Apple Maps has caught up with Google Maps by offering a web version, allowing users to access Apple’s mapping service through a web browser.

In a Newsroom post, Apple revealed that a web version of Apple Maps can now be used as a public beta for web browser users of Safari and Google Chrome on Mac and iPad. Maps on the web can also be used with Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows PCs. Apple noted that “Support for additional languages, browsers, and platforms will be expanded over time.”

In our short time with it, the web version of Apple Maps works just as well as its app counterpart, which has been available on the best iPhones, iPads, and Macs since its debut in 2012. Users can explore specific landmarks, get directions, pick from a bunch of Guides to help give some useful insight into certain locations, change the map view, and more. The Newsroom post also mentioned that features like Look Around, which offers a 3D street view similar to Google Street View, will be available in the coming months.

The release of this web version is great timing too, as Apple Maps has recently been updated with some useful features for visitors to the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11. For example, Apple Maps will display pop-up locations such as temporary venues, souvenir shops, and public gathering sites throughout the games, making it easy for visitors to find all the important places during the summer games.

Using the web version for these updated features will surely help those visiting Paris, especially those bringing their Windows and Mac laptops. Already, Apple Maps on the web is a fantastic alternative to using Google Maps on a web browser.

How to use Apple Maps for web

Accessing Apple Maps on your web browser is a simple affair. First, make sure you’re using one of the supported web browsers: Safari on Mac and iPad, or Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows. Follow this link, and you’ll be taken to the beta version of Apple Maps for the web!

The layout is very simple to follow. On the left, you’ll see three features: Search, Guides, and Directions. These work just as they do in the Apple Maps you’ve likely used on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

That’s all there is to it! Nevertheless, keep in mind that this is still a beta version of Apple Maps for the web, so you may encounter some bugs.

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If you live in the UK you'll know just how high fuel prices can be. It's one of the reasons that some people have already switched to electric vehicles, but with so many traditional diesel and unleaded vehicles still on the road, it's going to be some time before fuel stations are a thing of the past. This means UK drivers need to find a way to save money wherever possible — and that's where the Roadtrip app comes in.

Having initially launched in New Zealand, Roadtrip has now brought its particular brand of price-checking and route-planning to the UK with an iPhone app that promises to help people save money by providing the cheapest journeys. It does that by checking real-time prices at big-name fuel pumps based on where you want to go and then offers recommendations on how you might want to go about doing that.

Founders Ben Robertson and Emory Fierlinger say that they're now bringing Roadtrip to the UK's App Store "in response to overwhelming demand," and given the price of fuel it's easy to see why that might be the case.

Time to get moving

In a press release received by iMore, the developers say that they received comments on a viral TikTok video asking for the app to be released to the UK — and now it's here.

“Based on the huge demand we saw, we immediately began work on the UK version, and after months of dedication, we're thrilled to finally release it today," Fierlinger said. "We're so excited to bring Roadtrip to such a large audience in the UK, especially at a time when the cost of living is a challenge for so many."

So what does Roadtrip actually do?

In the simplest terms, Roadtrip shows the 10 cheapest fuel stations along a route and helps drivers save cash along the way. "Using this data, Roadtrip shows which route would be the cheapest to drive, so you can decide if the scenic route is worth the extra petrol cost, for example," the company says. It does that by asking the driver for their car's registration number and then tailoring its responses to match their vehicle.

Roadtrip is also designed to help find the cheapest prices using real-time pricing data at more than 4,000 stations across the UK. Retailers like BP, Tesco, Shell, Sainsbury’s, and others are all compared with prices updated instantly using the UK government's Pumpwatch scheme.

"For us it's about providing a tool that can make a real difference in how people can save money on petrol day to day." says Fierlinger. "Our mission is to help drivers make informed decisions about their travel costs, ultimately leading to massive savings over time".

Whether you're setting off on vacation or just want to make sure you're getting the best prices on fuel for your daily commute, Roadtrip could well be the app you didn't know that you needed.

If that all sounds like something you could make use of, you can download Roadtrip from the App Store right now. It's a free download while the Roadtrip Pro subscription is available with support for adding unlimited vehicles, unlimited calculations, and the ability to add multiple stops to your journey. Roadtrip Pro costs $0.99 per month while an annual payment option is also available.

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After announcing that it was bringing glanceable directions to its Maps app more than a year ago, Google has finally started to make good on its promise. The feature, which is starting to roll out to people with seemingly no geographic restrictions, allows people to see their travel directions on the iPhone's Lock Screen for the first time.

Google announced its Maps glanceable directions feature back in February of 2023 and then things went suspiciously quiet. There was no sign of the feature in the Google Maps app on iPhone or indeed on Android, a platform that might have been expected to benefit from such a feature first. However, some people have now started to notice that they do have an option to enable glanceable directions on their devices — although the option does not yet seem to be available to everyone which suggests Google is rolling it out on an account-by-account basis.

Those looking to see if they have the option to enable glanceable directions can head into the Google Maps options followed by the Navigation settings. The option to enable glanceable directions can be found towards the very bottom of the long list of options — if you don't yet see it make sure that you're running the latest version of the Google Maps app and have iOS 16.1 or later installed. Failing that, hang fire — the option should arrive sooner or later.

Directions at a glance

When Google first announced glanceable notifications back in 2023 it said that Google Maps users "can track your journey right from your route overview or lock screen. You’ll see updated ETAs and where to make your next turn — information that was previously only visible by unlocking your phone, opening the app, and using comprehensive navigation mode." The blog post also noted that "if you decide to take another path, we’ll update your trip automatically."

It's worth noting that the Live Activities support that had previously been promised still appears to be missing, but that may change as the feature completes its rollout. Now, users who have the glanceable directions option enabled will see an updated ETA and their next turn from their lock screen, a feature that previously required that the iPhone be unlocked in order to work.

The feature, first spotted by Android Police, could be at its most useful when walking and means that an iPhone can be locked and placed in a pocket before being retrieved when the next direction is required rather than being carried unlocked (and susceptible to theft) throughout the journey.

This specific feature will of course be at its best when using an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max thanks to their always-on displays. Apple is also rumored to be bringing those same always-on displays to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus, but it will remain a Pro-only feature when the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro families of devices arrive later this year. If Apple follows its previous release cadence we can expect the new iPhones to be announced in the first couple of weeks of September before making them available for preorder the following Friday. The new handsets should then also go on sale the Friday after that, too.

More from iMore

• Google Maps - Everything you need to know!
• Google Maps' new AI-powered immersive view blows Apple's out of the water
• How to use Siri with Google Maps

Apple Maps has gained new features in several European countries with Look Around and more now available in more locations than ever before.

Apple has confirmed that the Maps improvements are now live in Netherlands, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, says that Apple is "excited to let even more users benefit from [...] the new features we're introducing today."

All mapped out

The updated Apple Maps includes several improvements, including the Look Around feature. "The 'Look Around' feature in Maps offers high-resolution street-level images, 3D photos, and smooth transitions," Apple says.

People can now enjoy step-by-step walking instructions in augmented reality by holding up their iPhones. Buildings are automatically scanned, and Apple Maps provides directions based on what it sees.

There's more, too. "Drivers with certain electric cars can also plan their ride in Maps with suitable charging points, taking into account differences in altitude and other factors along the route." At the same time, public access users can find nearby stations and more. Some travelers can also see how much a trip will cost within Maps and put their transit subscription in the Wallet app, too — assuming they have iOS 16 installed.

Apple has been steadily improving its Maps app across its platforms recently. Of course, Google Maps was once very much the better app with much improved maps, but that isn't the case now — especially if you happen to live in an area that benefits from the very best Apple Maps features like those rolling out to new countries today.

The use of augmented reality is perhaps also a nod toward Apple's future headset and AR glasses plans, using the latest technologies to overlay digital information in the real world.

What you need to know

• Google Maps has added support for toll road pricing.
• Drivers will be able to see how much it will cost to drive on a toll road before setting off.

Google Maps has added support for toll road pricing, giving people more information about how much it will cost before they get to a road that requires a toll to drive on.

The Google Maps update was announced via forum post and will be available on almost 2,000 toll roads across the United States, India, Japan, and Indonesia. Google does say that more countries are coming soon although it doesn't say which ones, or how soon they'll be added.

Toll roads are a fact of life depending on what part of the world you live in and how much you travel. But knowing how much a drive will cost ahead of time can be handy, and that's what Google is helping with here. Google also says that it will offer intelligent pricing based on what day it is and more.

Those who drive on roads that use toll passes will also be able to enable and disable prices based on whether or not they have one, while those who just want to avoid such roads entirely will continue to be able to do that within the app's settings.

