Apple Maps: Complete Guide to iOS 13

[MacRumors]

Apple introduced updates to many of the built-in iOS apps in iOS 13, and Maps is no exception. The updated version of Maps has a long list of new features that are designed to make the Apple Maps app better able to compete with mapping apps from other companies.

There's a new Look Around street view level feature, a Collections feature for aggregating lists of your favorite places, a Favorites option for getting to your most frequently traveled places quickly, and some other smaller updates that are worth knowing about.

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In this guide, we've highlighted all of the new features that are in the Apple Maps app in iOS 13.

Maps Redesign

Apple in iOS 12 debuted a rebuilt, updated Maps app that uses an Apple-designed Maps engine to bring more detailed views of things like foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and more.

The work done in iOS 12 is continued in iOS 13 with Apple expanding the new Maps app to the entire United States as of January 2020. Apple now plans to bring the updated Maps app to Europe.

Apple on stage when introducing iOS 13 mentioned these map updates and promised improved detailing for roads, beaches, parks, buildings, and more. Maps in iOS 12 overall looks similar to iOS 13 in states where new Maps have already rolled out, but there could be more detail coming in the future and there are some small changes worth pointing out.

Road Hazards and Traffic Conditions

When viewing the main Maps interface, the app now displays road hazards and traffic conditions so you can see the route ahead at a glance. Previously, this information was available, but only when turn-by-turn directions were activated.

In iOS 13, traffic information is visible on the main map too.

Junction View

iOS 13 adds a Junction View option that's meant to help drivers avoid wrong turns and directional misses by lining them up in the correct lane before a turn or an elevated road.

Siri Directions

Siri gives more natural directions in iOS 13. Instead of saying something like "in 1,000 feet turn left," Siri might instead choose to say "turn left at the next traffic light," which is an easier instruction to follow since there's no distance estimation involved.

Venue Navigation Improvements

When you're navigating to something like a concert at a large venue, Apple Maps now offers up improvements that are better suited towards getting you to your end-point destination.

Real-Time Transit Schedules

The Maps app now includes real-time transit schedules, arrival times, network stops, and system connections for transit directions to provide better overall route planning.

Real-time information like outages, cancellations, and other changes are also listed in the Apple Maps app.

ETA Sharing

There's a new option to share your estimated time of arrival with friends, family, and coworkers. Your ETA will update dynamically, changing even when there's a significant traffic delay. This feature was removed from iOS 13 during the later betas, but could be re-added in the future.

• How to Share Your Estimated Time of Arrival in Apple Maps

Flight Status

Maps is now able to display up-to-the-minute information about flight terminals, gate locations, departure times, and more.

Place Cards for Businesses

Place Cards for businesses have been updated to be more helpful and easier to use. You'll see information like times of Today at Apple sessions when looking up an Apple Store, for example, or movie times when looking up a movie theater.

Look Around

Look Around is a new Apple Maps feature that's designed to be Apple's equivalent of Google Street View. Look Around offers up a street-level view of what's around you or a location you search for in the Maps app.

You can use Look Around in the main Apple Maps view whenever there's a pair of binoculars visible. Tapping on the binoculars icon delves into a close-up street level view of the location in a little card, which you can tap again to get to a full screen Look Around view.

Look Around can also be brought up when searching for specific supported locations by tapping on the Look Around card in the search results.

When in Look Around mode, tapping on the display lets you move through the Look Around area, and tapping a spot far off in the distance does a neat zoom in maneuver that's fun to watch.

In Look Around, all notable points of interest, like restaurants, businesses, parks, and more, are highlighted with identifying icons and place names so you can tell what's what.

Look Around is limited to areas where a car can go because it's using data captured from a 360-degree camera on a vehicle. That means you can't zoom into areas like parks or beaches, for example, but you can see what's visible from the street.

At launch, Look Around was limited to parts of California, Nevada, and Hawaii, but it has since expanded to Los Angeles, Houston, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Apple plans to continue the expansion in 2019 and 2020.

• How to Use Look Around in Apple Maps

Collections

Collections lets you search for and aggregate lists of different locations, such as restaurants you might want to try or places you might want to visit.

Collection lists can be shared, so you can make up lists of places for friends and family visiting you in your city and then share it with them, for example.

