can be switched on and off, was introduced to record the most frequently visited destinations by users in order to improve Apple Maps. In addition, new satellite imagery was added once again.[25][28] On September 18, 2013, Apple released iOS 7.[29] At that time, the new iPhone 5S included a new motion coprocessor, the M7, which can identify whether a user is walking or driving in order to adjust the navigation mode.[25]
During that same conference, Apple announced that a desktop version of the application would be made available for OS X Mavericks.[30] On October 22, 2013, Apple released OS X Mavericks and the desktop version of Apple Maps. The desktop version was similar to that in iOS 7, but it connected with the Contacts and Calendar applications. Additionally, the desktop version enabled users to send locations and directions to other devices with iOS.[31] In June of the following year, Apple acquired the company Spotsetter, a social search engine that gave personalized recommendations for places to visit. Since the acquisition, most of its employees work at Apple.[32]
On September 17, 2014, the successor of iOS 7, iOS 8, became available. Later that year, on October, 16, Apple released OS X Yosemite.[33] Neither update brought any major modifications to Apple Maps. However, the feature "City Tours" was introduced to both iOS and OS X. This function made it possible for the user to be guided through locations with Flyovers.[34] Also, Apple Maps results were shown in the search feature Spotlight in OS X Yosemite.[35] Later in 2014, Apple news website 9to5Mac reported that in the previous months a number of Apple Maps employees, including a key employee, had left the company to work for Uber.[36] In the next year, Apple Maps was added to the new Apple Watch, which was released on April 24.[37] The app indicates navigation instructions by taps on the user's wrist.[38]
During WWDC on June 8, 2015, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, announced that the new version of Apple Maps in iOS 9 would have information about public transportation in a number of global cities.[39] The function also became available for OS X El Capitan and watchOS 2.[40][41] In addition, Apple added the function "Nearby", which shows nearby points of interest in several categories. With the update, the application chooses a detour in case of a traffic delay. The three new versions of the operating systems became available in September 2015. In addition to these new releases, Apple acquired a few companies in 2015 in order to improve the mapping application even further. In the spring, Apple also acquired Coherent Navigation, that provides precise location data through High Integrity GPS, and the startup company Mapsense later that year.[42][43] The latter had developed software to organize large amounts of location data.[44]
In 2016, Apple Maps opened a new development center and it was updated for watchOS and iOS. The application was improved when watchOS 2.2 came out in March 2016. Apple Maps was renewed in the new version of the operating system and received several new features, including "Nearby" which had previously been exclusive to iOS.[45] Four months later, Apple CEO Tim Cook inaugurated a new office in partnership with IT company RMSI, Noida, at the WaveRock campus in Hyderabad, India. The development center focuses on the development of Apple Maps and employs 4,000 people.[46][47] According to ZDNet, the 250,000 square feet (23,000 square metres) office cost US$25 million.[48] In September, iOS 10 was released. The update of the Apple's mobile operating system was accompanied by a new design of Apple Maps. Moreover, the application was opened up to developers and gained a few features: it makes suggestions for places to go based on earlier usage of the app, it can remember the location where the user parked their vehicle, it allows a user to filter search suggestions, and the turn-by-turn navigation was improved.[49][50] The navigation automatically zooms in and out, shows traffic ahead, and allows users to search for points of interests along the route. These features are available for CarPlay as well.[49]
In summer 2018, Maps leader Eddy Cue announced major updates to Apple Maps, which he said had been rebuilt "from the ground up" using map data Apple had been quietly gathering for the past four years. Newly detailed maps were available first for the San Francisco Bay area, and later for other areas of the United States and other countries.[53][54] Areas with the new detail show outlines of buildings, more minor roads (for example, roads within parking lots), walking paths, and traffic lights and stop signs during navigation. Grassy areas also show more detail; for example, strips of grass and vegetation between roads, outlines of holes on golf courses, baseball/football fields within parks, etc.
By the end of January 2020, Apple completed the rollout of their new maps detail in the United States and the District of Columbia; several U.S. territories were also added in April 2020.[57] Apple also said that Europe would receive updated maps later that year.[58] During WWDC on June 22, 2020, Apple announced that the UK, Ireland, and Canada would be the first countries outside of the U.S. to receive the updated maps.[59]
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