Google Maps has long been one of the best iPhone navigation apps available in the App Store and it's always promising to see such an app continue to add features after so many years. Toll roads aren't something many of us deal with on the daily, but that can also make information like this all the more important when we do come across a journey that requires driving on one.

If you don't yet have the Google Maps app installed, you can download it for free from the App Store today.

What you need to know

• Google has announced a new time travel feature for Google Maps and Street View.
• People can go all the way back to Street View's first images for specific locations.

Google is celebrating 15 years of Street View by announcing a time travel feature of sorts, allowing people to scroll back and see how things looked at various points between now and 2007.

Google announced the change via blog post, saying that it's now "easier than ever to travel back in time right from your phone."

Google also announced a new Street View camera that will allow it to capture more Street View imagery than ever before. It can be fitted to any car and weighs just 15 pounds, making it more portable than ever before. Google says we can expect it to be used in areas that would normally go unmapped, including the Amazon jungle.

Finally, a bit of fun. Google says that to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of Street View's launch, we can all set a Street View car as our mapping icon!

Google Maps is still one of the best iPhone navigation apps around — and being able to drive around in a Street View car makes it even better!

Apple Maps offers extensions for specific apps and services. You can, for example, use OpenTable to reserve a spot at your favorite restaurant, use Uber to hail a ride, and visit Yelp to check out reviews of that coffee shop you've been thinking about checking out. Here are all the apps that offer Apple Maps extensions!

What is a Maps extension?

The primary purpose of Maps extensions is to give you the ability to do things like book a reservation at a restaurant without having to leave the Maps app. This integration will free up your precious time by cutting out the need to switch between and search within different apps.

The feature launched with iOS 10 back in 2013 but is still supported by a select few apps in iOS 15 today.

Apps that have extensions for Maps

Third-party apps that offer ride-hailing or dining reservation functionality can opt into supporting Apple's Maps extension feature. We've listed several to make things easy for you.

How to enable Maps extensions on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Settings app from your Home screen.
2. Tap Maps.
3. Choose the type of extensions you wish to turn on under Extensions.
4. Toggle On the extension you want to enable. Green means it's on.

Note: If you don't see the Extension heading, no apps are installed on your device with Maps extensions capabilities.

Once you've followed the above steps, you can use the third-party ride-hailing and dining reservation apps within the Maps app. For more help getting the feature set up, check out our guide on how to enable and use Maps extensions.

All in one place

When looking up a location in Apple Maps, the next thing you want to do is work out how to get there. Integrating ride-share services into the Maps app makes total sense for the best iPhone experience.

Similarly, if you look up a restaurant's address details, your next move might be to book a table. Rather than jumping into a browser or another app, integration with OpenTable and Yelp means you can achieve that with just a couple of taps from the restaurant's detail page in the Maps app.

Updated February 2022: Updated for iOS 15.

Apple's Maps app gives you everything you need to get where you're going and find interesting places along the way. It can tell you where you are, what direction you're facing, what's nearby, how to avoid traffic, and much more. Maps can show you the ground in 3D and can take to the sky with Flyover. It can even provide turn-by-turn voice navigation for driving, walking, and — in some regions — public transit, including buses, trains, and ferries making it one of the best iPhone apps for getting around.

What's new in iOS 15?

Apple's latest iOS 15 software brings some impressive updates to the Maps app. Improvements include more detailed driving navigation and public transit information.

Maps in iOS 15 also adds some totally new features like 3D city views and augmented reality walking navigation. These features work in major cities like Los Angeles, Now York City, and London with more locations being added over time. Apple has also added an interactive three-dimensional globe and has incorporated a curated Guides section in Maps to offer expert recommendations from brands like Time Out, The Washington Post, and the National Park Foundation.

Want to get to grips with everything the Apple Maps app can do? Here's what you need to know to get started!

How to find locations and get directions with Maps on iPhone and iPad

Times have changed — instead of the Thomas Guide, sixteen year olds have an iPhone to guide their way through city streets and subway lines. And instead of numbered paper sections, we have live traffic information and trip tracking in the form of Apple's Maps app. The company's app is built right into your iPhone or iPad. All you have to do is look! Here's how to use the Maps app to find your location and get directions.

If you find something isn't right about a location, you can report a problem in Maps and it will hopefully get resolved by the time the next person tries to navigate there.

How to name and save locations with Maps on iPhone and iPad

Whether you want your iPhone to remember your best friend's house or your local gym, adding and naming locations is easy with the Maps app for iPhone and iPad. Here's how to name and save locations with Maps on your iPhone or iPad.

How to share location and directions with Maps for iPhone and iPad

Sometimes it's not enough for you to know where you are or where you're going. Sometimes you need to let other people know. Maybe you want to share a great new coffee shop you've found, maybe you got separated at the park, or maybe you need to be picked up where your car broke down. Sure, there's Find my Friends for sharing location all the time but, when you need to share your location or some directions any time, there's Maps.

How to get transit directions with Apple Maps for iPhone and iPad

Apple has a few useful features specific to transit directions, making it easier to navigate the big city without a car. You can easily see transit stops for specific lines and, whenever multiple lines are available, you'll see all of the possible route suggestions. Our guide to Apple Maps transit directions shows you how.

Apple Maps doesn't support transit directions for all locations, though the list of supported cities grows longer with each update. Here are all of the places with Apple Maps transit directions.

How to use Siri to get directions and maps on iPhone or iPad

With Siri and Apple's built-in Maps, you know longer have to stop, type, and search for directions. You can simply ask Siri for directions, and you'll get a route to go right there. It's great if you're in a new area of town or traveling in a new city. And if you get lost, you can even ask Siri to take you home.

How to find your car with the Maps app

Here's a not-so-secret fact about me: I'm awful at remembering where I parked. It's why I own a brightly colored car that can make noise and flash its lights if I press my key fob — without them, I might as well condemn myself to wandering through darkened parking garages for hours.

Thanks to Apple's Parked Car feature in Maps, though, I no longer have to rely on shiny paint or loud noises to help me discover where I left my vehicle: I only have to look at my iPhone or Apple Watch.

How to change settings for Maps on iPhone and iPad

Apple Maps offers settings that let you change the volume of navigation prompts, change the units of distance, and even get follow-up emails on issues you report. You can customize Maps settings and get everything set up just the way you want it — once you know where to look!

How to delete your search history and destinations in Maps on iPhone and iPad

There are plenty of reasons to avoid storing your search and destination history: Maybe you're planning a surprise party; maybe you have one too many trips to Starbucks listed. Whatever the case, you can very easily get delete your search and destination history in Maps.

How to view the weather in Maps

If you're cruising along the highway on a road trip with pals and you want to take a peek at the weather without switching apps, follow along, and we'll show you how to view the weather in Maps! It's super convenient, especially while driving, though you'd probably only know how to find weather info in Maps if someone told you.

How to use Maps extensions on iPhone and iPad

iOS makes it easier to get more out of the Maps app by allowing third-party apps to add Maps extensions. The primary purpose of app extensions is to give you the ability to do things like book a reservation at a restaurant or call for a ride from services like Uber — all without having to leave Maps. This kind of integration frees up your precious time by cutting out the need to switch between different apps to accomplish your goals.

If you can't find Maps extensions, we can help you there too.

How to open Apple Maps locations in Google Maps

Though Apple has been making its Maps app better over time, many people still prefer the tried-and-tested Google Maps for something as important as knowing where you are going.

While you can't change the default mapping app on iOS, you can make it easier to switch to an alternative with a $1.99 utility app called Opener that lets you open Apple Maps locations in Google Maps.

How to get directions and use Apple Maps with CarPlay

Outside of streaming services, I'd be willing to bet Maps in CarPlay is the most commonly used app. Whether you're looking for a business or traveling out of state, it's much easier to be told where to go than navigating from memory or a map.

Most of Maps' interface in CarPlay is pretty easy to understand, but there are a few tricky parts. The above-linked article takes a look at some of the app's basic functions and how you can use them to get the most out of your experience.

Still have questions about Maps on iPhone and iPad?

Have a problem or question about the Apple Maps app? Let us know in the comments below and we'll try our best to help out.

Updated September 2021: Updated for iOS 15.

Source: StackCommerce

Diagrams are really useful for visualizing information, but they can be tricky to create. MyDraw makes the process quicker and simpler, with loads of tools in a user-friendly interface. Right now, it's 50% off at $33.99.

While you can use Illustrator to make mind maps and floor plans, Adobe's app is really not made for the job. In contrast, MyDraw offers a range of specialized diagramming tools.

Available on Windows and Mac, the software offers a selection of templates for flowcharts, flyers, certificates, scorecards, and many other diagram types.