• How to Create a Collection in Apple Maps

Favorites

Favorites is a new Maps feature that lets you search for specific places and then add them to a list. Favorites are meant for places that you visit frequently, and Home and Work are already added by default.

You can add any place you go to often to the Favorites list, such as a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, or a friend's house. Tapping on one of your Favorites brings up directions to that spot right away, so think of it like a speed dial option for Maps.

• How to Add Places to Your Favorites List in Apple Maps

Maps Feedback Form

Apple introduced a redesigned customer feedback interface in iOS 13, which is designed to make it easier for Apple Maps users to submit corrections for things like incorrect addresses, business locations, or operating hours.

• How to Send Feedback About Errors in Apple Maps

CarPlay

All of the new features introduced in the Maps app in iOS 13, such as Favorites, Collections, and Junction View have been added to CarPlay. The Maps app in CarPlay also provides updated route planning, search, and navigation.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about Maps, know of an iOS 13 Maps feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Article Link: Apple Maps: Complete Guide to iOS 13

 

[ipedro]

Look Around fills in the last piece that I occasionally still used Google Maps for. Apple not only matched Google but beats it in my opinion. The ease of use of navigating via Flyover and now Look Around is far superior to Street View.

It was all worth the growing pains. Apple owns a critical piece of the data and experience used throughout the entire Apple ecosystem.

Remaining at the mercy of their main competitor would have been a massive strategic mistake. Steve Jobs made the right call moving to an in house Maps app.

 

[Jeremy3292]

Unfortunately, none of these features address the main problem which is lack of an extensive database of POIs like Google has. Anyone remember iOS SIX? 7 cycles later and still no dice. Carry on

 

[ipedro]

Unfortunately, none of these features address the main problem which is lack of an extensive database of POIs like Google has. Anyone remember iOS SIX? 7 cycles later and still no dice. Carry on

I guess it depends on where you are. Points of interest in Toronto are very thoroughly populated. The new Maps where Apple owns the data, fixes the problem with relying on a third party to make changes to the maps, including correcting errors and adding points of interest. Knowing the work they did in the backend, it’s clear that we’re about to see a massive ramp up of POI and map accuracy after iOS 13 is released to the public.

 

[jarman92]

Every year I SO want to use Apple Maps, but every year I'm disappointed. Currently running iOS 13 beta in Barcelona, and Apple doesn't have one iota of transit info. Haven't even tried POIs but I imagine they're equally terrible

 

[Jeremy3292]

I guess it depends on where you are. Points of interest in Toronto are very thoroughly populated. The new Maps where Apple owns the data, fixes the problem with relying on a third party to make changes to the maps, including correcting errors and adding points of interest. Knowing the work they did in the backend, it’s clear that we’re about to see a massive ramp up of POI and map accuracy after iOS 13 is released to the public.

Not everyone lives in vastly populated cities such as Toronto or San Francisco or Dallas. In fact a very large percentage of iOS users do not. Additionally, I think we can agree that just because Apple is "getting better" and "ramping up" doesn't mean it's even close to Google in terms of POI information. Everything is relative

 

[adammull]

Look Around fills in the last piece that I occasionally still used Google Maps for. Apple not only matched Google but beats it in my opinion. The ease of use of navigating via Flyover and now Look Around is far superior to Street View.

It was all worth the growing pains. Apple owns a critical piece of the data and experience used throughout the entire Apple ecosystem.

Remaining at the mercy of their main competitor would have been a massive strategic mistake. Steve Jobs made the right call moving to an in house Maps app.

Last piece? I'd be interested to know how you've gotten around the traffic piece and the illogical routes piece. I've tried Apple Maps many times. Every year it gets updated and every year it fails. Google Maps will suggest alternate routes in traffic. Apple Maps gives me directions from my home to work that is the most illogical route anyone would ever take. It's terrible. But I will be trying again. (sigh)

 

[coolfactor]

I was taken aback for a moment this past weekend. We were using Apple Maps GPS for navigating to a beach. Near the end of the route, Siri said "You'll need to park your car alongside (road name), and walk the rest of the way." We were like "Wha?????" Found that really cool.
[doublepost=1563310253][/doublepost]

Last piece? I'd be interested to know how you've gotten around the traffic piece and the illogical routes piece. I've tried Apple Maps many times. Every year it gets updated and every year it fails. Google Maps will suggest alternate routes in traffic. Apple Maps gives me directions from my home to work that is the most illogical route anyone would ever take. It's terrible. But I will be trying again. (sigh)

It probably heavily depends on the area. I prefer Apple Maps over Google Maps 90% of the time, but sometimes Siri will choose U-turn routes instead of more logical alternate routes that Google offers.

