Apple today announced that all users in the United States can now experience a redesigned Maps with faster and more accurate navigation and comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls and more.
From Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services:
“We set out to create the best and most private maps app on the planet that is reflective of how people explore the world today. It is an effort we are deeply invested in and required that we rebuild the map from the ground up to reimagine how Maps enhances people’s lives — from navigating to work or school or planning an important vacation — all with privacy at its core. The completion of the new map in the United States and delivering new features like Look Around and Collections are important steps in bringing that vision to life. We look forward to bringing this new map to the rest of the world starting with Europe later this year.”
Features include:
‘Look Around’ – an interactive way to visually explore a city with 3D imagery.
‘Collections – ‘Users can easily build and share lists of places they love or want to go to with friends and family.
Customers get quick and easy navigation to the places they visit every day with ‘Favorites’.
Real-time transit information gives detailed transit schedules, live departure times, arrival times, the current location of a bus or train en route, and system connections to help plan a journey.
Share ETA sends an estimated time of arrival to family, friends or coworkers with a simple tap. The receiver can follow along on the journey, and Maps will even update them with a revised estimate for when the traveler is arriving if a significant delay occurs.
Flight status uses on-device Siri intelligence to scan for information stored in Mail, Calendar or Wallet and proactively serves flight information for terminals, gate locations and departure times, as well as flight changes or cancellations for upcoming travel.
By using Indoor Maps for airports and malls users can see what level they’re on, restroom locations and even which stores and restaurants are open.
Siri Natural Language Guidance provides more natural-sounding directions that are even easier to follow, such as “At the next traffic light, turn left.”
Flyover offers a way to see select major metro areas with photo-realistic, immersive 3D views.
Maps it the best, we get it.