Apple Maps Inches Closer To Catching Up With Google Maps And Waze

It was once the butt of jokes but Apple has rebuilt its Maps app and service to mean serious business. In addition to offering a more integrated experience for its iOS and macOS users, Apple Maps bills itself as a more privacy-respecting service compared to Google Maps and Google-owned Waze. That, however, only makes sense if Apple Maps is able to offer nearly all the same features as the others. While it may still have a long way to go, this latest update takes it a few steps closer to that goal, at least for those in the US.

Apple began its revamp of Apple Maps last year and teased another redesign at WWDC a few months back. It rebuilt maps from the ground up to banish doubts about its accuracy. It refreshed its appearance to look more modern and more readable. And it is rolling out new features, some of which stand head to head with Google Maps.

For example, there is Look Around which is pretty much Google Street View by Apple, allowing users to get a 360-degree view of certain locations. Real-time transit information, which Google Maps has also been expanding recently, is also now present, giving details on departures, delays, and cancellations. Collections is Apple's equivalent to shareable lists that Google seems to still hasn't gotten perfect as of the most recent update.

There are also some parts where Apple may have a lead over Google. For one, Apple Maps has better indoor layouts for malls and airports. The latest update has also made Siri sound more natural when giving directions, marking traffic lights rather than numeric distances.

That said, Apple Maps' biggest weakness is its coverage. This update for the revamped version, for example, only adds New York and Northeastern areas including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington DC. While Apple does plan on covering the entire US before the year ends, it won't be until 2020 before it can say the same for the rest of the world.