 

[ClaytonK]

Sorry to be pessimistic but when I see Apple Maps introduce ambitious new features I fear they are not scalable. It’s great for people in the Bay Area, but for those who just live in US cities of 2 million people Apple Maps regularly doesn’t even map addresses in the right neighborhood. When I report glaring errors they still go unaddressed months later.
I’m all for competing with Google Maps. But could I please make it my default until I trust Apple Maps?

 

[Joniz]

Okay, nothing really use like…

Being able to draw the route along points I want to visit or roads I want to take.

Still just “Here, ya get a choice of three, out of these two, one of which really sucks.”

 

[capvideo]

Favorites as described isn’t new. Maps already has that feature. The improvement I’m looking for would be if Maps shows favorites on the map while navigating so I can decide easily at the last minute to divert to a favorite I’ve previously added.

Currently, favorites disappear from the map when navigating.

 

[utwarreng]

How about the basic ability to plan a trip that stops at multiple destinations? Google Maps has for years allowed me to say "let's go to A, then to B, then to C, then back home." Sometimes when I have a number of different destinations, I just want to put in a list of addresses and have Apple Maps spit back, "this is the most efficient route for you to drive to all of your destinations," or at least let me manually add multiple destinations.

 

[gwhizkids]

I think I live in a different universe than these people who say no POIs, bad directions, etc... I find this to be on a par with Google Maps in almost every way. And I don't live in a major city...

 

[Alan Gordon]

Unfortunately, none of these features address the main problem which is lack of an extensive database of POIs like Google has. Anyone remember iOS SIX? 7 cycles later and still no dice. Carry on

I guess it depends on where you are. Points of interest in Toronto are very thoroughly populated. The new Maps where Apple owns the data, fixes the problem with relying on a third party to make changes to the maps, including correcting errors and adding points of interest. Knowing the work they did in the backend, it’s clear that we’re about to see a massive ramp up of POI and map accuracy after iOS 13 is released to the public.

Not everyone lives in vastly populated cities such as Toronto or San Francisco or Dallas. In fact a very large percentage of iOS users do not. Additionally, I think we can agree that just because Apple is "getting better" and "ramping up" doesn't mean it's even close to Google in terms of POI information. Everything is relative

Like you said, everything is relative. I live in a rather small rural area, and Apples Maps matches or exceeds Google Maps in terms of POIs.

Last piece? I'd be interested to know how you've gotten around the traffic piece and the illogical routes piece. I've tried Apple Maps many times. Every year it gets updated and every year it fails. Google Maps will suggest alternate routes in traffic. Apple Maps gives me directions from my home to work that is the most illogical route anyone would ever take. It's terrible. But I will be trying again. (sigh)

Apple Maps has given me alternate routes several times over the last week or two.

 

[Mike MA]

Every year I SO want to use Apple Maps, but every year I'm disappointed. Currently running iOS 13 beta in Barcelona, and Apple doesn't have one iota of transit info. Haven't even tried POIs but I imagine they're equally terrible

It’s improving, but definitely Europe cannot compete in terms of details, transit or POI.

 

[Konigi]

That really looks cool!

BTW, spotted last weekend in Montreal: an Apple car with the cameras on its top. Couldn't take a picture to provide the evidence, but to me it means that their street view ('Look Around') is coming to a Canadian city

 

[Khedron]

“The work done in iOS 12 is continuing in iOS 13 as Apple expands the new Maps app to additional states in the U.S. in 2019 and new countries in 2020.”

So I can safely ignore Apple Maps for yet another year. Thanks for the info.

 

[Alan Gordon]

Sorry to be pessimistic but when I see Apple Maps introduce ambitious new features I fear they are not scalable. It’s great for people in the Bay Area, but for those who just live in US cities of 2 million people Apple Maps regularly doesn’t even map addresses in the right neighborhood. When I report glaring errors they still go unaddressed months later.
I’m all for competing with Google Maps. But could I please make it my default until I trust Apple Maps?