If you prefer to create your graphics from scratch, you can easily add lines, curves, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, and many other shapes. MyDraw also offers control point editing, automatic layouts, and rich text editing.

Being a vector editor, MyDraw allows you to export your work at print resolution in a number of formats. This means you can quite easily produce business cards and brochures using MyDraw. In fact, the software even supports barcodes.

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What you need to know

• Apple is rolling out a huge update to Maps for Canada beginning today.
• Look Around will be available for all major cities.
• EV routes, flyover, and various other features are included in the update.

Apple has been improving its Maps app with a ton more data for a couple of years now. The first country to get better Maps data was the U.S., but now it's finally Canada's turn.

Starting today, the Maps app for iPhone and iPad will receive a huge update that includes more detailed maps, Look Around for major cities, EV routes, and quite a bit more. Think of this as the next generation of Maps because this update is huge. Here is a quick breakdown of the new features coming to Maps in Canada.

Look Around is coming to major Canadian cities, which will allow you to look at high-resolution 3D images of the entire city. This will be at street level, meaning you can take a look at a popular tourist destination or look around the park, like you're actually in that location.

Look Around will be coming to cities like Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, as well as parts of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and more according to Apple.

Guides offer curated lists of places to visit in a city. It's a way for you to find interesting parks, museums, monuments, and other cool things to see or do in a city. In Guides, you'll be able to see pictures of the location and more information if you want to read up on it before you visit.

There's also EV routing coming across Canada. This will allow electric vehicle owners to plan routes with chargers in mind for the type of EV they are driving. For example, If you have a Tesla and want to go from Vancouver to Winnipeg, Maps can guide you there and take you to a Telsa Supercharger when you need to charge.

Real time transit will give you access to live transit information for buses, trains, and other mode of public transit. This include arrival times, deprature times, a live look at where the bus or train currently is, and more.

This means if you plan on using transit in a new city, or just to get around your own city, you should be able to plan your entire trip with Maps.

Flyover should let you see major metro areas with photo-realistic, immersive 3D views from above. You'll be able to move your device through space to experience a top-down view of the citiy, or even pan, tilt, and zoom on locations and landmarks.

Where the data is available, Maps will now warn you when you are approaching red light or speed cameras well you're en route. You can also see speed cameras in the Maps as well.

Canada is also getting indoor Maps for airports and malls in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, and more cities.

You can simply open Maps while in a supported indoor location to see what level you're on, where restrooms are, which stores are open, and more!

Head over to the Apple Newsroom post to look over every tiny detail.

The official Maps app on iOS and iPadOS keeps getting better. And yet, there are times you might want to open Apple Maps locations in Google Maps.

While you can't change the default mapping app on iOS, you can make it easier to switch to an alternative with a $1.99 utility app called Opener.

The app runs as an action extension from your Share sheet: It was designed initially to open web URLs in their proper apps, but you can also use it to open Apple Maps locations in Google Maps, Waze, or another mapping app of your choice. Here's how to use it!

How to open Apple Maps locations in Google Maps

First, you'll have to set up Opener.

1. Download Opener.
2. Open Apple Maps.
3. Search for a location.
4. Swipe up on the info screen to reveal the Share button.

5. Tap the Share button.
6. Choose Opener
7. Select the option Open Link in Google Maps.

8. Tap Open to confirm you want to open the directions in Google Maps.
9. Choose Start in Google Maps to begin your journey.

Questions?

Any questions about getting Apple Maps locations to open up in Google Maps? Have you found a quicker, better way to do it? Let us know in the comments.

If you want to check out the app extensions that are available in Apple's built-in Maps app but can't seem to figure out how to enable them, read on.

Maps extensions became available starting with iOS 10. My colleagues swooned over all of the cool app extensions and what they could do.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find them.

"Do you have OpenTable on your iPhone?" "Is Uber available in your area?" Yup and yup. Still no toggle switch in Settings. When I tried to enable an app that I knew was available as an app extension, I got nothin'.

The fix!

Turns out, the problem was that I hadn't downloaded a supported app. From there, you must also enable an app extension in Maps.

Did you have trouble finding Maps extensions?

Please tell me I'm not the only one that had trouble figuring it out. Somebody have my back in the comments, will ya?

What you need to know

• Google is rolling out a major update for Google Maps to improve public transportation.
• The biggest improvements come with live traffic info for buses and crowdedness prediction.
• The new features will start rolling out today for iOS and Android for nearly 200 major cities around the world.

Google today announced a new update for Google Maps coming to both the iOS and Android apps. The new update aims to improve public transportation with live traffic info for buses and crowdedness predictions for when people get to their destination.

Here is what's new with live traffic info for buses:

https://twitter.com/googlemaps/status/1144279848111751170

Here is what's new for crowdedness prediction:

The new public transportation features in Google Maps will roll out in nearly 200 cities around the world starting today. It continues Google's focus on keeping its mapping service current with cutting-edge features to fend off other services that seek to supplant it, including Apple Maps.

Whether you just need directions or are hopelessly lost, Apple's Maps app is right there on your iPhone to help you out. The official Maps app can help you find the exact place you're looking for, such as a restaurant, a friend's house, or an airport. You can get directions to all of these places, including driving, walking, and mass transit directions. With more recent additions, you can even see indoor maps of facilities such as airports.

Here's everything you need to know about Apple Maps

What's new with Apple Maps?

Check back here for the latest updates in Maps news.

As first noted by MacRumors, Apple has rolled out its indoor maps for several malls across Canada, making it easier for iPhone owners to find the exact locations of the stores they're looking for. Most of the malls in question are owned by Cadillac Fairview.

Here are the malls that now have new indoor maps from Apple:

• Galeries D'Anjou in Montréal
• Carrefour Laval in Laval
• Promenades St-Bruno in Saint-Bruno
• Fairview Pointe Claire in Pointe-Claire
• Rideau Centre in Ottawa
• Markville in Markham
• Shops at Don Mills in Toronto
• Fairview Mall in Toronto
• Sherway Gardens in Toronto
• Square One in Mississauga
• Lime Ridge in Hamilton
• Fairview Park in Kitchener
• Masonville Place in London
• Polo Park in Winnipeg
• Chinook Centre in Calgary
• Market Mall in Calgary
• Richmond Centre in Richmond
• Champlain Place in Dieppe, New Brunswick

Many people ... er ... struggle with Apple Maps. Sure, it's been improved a lot over the years, but it's not a perfect solution, and users have experienced many issues since its genesis. Thankfully, Apple has heard our cries, and is completely redesigning its Maps app for the upcoming iOS 12, with limited first-party maps data coming in the next beta. According to an amazing, in-depth piece by Matthew Panzarino over at TechCrunch, here's what we can expect from the update:

Maps will be based solely on first-party data

Yup: Apple is finally going to be building all maps using the company's own data.

Okay, okay. I say finally, but really, Apple has been collecting first-party data for its maps for the past four or so years. Back in 2015, Apple began collecting map data from a combo of sources at its disposal: dedicated Apple Maps vans outfitted with GPS rigs, LiDAR arrays, cameras that shoot overlapping high-resolution images, Macs, iPads, and physical measuring tools; high-resolution imagery captured using satellites; "probe data" from iOS devices; and hundreds of human editors.

Eddie Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President, shared the company's reasoning for switching to first-party data instead of relying on third-party data in the aforementioned conversation with TechCrunch:

Maps will be more responsive to changes

Because Apple will no longer be relying on third-party data (and, thus, no longer jumping through all the hoops that were once necessary to update Maps), the app will be more accurate when it comes to corrections, roadwork, new routes, and construction changes. Cue again weighed in on this matter to Panzarino:

Graphics will be more visually detailed

In the revamped Maps, depending on the context of your trip, the app will now show more detailed graphics, including things like foliage, swimming pools, sporting areas, and sidewalks.

The redesigned UI will make maps easier to read

As Panzarino mentions, Apple has always had a knack for marrying the utilitarian with the artistic. Thanks to a team of cartographers (yes, cartographers), the new version of Maps will be even more beautiful and useful than ever before, helping your brain more intuitively make sense of what's going on geographically.

Sounds pretty cool if you ask me*.

*Someone who struggles desperately to make sense of any sort of map at all.

Apple will still focus strongly on user privacy

If the phrase "probe data" frightened you, worry not: Apple is still adamant as ever about protecting user privacy. Probe data is, according to Panzarino, "essentially little slices of vector data that represent direction and speed transmitted back to Apple completely anonymized with no way to tie it to a specific user or even any given trip. It's reaching in and sipping a tiny amount of data from millions of users instead, giving it a holistic, real-time picture without compromising user privacy." So Apple isn't tracking every step of your trips from beginning to end. Instead, the company is only collecting teeny tiny slivers of location data from tons of different trips completely anonymously in order to form a cohesive picture.

