Google Maps might be dominating the maps services space, but that isn’t stopping Apple Maps from trying to stay relevant to its hundreds of millions of users.
What happened: Apple has been quietly tweaking Apple Maps to try and define its value to users outside of being the map your iPhone forces you to use. Per TechRadar, the company is reportedly expanding the Look Around feature, a 3D street-level view similar to Google’s Street View.
- This summer, Apple also released a web version of Apple Maps (making it available to everyone), and more updates are expected with the release of iOS 18.
Why it matters: Google Maps is one of the most popular apps in the world, with over 1 billion monthly active users across iPhones and Androids. It’s continued to become more useful by expanding beyond navigation, including reservation tools and wildfire tracking.
Bottom line: The quality of Apple’s 3D maps feature may have gone viral in recent days, but Google Maps still has the edge with Street View and real-time data, plus Search integrations like restaurant reviews, travel itineraries, and payment options.—SB