I live in a county with less than 9,000 people. Until iOS 13 beta was released, I was getting corrections made within 2-3 days. They haven't been reliable about fixes since then, though hopefully that is because of the work being done on Maps in anticipation of the new Maps data making it to my state.

I have tried to change the name of a business on Google Maps multiple times over the last 5 years or so from the name the business had 50 years ago. They all have their issues.

 

[Kaibelf]

Unfortunately, none of these features address the main problem which is lack of an extensive database of POIs like Google has. Anyone remember iOS SIX? 7 cycles later and still no dice. Carry on

I guess my immediate question is: how many POIs have you submitted to Apple?

 

[RichardDue]

Can you add a stop?

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

I would really like to ditch google maps, but Apple Maps is still 5 years behind google...

• No support for cyclists - In Europe there are many dedicated routes for bikes and e-scooters. Entirely missing.
• POIs of any kind are missing, outdated and difficult to update. I had to send a request 3 times to have a friends business updated despite the obvious (!) wrong entry.
• No direct ratings within the App, relies on 3rd party only.

EDIT: Yeah... missed the most important... as Richard above stated... the missing stops make it a show stopper some use cases.

 

[MisterSavage]

Look Around fills in the last piece that I occasionally still used Google Maps for. Apple not only matched Google but beats it in my opinion. The ease of use of navigating via Flyover and now Look Around is far superior to Street View.

If their coverage for Look Around is good it's huge for me. I use Street View all the time in Google Maps.

Last piece? I'd be interested to know how you've gotten around the traffic piece and the illogical routes piece. I've tried Apple Maps many times. Every year it gets updated and every year it fails. Google Maps will suggest alternate routes in traffic. Apple Maps gives me directions from my home to work that is the most illogical route anyone would ever take. It's terrible. But I will be trying again. (sigh)

Apple Maps burned me so badly on a road trip. There was a huge slowdown on the interstate and it had me get off at an exit before it. It had me drive about five miles on a side road, do a U-turn, and then took me back to the exact same exit I got off on telling me to get back on the interstate. I will give it another shot with iOS 13.

 

[Hi Tek]

I guess it depends on where you are. Points of interest in Toronto are very thoroughly populated. The new Maps where Apple owns the data, fixes the problem with relying on a third party to make changes to the maps, including correcting errors and adding points of interest. Knowing the work they did in the backend, it’s clear that we’re about to see a massive ramp up of POI and map accuracy after iOS 13 is released to the public.

I'm in Halifax, Been using Maps since iOS 8 or 9. PoI here is great I'm happy with it as always.

Not everyone lives in vastly populated cities such as Toronto or San Francisco or Dallas. In fact a very large percentage of iOS users do not. Additionally, I think we can agree that just because Apple is "getting better" and "ramping up" doesn't mean it's even close to Google in terms of POI information. Everything is relative

Curious. Source?

How about the basic ability to plan a trip that stops at multiple destinations? Google Maps has for years allowed me to say "let's go to A, then to B, then to C, then back home." Sometimes when I have a number of different destinations, I just want to put in a list of addresses and have Apple Maps spit back, "this is the most efficient route for you to drive to all of your destinations," or at least let me manually add multiple destinations.

Gotta admit, was really hoping for this in iOS 13. Me and the family do trips enough times a year and I always have to plan trips between (gas, Tim Hortons, etc.)

That really looks cool!

BTW, spotted last weekend in Montreal: an Apple car with the cameras on its top. Couldn't take a picture to provide the evidence, but to me it means that their street view ('Look Around') is coming to a Canadian city

Hopefully all of us.

 

[scpt]

Looks like Apple maps will still be missing the following compared to Google maps:

1). Search in your route feature. Google maps lets you search for anything...but Apple Maps is limited to Cafe, Gas station, Restuarant etc.

2). Add a stop.

That said, I regularly switch between apple maps & google maps in bay area...and I have found Apple maps to be better in estimating the drive time accounting for traffic. Google maps almost always seem to be on slightly optimistic side.

 

[steve333]

I switched to google maps after siri sent me in the wrong direction using apple maps.