The new Maps will be rolling out to the US first, launching in San Francisco and the Bay Area of California with the next iOS 12 beta next week. It will cover Northern California by this fall, and will eventually be rolled out to every version of iOS over the course of about a year. For a more in-depth preview of upgraded Maps, check out Panzarino's full piece here.

If you're not already checking the "Useful to Know" section when you search a location in Maps, you absolutely should be. It's full of handy information that can help you plan your day out and about, especially if you're traveling or visiting somewhere new. It includes whether or not a place accepts Apple Pay, if you can make reservations there, if it's kid-friendly, and, most importantly to some, whether or not it has gender-neutral restrooms.

To view the "Useful to Know" section, all you need to do is do a quick search for whatever establishment you're curious about, then tap on it in the suggestions that appear below your map. You may need to scroll down a bit to see it — it's underneath the location's phone number.

Though there are already dedicated apps out there for finding gender-neutral restrooms for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals — the incredible Refuge Restrooms comes to mind — it's really heartening to see this information being displayed in the native Maps app. And yes, I hear what you're saying: Shouldn't every public place have a gender-neutral restroom option to provide a safe and welcoming space for everyone, regardless of how they identify? Absolutely yes. However, until that day comes, it's nice to know what to expect when you're going out for drinks with your friends or taking your family for ice cream.

Looking for an alternative form of public transit that doubles as a workout? If you don't have a ride of your own, you'll now be able to view nearby places in your city where you can rent bikes within the Maps app so you can get where you need to go.

According to a report by TechCrunch, Apple has signed a partnership with public transit data company Ito World, integrating bike-sharing service data into Apple Maps in more than 175 cities across 36 countries.

The feature is currently live and incredibly easy to use. All you need to do is search "Bike Sharing" in the search bar that appears when you launch the Maps app. Or, if you already use bike-sharing regularly, you can type in the name of your favorite service instead, and Maps will tell you if there are any stations nearby. It will also provide contact information for the service.

Though Apple had already added some bike-sharing services to maps in a handful of cities prior to now, integrating Ito World's existing bike-sharing data allowed Apple to make the feature available more quickly than doing all the collection in-house. And, as TechCrunch notes, "Ito World has worked with dozens of companies to license and normalize bike-sharing data. This way, Apple only has to integrate one data model to support hundreds of bike-sharing services."

Unfortunately, as TechCrunch also mentions, Maps doesn't currently show how many bikes there actually are at a station or if there are any available bike docks. Hopefully, that feature will be added soon, as more specifically-dedicated bike-sharing apps already have it.

For a full list of supported services, you can check out TechCrunch's article here.

Apple announced indoor maps for places like airports and shopping malls as part of iOS 11 and the company has just now expanded the feature to include 30 more airports in the U.S. and around the world.

With indoor maps, you can see things like security checkpoints, food courts, and most importantly to me — coffee shops! The detail level is great, as is the seamless way you can zoom out from regular maps and into the detail view inside.

The 30 new airports coming online today include:

• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol AMS
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport BWI
• Berlin Tegel Airport TXL
• Berlin Schönefeld Airport SXF
• Chicago O'Hare International Airport ORD
• Chicago Midway International Airport MDW
• Denver International Airport DEN
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport DTW
• Edmonton International Airport YEG
• Geneva Airport GVA
• Hong Kong International Airport HKG
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport IAH
• Houston William P. Hobby Airport HOU
• Indianapolis International Airport IND
• Jacksonville International Airport JAX
• Las Vegas McCarran International Airport LAS
• London Heathrow Airport LHR
• London Gatwick Airport LGW
• Los Angeles International Airport LAX
• Orange County John Wayne Airport SNA
• Miami International Airport MIA
• Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport MSP
• Nashville International Airport BNA
• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport JFK
• New York LaGuardia Airport LGA
• Newark Liberty International Airport EWR
• Oakland International Airport OAK
• Philadelphia International Airport PHL
• Pittsburgh International Airport PIT
• Portland International Airport PDX
• San Diego International Airport SAN
• San Jose Norman Y. Mineta International Airport SJC
• Seattle–Tacoma International Airport SEA
• Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ
• Vancouver International Airport YVR

Sadly, my local Trudeau airport in Montreal (YUL) hasn't been added yet, but I just happen to be at LGA right now and, in my quick tests, it's working a treat. You can tap to switch between departure and arrival levels, for example, and use nearby to find shops, snacks, and more.

Airports, especially when you're rushing for flights or facing weather delays, can be beyond stressful. Indoor maps take the edge off that stress and help you not only find where you need to go, but places you want to check out while you're waiting to go.

Apple put in a lot of extra effort as well, traversing every airport, making sure dead zones were covered and walls and doors were accurately placed.

When you put it together with indoor location, which makes sure you know exactly where you are at all times, and it's beyond impressive. (Especially when you consider all these international airports are so different.)

If you live in a city where Apple's indoor maps for airports just went live, check 'em out and let us know what you think.

Apple Maps has lagged behind its competitors for a few years — in part because Apple was late to the game. But over the last year, it's become a more stable, usable service. iOS 10 continues that trend, bringing huge (and much-needed) software and server-side improvements to Apple's mapping application.

No, it's still not perfect: In driving mode, it continues to struggle with traffic estimations and offering up the best alternate routes. But for local driving, it's gotten leaps and bounds better.

The new look

Apple Maps has embraced the San Francisco bold look head-on, with clear, readable maps labels, bright colors, and crisp text. The top and bottom navigational bars have disappeared entirely, replaced by contextual cards and a small overlay for further information, GPS location, and the weather. Though you get more visual overhead as you use more complicated Maps options, the general focus seems to have been on keeping it light, clean, and understandable.

On launch, the bottom card will display a search bar along with predictive locations (based on your routine or Calendar appointments) and favorite or recent locations. As will soon become custom, you can scroll up on this card to get an expanded list, as well as full access to your Favorites list.

Tap on an address or pin, and that contextual card changes, offering you an address, estimated mileage and driving time, and — if it's a public business — Yelp-sourced information on the business's hours, photos, website, menu, and the like. (You can tap any of these to go directly to Yelp for more information.) You can even tap on yourself to either mark your current location with a pin, or share it with your friends.

Search improvements

Where Apple Maps has really branched out is in its search: Though it still pulls primarily from Yelp's database, it's become a lot easier to find and narrow down options for food, entertainment, travel, gas, and more. When you tap on the search bar, eight brightly-colored bubbles appear to whisk you off to the business of your choosing: Food, Drinks, Shopping, Travel, Services, Fun, Health, or Transport.

Tap on one bubble, and you go further down the rabbit hole into a sub-genre of options: Food, for example, offers up a Popular section, along with Restaurants, Groceries, Fast Food, Coffee Shops, Bakeries, and Desserts.

Once you pick a category, you can browse through a listing of suggested eateries or drill down further — a sliding menu along the bottom of the screen lets you select specific brands or options. (For example, tapping Bakeries in the Northeast will give you sub-options that include all nearby Dunkin Donuts, Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, and the like.)

Adventures in directions

Let's get this out of the way: Maps's server-side directions still need some work. Over the past few months, I've been running it on all my short- and long-haul trips simultaneously with Google Maps, and while it generally keeps up quite well, there are still some holes in its computations. (Notably when traffic is involved, or trying to branch off the well-worn path through slightly more obscure street routes.) It's miles better than Maps's initial server woes, and largely only when driving routes are involved: I actually quite prefer Apple's transit data to Google Maps. But the caveat needs to be stated, and so it has been.

That aside, Maps now has one of the best interfaces for directions out there. The new bold, bright look is great for quick-glance information when in the car, and both Siri and large buttons help keep your attention on the road as much as possible rather than yelling at your directions-providing device. Outside the interface, Maps fixes a niggle I've had since version 1.0: It now lets you zoom to any point on the map with a multitouch pinch gesture, as well as view a full overview of the route.

When turn-by-turn is enabled, you can also search along your route for local food, gas, or coffee options by tapping a few big buttons; you can also just ask Siri "Is there a coffee place nearby?" and Maps will present options and automatically add a stop to your route if you so desire. It works just as well (if not better) than Google's implementation — having Yelp data and rankings to draw on is a welcome addition to the sometimes-stressful job of picking road trip stops.

When you're planning your routes, Maps offers multiple options, like most major mapping services; Apple has also now incorporated switches that let you avoid tolls or highways — a big deal for metropolitan folk — and transit options that let you exclude certain methods of transportation in favor of others (turning off bus routes, for example, if all you want to see are train schedules).

Hello, car

Hands down, my favorite Maps feature in iOS 10 is Apple's new "Parked Car" marker. If your vehicle has either CarPlay or Bluetooth connectivity, your iPhone will recognize where it last chatted with your car, and mark it in the Maps app. Not only that: It'll tell you when you last parked (so that you can accurately monitor meters), and offers a notes field where you can add a photo (of your parking garage number) or different notes. I have used this feature pretty much daily since installing iOS 10, and my forgetful parking lot self can't really imagine life without it.

Beyond the Maps app

Maps is one of Apple's test-case apps that supports third-party embedded extensions: Though not as expansive as, say, Messages, Maps will let you book reservations and rideshares directly through the app — even from the directions screen. It's clearly a very limited concept at launch (there aren't that many rideshare services, period), but as with Apple's other embedded app experiments, this could snowball very quickly if it proves successful. I'd love to be able to embed Carrot Weather in place of the fixed weather widget, for example.

How to use Apple Maps

If you're wondering exactly how to do a particular thing in the Maps app, you'll want to check out our ultimate guide. It covers the gamut of actions you can take with the app, from viewing and sharing your location to filing a troubleshooting report.

Maps App: The Ultimate Guide

Transit directions

Maps offers transit directions to an ever-expanding list of cities across the world. These directions allow you to find trains, buses, ferries, and other means of mass transit near you, and which routes will most efficiently get you to your destination.

Apple Maps and transit directions: Which cities have them?

Airport navigation

Airports can be massive, sprawling messes of different gates, food courts, and baggage claim areas. Apple offers a solution to this navigation nightmare with one of its more recent additions: indoor maps for airports

Complete list of Apple Maps 'Look Inside' for Airports

Troubleshooting

Problems crop up with every piece of software, but for Maps, that could mean everything from a bad turn-by-turn instruction to being given a completely nonsensical route. With Maps' built-in tools, you can report a variety of problems to Apple directly in the app.

How to report a problem in Maps on iPhone and iPad

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Apple Maps app, let us know in the comments.

Google Maps is an alternative mapping service to Apple's native Maps app. It's also got about a decade more experience under its belt. Though Apple Maps is a worthy adversary, and continues to improve constantly, Google Maps has been the go-to service for a lot of people. If you want to know more about Google Maps, here's everything you need to know.

What's new with Google Maps?

Check back here for the latest updates in Google Maps news.

This morning at the Google I/O 2018 developer conference in Mountain View, California, Google announced a myriad of improvements soon coming to Google Maps (among tons of other cool stuff.) These improvements include a brand new section chock full of recommendations just for you, tools to help you better plan get-togethers with your friends and family, AR street view, and more.

Google's new recommendations section — called simply "For You" — is slated to roll out this summer. It's basically made to show you new places in your area that you might like, and will let you know about restaurants opening up near you, the new hottest spots to check out, and any other cool haunts that may be of interest to you based on places you've already been and places you've rated positively. It'll even show you how well your personal tastes will match up with restaurants you've never been to, providing you with some much-needed assistance when answering one of the most dreaded questions of all time: "What do you want to eat?"

What's more, if you and your friends (or family, or theatre troupe, or D&D group, or whoever else you hang around) are having a difficult time choosing a place to go, Google Maps will help you settle it with a real-time vote. All you have to do is long press on a location you may want to visit and select the option to to add it to a list, which you then can send to your companions (who can also add their own suggestions). Once everyone's finished giving their two cents, you can all vote on where to meet.

Finally, Google also announced a feature that may prove to be incredibly helpful for individuals who struggle to read traditional maps: an AR Street View version of walking directions. Just like in a sci-fi movie, you'll be able to see an AR information overlay as you walk to your destination that will tell you exactly where and when to turn, where you're headed next, and what locations and streets are in your vicinity, keeping you as in-the-know as possible while navigating.

For more information on other announcements Google made today, I'd check out Android Central's Google I/O 2018 hub.

With Google's recent announcement and release of gaming APIs for Google Maps, which allow developers to better integrate real world locations into their games, three previously-announced augmented reality games have been revealed to be powered by Google Maps.

Jurassic World Alive places AR dinosaurs at real locations, marked on the game's map, which you can go and find by heading to that location in the real world, much like Pokémon Go, with some dinosaurs also existing exclusively in a single specific geographic location. The Walking Dead: Our World is an action game that pits you against walkers in real-world environments, fighting beside AR companion characters, and giving you the ability to explore to find nests of walkers, new weapons, and other collectibles. Finally, Ghostbusters World takes a similar path, letting you find ghosts to bust on the game map, sending you to real locations to fight and then trap your spectral enemies in augmented reality.

These games are all due out later this year.

What is Google Maps?

Google Maps features driving, walking, and transit directions for both the iPhone and iPad, complete with voice guided GPS navigation. Google Maps is available in over 220 countries and territories with transit directions included for over 15,000 major cities around the world. Google Maps also comes with Google's popular Street View feature built right in to help you find exactly what you're looking for. It gives real-time estimated time of arrival using current traffic conditions and provides alternate faster routes whenever possible, even during mid-travel.

You can use Google Maps to get you around town when walking, biking, taking public transportation, and even hailing a ride from Uber or Lyft.

How to get Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad

Google Maps is an iOS app available in the App Store for free. You don't have to sign up or subscribe. You can use Google Maps anonymously, or by signing in with your Google account.

Download in the App Store

How do I sync my Google account to Google Maps?

If you have a Google account (like from Gmail, Hangouts, Google Play, or YouTube), you can sign in with your Google credentials and keep your data synced across all devices you use, including Macs and PCs, windows phones, and Android phones. Depending on what permissions you give, you can save maps you've searched for on your computer, get directions to someone in your Contacts, and save favorite locations to easily find in the future.

If your Google account is already synced with your iPhone, it will automatically appear in Google Maps. You can also sign in manually.

To sign in to your Google account,

1. Launch Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Menu icon in the upper left corner. It looks like three stacked lines.
3. Tap Choose an account.
4. Tap your Google Account and sign in.
5. If you don't see your Google account listed, tap Add account.
6. Enter your Google account email or phone number.
7. Tap Next.
8. Enter your Google account password.
9. Tap Next.

You'll be logged in and ready to go.

How to use Google Maps

Google Maps is fairly easy to use, but there are a lot of unique and useful features that can make your navigation experience a whole lot better. If you sign in with your Google account, you can also sync searches from websites, save your home, work, and other addresses, and more.

• How to find locations and get directions with Google Maps
• How to use Siri with Google Maps
• How to share location and directions with Google Maps
• How to delete your search history and prior destinations in Google Maps
• How to save your parking spot with google maps

Troubleshooting Google Maps

If you're having trouble getting Google Maps to work for you, please let us know by posting a comment and we'll update this post with detailed information on how to fix the problem.

At the 2018 Games Developer Conference, Google spoke about ARCore and its newly announced Google Maps API for game developers. What started with examples of how games could be played in the real world, unveiled a deeper level of possibility that I'm excited to see in the future.

When you think about a Google Maps API, I'm sure you're thinking, "Pokémon GO." That's what I first thought. But that only scratches the surface of what this new developer cool can do. It's more than just a way to map an environment and plant augmented reality characters into it. It has the ability to literally change the environment around us ... in real time ... with relative real-world changes.

Google will provide game developers with four key features for their games. First, access to Google's massive Maps data (which is updated approximately 25 million times per day), access to Unity's physics engine so they can create unique graphics with the data they have from Maps, information about real-world landmarks and points-of-interest so they can create special play around those areas, and the ability to deliver this information on a global scale, even in countries where game developers have never been.

How access to Google's massive mapping database can make games meticulously detailed

Google has spent more than a decade gathering and organizing detailed location information about nearly every nook and cranny of the populated world. They've got a plethora of pre-made maps. Sure, it's cool when a game developer creates a previously non-existent world, but the Google API will make it possible for game developers to use maps that already exist. Very detailed maps of streets, buildings, street carts, trees, everything. And, this mapping data is constantly being updated with new information, like new buildings or streets that have closed. Games don't usually have this level of detail, regularly adjusted for the changing environment.

Using the Unity engine, game makers can change what a city looks like without changing the core details that already exist. Maybe you want candy canes where street lights should be. Using the Google Maps API, street lights are already in real-world, properly-distanced plots on the map and all you'd have to do is make them look like candy canes instead using the Unity physics engine.

A candy-coated New York City? I'll bite!

Game developers can alter what the real world looks like by using Unity's physics engine. The SDK includes minor things like building caps or changes to what appears in an open field, as well as, night and day cycles for a realistic real-time experience and the ability to completely change the layout of structures around us.

Every building, street sign, tree, whatever, can be designed to look a different way, including taller, shorter, or even removed from the map entirely.

When demonstrating the possibilities of the Google API, there is an example of a candy theme overlay in which New York City looks like it jumped off the Candy Land game board. Every building has sugar coated decorations and additional items are rendered in the form of candy carts, gummy bears, and jelly rainbows.

This is just one example of the way Google Maps, Unity, and game developers' imaginations can unlock a new way to view the world around us.

In-game assets lead you to a real-world point-of interest

Google is also including assets that can be automatically mapped to points of interest in the real world. It's not unlike how Niantic mapped locations for gyms and PokéStops, but game developers don't have to do any of the work because Google already did, and has been for more than a decade. The data is already there waiting for developers to implement into their own games.

For example, using the Unity SDK, developers can tick a box for, say, restaurants and put a candy cart where ever a restaurant exists in real life.

This goes for all sorts of landmarks, businesses, and points of interest. Filter the type of location you want to add a special item to and everywhere they exists in that city is identified on the map for you.

It makes it incredibly easy for developers to add unique experiences based on real locations.

But what about NOT the real world?

What does all of this mean? It means the potential for some seriously good looking games with incredibly detailed environments that won't use a massive amount of space or be too intense for mobile devices. Imagine your favorite open-world games on consoles. Now imagine it on your iPhone. Google Maps, combined with Unity has the potential to create an immersive open-world environment that doesn't lag or overheat your device.

Which got me thinking about other possibilities the combination of Google Maps and Unity could have for the gaming world outside of just augmented reality.

It doesn't have to be AR. Google has successfully proven that we can take virtual trips around the world using Google Street View Treks. It stands to reason that developers could create immersive, meticulously mapped games that you can play right on your Mac or PC.

It might not seem as impressive as looking at your local landmarks and seeing a dragon flying over head, but it could make it much easier for developers to create realistic worlds in games simply because they're using real-world maps.

PC games can benefit hugely from the same Google Maps API and Unity graphics engine to create epic game maps that players can explore in-depth without having to physically be in a specific city to experience it.

Going beyond AR

I'm excited to see what the Google Maps API can do for the future of augmented reality and gaming in real-world environments, but I'm also hoping this can be used for games that don't require players to actually leave the house in order to experience an immersive, meticulously detailed world. I'm hoping for a complete shake-up of stay-put gaming, too.

March 10 is Mario Day (Mar10) and Google is getting in on the action. In collaboration with Nintendo, Google Maps has a fun new character to your driving directions. When you're ready to go, tap the Prize Block question mark in the bottom right corner to trigger Mario Time.

When you tap Let's-A-Go! your GPS marker will turn into Mario driving his familiar racer from Mario Kart. He travels along the route with you until you arrive.

The cutest part is the animation and audio that goes along with the Easter egg. When you tap the Prize Block, you hear the coin sound effect. When you tap Let's-A-Go, Mario says, "Woo hoo! Let's-a go!." While you're driving, his racer bounces along just like it does in Mario Kart. When you arrive at your destination, Mario gives a "Woo hoo!" and pumps his fist in the air.

Google reminds everyone to drive safe.

Mario Time is available in the Google Maps app running the latest version for iPhone and Android devices. It lasts for one week.

Apple's original Maps app debuted with the first iPhone in 2007 and pulled location data from Google. Apple brought Maps to the first iPad in 2010 as well. Then, in 2012, after deciding they could no longer maintain their relationship with Google, Apple built an all-new, Maps app for iOS 6. It lost transit directions and Street View, but gained turn-by-turn navigation and Fly Over. Apple pulled in data from several different sources, including TomTom, but the data aggregation, cleansing, and sanitizing wasn't well done, leaving Maps prone to misreporting locations and points of interest.

In 2013 Apple brought Maps to OS X Mavericks, including the ability to push directions from the Mac to iPhone. Maps now works on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, and keeps improving every day.

Recently, Google rolled out a new test feature to a small number of users that showed them the amount of calories that they could burn by walking their chosen route instead of driving or taking public transit. In an attempt to make the caloric amounts more tangible, the feature also translated them into — get this — mini cupcakes.

It seems the company's intentions were pure in that it wanted to playfully encourage a bit of physical activity. However, it's clear that Google didn't take users that may struggle with disordered eating into account. Many individuals took to Twitter to voice their concerns, saying that the new feature made them feel shamed and judged for eating and could be an extremely harmful trigger for those battling eating disorders. The worst part: the feature wasn't something you opted into, and there was no way to turn it off.

https://twitter.com/sosaysm/status/919743903707824128

Some also noted that the fact that Google was measuring the calorie count in cupcakes, a food most often associated with women, meant it was contributing to the dangerous and unhealthy diet culture young girls and women often fall prey to.

As a result of all this, the the cupcake calorie counter didn't even last a whole 24 hours before it was pulled. I speculate that reception of this update would have been different had it been an optional thing users could toggle on or off by choice. As someone who has had a lot of experience with shame and self-hatred centered around eating and body image, I understand the constant pressure to obsessively count calories. Though these triggers may seem small and trivial to some — and oh boy, did they — to others they're a first step toward relapse.

As of right now Google hasn't commented on whether or not it's going to tweak the feature and reintroduce it at a later date, but it's looking like chances are slim.

We've all been to busy shopping malls, and we've all walked out after an intense shopping trip only to realize that we left through a different door than we came in, and we have no idea where our car is. Google Maps now helps you out by letting you save your parking spot.

Here's how!

How to save your parking spot in Google Maps

You'll just need to make sure Location Services are enabled before proceeding.

1. Launch Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad (though why you're lugging around an iPad when you're out, I don't know).
2. Tap the blue location dot that denotes your location.
3. Tap Set as parking location. A little white 'P' in a white circle will appear on the map beneath your blue location dot.

That's it. Google Maps will save that spot for 12 hours, and you'll be able to tap it at the bottom of the Google Maps window to bring it up and view or add a photo of the spot. You can then download the spot or share it with other folks you're traveling with.

Do you ever lose your car?

Is this feature something you'd use? Or do you think it's superfluous and we're becoming too reliant on this kind of thing? Sound off in the comments below.

Google Maps recently added a new location-sharing feature to its app for iPhone and iPad. This is useful when you're trying to meet up with people, especially in large areas like parks or beaches. You can easily choose who you share with, how long you share, and how. The app also makes it easy to share directions to destinations, great for getting input on potential routes or for planning shared trips with other drivers.

Here's how you can share your locations and directions with Google Maps.

• How to share your location directly with Google Maps
• How to share your location in Google Maps with a link
• How to share directions in Google Maps

How to share your location directly with Google Maps

Google Maps offers a couple of different methods for sharing your location. The first is sharing directly in Google Maps itself with people on your Google Contacts list.

1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap the Menu button (looks like three stacked lines)
3. Tap Share location.

4. Tap Get Started.
5. Tap the + or - buttons to increase or decrease the amount of time your location is shared with people. Alternatively, tap Until you turn this off to deactivate location sharing manually.
6. Tap Select People to share your location directly through Google Maps.

7. Tap the icons of the people that you want to share your location with.
8. Tap Share.
9. Tap Turn On.

How to share your location in Google Maps with a link

Google Maps also allows you to share with people using a link that can be freely shared using Messages or a third-party app.

1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap the Menu button (looks like three stacked lines)
3. Tap Share location.

4. Tap Get Started.
5. Tap the + or - buttons to increase or decrease the amount of time your location is shared with people. Alternatively, tap Until you turn this off to deactivate location sharing manually.
6. Tap Messages to share in a text message or iMessage, or tap More to share in a third-party app like Messenger or WhatsApp.

7. Choose who you want to send the link to in Messages or your third-party app.
8. Tap the Send button in Messages or your app.

How to share directions in Google Maps

This is useful if you're planning a trip and need input on directions from others, or if you're planning a multi-vehicle excursion to a shared destination.

1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the blue directions button in the lower-right side of the screen.
3. Enter your starting point and destination.

4. Tap the options button in the top-right corner of the screen (looks like three stacked dots).
5. Tap Share Directions.
6. Tap the app you want to use to share the directions (in this case, Messages).

7. Choose who you'll send your directions to.
8. Tap the Send button in your app of choice.

Questions?

If you have any questions about sharing your location or sharing directions in Google Maps, kindly direct to the comments.

Google Maps is a great alternative to Apple's built-in Maps app that offers turn-by-turn navigation, helps you find local points of interest, and more. If you use Google Maps a lot, you might feel the need to clear out some of the data once in awhile, including your old search terms and directions.

Here's how you can manage your history in Google Maps.

How to delete your search history and prior destinations in Google Maps

Deleting old search items and directions in Google Maps is fairly easy. Unfortunately, you have to delete items one at a time.

1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the menu button (looks like three stacked lines).
3. Tap Settings.

4. Tap Maps history.
5. The the "x" next to the item that you want to delete.
6. Tap Delete.

How to clear your app data from Google Maps

This is useful for clearing out downloaded maps, cache data, and resetting cookies. In fact, if you want to get rid of cached data but retain your search history and prior destinations, this is the way to do it.

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Tap the menu button (looks like three stacked lines).
3. Tap Settings.

4. Tap About, terms & privacy.
5. Tap Clear application data.
6. Tap OK.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about how to delete your search history and prior destinations in Google Maps? Drop them into the comments and we'll help you out.

Although Apple has preloaded all iPhones and iPad with its own Maps app, the Google Maps app is a popular alternative that functions just a tad differently.

If you're looking for help on how to find locations, get directions, or even see business information, then follow along!

• How to find locations with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad
• How to get directions with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad
• How to get transit, bicycle, and walking directions with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad
• How to use Street View with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad
• How to get business information with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

How to find locations with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Google Maps from your Home screen.
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.

3. Type in an address or business name.
4. Tap Search.

How to get directions with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Google Maps from your Home screen.
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
3. Type in an address or business name.
4. Tap Search.

5. Tap the directions button. It looks like a car.
6. Tap on the route you want to take.
7. Tap Start.

How to get transit, bicycle, and walking directions with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Google Maps from your Home screen.
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
3. Type in an address or business name.
4. Tap Search.

5. Tap the directions button. It looks like a car.
6. Tap on the type of directions you want.
7. Tap on the route you want to take.
8. Tap Start.

How to use Street View with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Google Maps from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the map in the location you want to use Street View.
3. Tap on the Street View.

4. Swipe right or left on the blue line to move up and down the street.
5. Tap the back button in the top left corner when you are done exploring Street View.

How to get business information with Google Maps for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Google Maps from your Home screen.
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
3. Type in an address or business name.

4. Tap Search.
5. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

In the information section, you can see reviews, popular hours, photos, and much more!

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about using Google Maps to find a location or get directions? Put them in the comments and we'll help you out.

HERE announced that the 6,500 strong team has officially bid farewell to Nokia to bring all its global mapping and location technology under a new umbrella backed by Audi, BMW and Daimler AG. It's not the end of the mapping giant relied on by millions, but rather the opening of the flood gates to new advances in the field, as well as in-car services.

With self-driving vehicles already in development by multiple companies, HERE will certainly look to leverage its mapping platform and available data to insert itself as a viable provider for said concepts. They haven't forgotten their roots, however. HERE has committed to provide an open platform accessible to all customers, whether you're inside your automobile or on your smartphone.

HERE already utilizes its high-tech vehicles to essentially map the world. We managed to take a look at said vehicles some time ago, but the company will also be looking to incorporate anonymized data from its new backers, enhancing the platform with multiple sources for information. Automated driving is a serious goal for HERE.

So what will change for you and the HERE Maps mobile apps? Not a lot, if anything at all. The company has committed to provide its mapping platform to all customers, regardless as to what you're attempting to navigate on.

Source: HERE

Nokia's quest to sell off its HERE Maps division may have come to an end. A new report claims that the company is close to signing off on a deal that will sell the maps division to German-based car makers Audi, BMW and Daimler for over $2.71 billion.

Nokia put its HERE maps business on the block earlier this year, and it attracted a number of suitors. However, it was the trio of German car companies that apparently had the best offer, according to The Wall Street Journal:

Source: Wall Street Journal

At the beginning of this year, my roller derby league moved their practice space north of Boston, changing my five-minute commute to somewhere in the 55-minute vicinity. Boston is notorious for its rush hour traffic, and our move meant that for the first time, my naive work-at-home self was routinely stuck in it.

Lucky for me, I had ETA. The $1.99 app from Australian-based Eastwood lets you make a list of your frequent destinations, and every time you load it, live-calculates the time it will take to get to those destinations. It even has a live-updating Notification Center widget to quickly launch your route in the Maps app of your choice.

ETA 2.0, released Wednesday, takes it all up a notch: It's added traffic indicators to each route (green for clear, yellow for slow, red for stopped) as well as a forecaster, which gives you a quick 2-5 minute prediction for traffic going forward. Even better, ETA now offers multiple route options for both driving and walking, as well as a one-tap button to send a friend your travel information.

If these features (and a great interface redesign) were all that ETA 2.0 brought to the table, it'd be a great update. But ETA has one more trick up its sleeve: an Apple Watch app and Glance.

I've been testing ETA on the Apple Watch for a month now, and it's far and away my favorite app. On the Watch, ETA offers the same scrollable list as on your iPhone, providing travel estimations and a tiny traffic indicator to the right of the location. Tap on a destination, however, and you'll get a bigger travel time, mileage estimation and current route, arrival time, and traffic indicator. Scroll down, and you can tap the map to get directions. Scroll further, and you can change those directions to walking, or select this location as the one displayed in your Glances.

The ETA glance is maybe my favorite part of ETA on the Watch — in four taps, I can quickly get directions to my most-often driven place (roller derby), no dictation processing or map loading to be done. Swipe up, tap ETA's glance, tap the map to load directions, tap Driving, tap start. Easy peasy.

My only real disappointment with ETA on the Watch is a disappointment with WatchKit and Maps in general — Handoff-enabled Watch apps are sometimes slow at talking to their iPhone counterparts, and Maps on the Watch is limited to Apple Maps (on the iPhone, you can set ETA to automatically source Google Maps, Waze, Navigon, MotionX, or Citymapper).

Bottom line

If you travel by car or foot frequently to specific locations, you'll adore ETA. And if you have an Apple Watch, you may find it an even bigger help — if you don't mind being limited to Maps.

Amsterdam-based TomTom will keep providing data to Apple for use in its Maps app. TomTom revealed the news in an extremely brief press release:

This news comes on the heels of Apple "confirming" on Sunday that it has acquired GPS company Coherent Navigation, in an apparent move to improve its mapping technology.

Source: TomTom

Users will now be able to view a map full screen, view transit line colors when receiving transit directions, and filter search results for restaurants rated on Zagat. Here's the full breakdown of what's new in Google Maps 4.4.0:

• View a full-screen map by tapping an empty spot on the map
• See transit line colors on the map when you get transit directions
• Filter search results for Zagat-rated restaurants (where available)
• Type, or tap the mic and say, "directions to" a place for faster results
• Bug fixes

Overall, all of the new features look to be welcome changes. However, the addition of of transit line colors is especially noteworthy for anyone trying to get around in the city. To snag the update, simply hit up the store link below to get started.

• Free - Download Now

While the previous version of HERE Maps for iOS was built around HTML5, the new release is a completely native app, designed for iOS 7 and iOS 8. The new app also features an offline mode, allowing you to save maps to your device, according to the official HERE 360 blog:

Offline car navigation features full turn-by-turn audio support, including spoken street names, for both driving and walking. HERE Maps also lets you save destinations ahead of times with Collections, and you can create and view your collections on iOS, Android, Windows, and the web.

HERE Maps is rolling out on the App Store right now, though you may have trouble downloading the app due to the extended iTunes Store outage.

• Free - Download Now

Source: HERE

I don't drive around Boston a whole lot — the perks of working from home and living in a fairly walkable city — but when I do, it's often to specific locations: my roller derby league's practice space, "Fort Independence," for example, or my boyfriend's house. Apple provides an easy way to add bookmarks for frequent destinations, but the Maps app isn't so great at being able to see quick traffic estimations on the go. Asking Siri "How long will it take me to get to X?" will get you directions from the Maps app, but there's no quick way to preview travel time or routes.

Enter ETA: the $1 app and accompanying Notification Center widget not only stores your frequent locations, but gets accurate walking or driving time estimates for you from your favorite map app, too.

The app itself is minimalistic in nature, displaying clear and easy-to-read entries for each of your destinations. Tapping on one will reveal its precise location along with how long it'd take you to get there if you were walking (or driving, if you have walking enabled by default); your estimated arrival time; and shortcuts for driving directions, a text message that contains your ETA, and editing name for the location. If you want to quickly toggle between driving and walking, you can also swipe to the right on any location.

Adding new locations is as simple as tapping the plus button and entering an address (or selecting a contact); once you've added it, the location appears in your ETA list.

One of ETA's big perks, for me, is being able to select which maps app I want to use for estimations and directions: Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze.

But the cherry on top is the app's Notification Center widget, which displays the most recent three destinations in Notification Center's Today view and lets you tap them to get turn-by-turn directions. It's a little annoying that you can't select which three destinations you'd like shown, but I'm hoping that'll get tweaked in a future version. Regardless, it's become one of my most-used Notification Center widgets, and it's an awesome app for any frequent traveler.

• ETA - $1 - Buy Now

Apple's taken a bunch of steps in the past few years to make it easier to find directions for any given address, including data detectors that intelligently make addresses tappable in Messages, Maps search suggestions in Safari, and more. But the system isn't perfect, and I often find myself executing far too many steps every time I want to get directions for a location — even more so if I want to use Google Maps.

Instead, I offer a simpler solution: Using Workflow, you can quickly get directions to any address from your clipboard. Friend didn't format their address in a way iOS can parse? Don't want to go through the hassle of copying and pasting an address from one place to your Maps app of choice, waiting for directions to load, and so on? This fixes all that.

To use this trick, you'll have to have the Workflow app installed. Trust me: It's just $2 and will pay for itself a million times over.

The workflow itself is pretty simple: It gets the content of your clipboard, gets directions for that address, and opens it in the Maps app of your choice. (I have Google Maps selected.)

You can download my workflow from the Workflow website on your iOS device; after you do, here's how you can use it.

Option A: Use an action extension

By default, the workflow is set up as an option whenever you tap the Share button in a program. So, in Safari for instance, all you have to do is copy the address you want, tap the Share button, tap Run Workflow, and select the Open In Maps workflow.

Option B: Use a home screen web app

If you're using an app that doesn't have the share sheet — like Messages, for example — you can also add the workflow to your Home Screen, where you can launch it as a regular app. To do so, just follow these steps.

1. Open the Workflow app, and under My Workflows, tap the Open in Maps workflow.
2. Tap the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
   

3. Tap Add to Home Screen.
4. Choose the color and glyph you want to see on your home screen.
5. After Workflow sends you to Safari, tap the Share icon.
   

6. Tap the Add to Home Screen icon in the Extensions list.

You'll then have a home screen icon for that workflow that you can tap at any time after you've copied an address to have it run.

In short...

I really love this trick, and I've made a bunch more workflows to address similar tiny gaps in iOS's infrastructure. Anyone else played around with Workflow and made anything cool? Let us know in the comments.

Yesterday we told you about a big overhaul coming to Google Maps, and today that overhaul has arrived. The Google Maps app for iPhone and iPad has been bumped up to version 4.0, bringing a whole new "Material Design" look to the mapping, search, and navigation app.

In addition to the new look, which features a lot of bright colors and a flatter design, the Google Maps update is also bringing integration with OpenTable for finding restaurants and making reservations at said restaurants, and integration with Uber that will allow you to estimate the wait time and fare for a ride with the private car service.

By and large Google Maps still works the same way on iOS and Android, it just has a nice new design, optimizations for iOS, and proper support for the bigger screens of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Check it out and let us know what you think of the new look.

• Free - Download Now

Every day dozens and dozens of new and updated apps and games hit the iOS and Mac App Stores. It's impossible to keep up with them all, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are! Today we've got a major update to Google Maps, a new game based on Warhammer, new apps for Mac web developers and Salesforce users, and more!

New and updated iOS apps

• Google Maps 3.0.0: A major update to Google's navigation app. Lane guidance in turn-by-turn directions; travel time, distance and estimated arrival in navigation mode; maps can be saved offline to a custom list; transit results now display total walking time and the next scheduled bus or train; and much more. Free - Download now
• Warhammer 40,000: Carnage: A side scrolling action RPG based on the legendary tabletop strategy game. $6.99 - Download now
• LivingSocial 4.1.0: The deal finding app now lets you request refunds. Sharing via Messages is supported. You can filter shop deals by category, and bug fixes have been made. Free - Download now
• Weather Kitty 1.5: The adorable weather forecasting app featuring kittens has 7 new kittens, a new Spring season theme and a new "Glamour Kitty" theme. Free - Download now
• Cinamatic 1.0: Helps you make short movies - very short movies - that you can upload to Vine, Instagram and Facebook. $1.99 - Download now
• Litely 1.0: Photo editing app that focuses on adding tones. Browse through many tones that can add one of a kind touches on your photos. You can also browse through other tone packs via in-app purchase to make your photos even more unique. Free - Download Now

New and updated Mac apps

• WebReaver: A new app aimed at web developers and IT admins who are responsible for identifying web application security issues. $14.99 - Download now
• OneSync for Salesforce: Synchronizes your Mac's Calendar, Reminders and Contacts databases with your SalesForce data. $12.99 - Download now

More apps and updates?

If you try any of the apps or updates, let me know how they work for you. If you got any new or updated apps today that you loved, but don't see here, let us know about them!

While everyone loves to beat up on Apple Maps - and not without justification - none of the existing maps apps are good enough yet. Whether it be data quality or user experience, they all still get it wrong too often to be acceptable, and that needs to change.

Apple, for all their data aggregation, cleansing, and sanitizing issues, gets a couple of things right. The interface, both pre- and post-iOS 7 is not only good looking but provides a a good amount of information about not only your next turn, but the turn after that. The voice directions also do a good job of keeping you informed over long stretches of road, and advising you to stay left or bear right so you're in the proper place for a turn sooner rather than too late. Unfortunately, while Apple Maps can often get you to the block you're going, it tends to break down when it comes to the exact place and entrance to it.

Google Maps nails the data, but almost to a fault. It's less human. It'll tell you you need to turn right without warning you to get right, or tell you to go left when there are three left options, and only get to the elaboration well after the proper one has past. (And lest you think their data is perfect, today they told me to pull a u-turn on a dead-end road when I was actually in the middle of a 4-lane highway. That only appeared after I passed the virtual dead end. On my way to Mountain View. Yeah.)

Nokia Here maps, TomTom, and everyone who licenses data from them all need to do a better job not only with that data but with presenting it in a more human way.

Well-verified, consistently presented location that doesn't just tell you where to turn and how to get some where, but makes sure you're in the right place to turn, and helps you get there.

Like far too many things, if I could somehow mash Apple and Google Maps back together, I'd get something approaching what I want - great data and great interface - but that's an option that no longer exists. For now it's a race to see who can become more like the other, better, faster.

Maps are hard, no doubt about it. But getting lost sucks. What's a reasonable level of accuracy? What's a reasonable level of experience? If you miss a turn, or get sent the wrong way, how often is too often?

Google Earth for iOS has just been updated to version 7.1 and among the big new features is Street View, just like its cousin, Google Maps, has been enjoying for a while now. According to Haris Ramicthe, the program manager, on the Google Maps blog:

Google Earth is also now available in 100 countries. The new interface is an improvement, more like a layered HUD and less obtrusive. (Though hitting the X to get the touring menu to pop up is nonsensical.) My city, Montreal, doesn't seem to be in 3D yet on Google Earth, while it was there on day one for iOS Maps, but that's a personal gripe.

A professional gripe is the terrible mechanic someone at Google dreamed up to access Street View. You grab the little yellow dude at the top right and drag him to the street you want to view. At first it seems cute, but it's utterly undiscoverable and incredibly tedious. It should be accessible via a tap or touch and hold on the place you want to go to. (Though that seems reserved for poorly formatted Wikipedia entries and sticky notes...)

Performance was pretty much on par with iOS 6 Maps, though neither are silky smooth on an iPad 4. The biggest downside is still the multitasking -- every time I switch apps, even for a second, and then go back to Google Earth, it re-animates from the distant earth view. It may not take any long to resume, but perceptively that feels like a much longer process than just re-rendering the buildings from the previously stored position and perspective.

But that's minor stuff. I'm using Google Earth for touring, not navigating. Now if Superman had used it in Man of Steel, maybe he wouldn't have crashed into every damn building in Smallville and Metropolis...

If you've tried it, let me know your thoughts.

• Free - Download now

As time passes by here in the UK, Passbook support continues to grow. This time up it's the turn of Subway, with an update to their Subcard app that allows you to finally add your card to Passbook on your iPhone. Your Subcard ID and recent transactions can now be accessed from your Passbook wallet.

That's all that has been added, but to see such apps integrating Passbook is welcome news. Particularly here in the UK, Passbook enabled apps have been slow to take off, but in recent weeks we've seen two of the country's biggest Airlines add support, and Apple themselves have added Passbook to their iTunes Festival application. This also follows the news that Starbucks is the largest use case in the U.S. of mobile wallet apps, another Passbook integrated application. What do you guys have in your Passbook? Mine is a little slim, with only the Subcard and Starbucks card in there at the moment, how about you?

• Free - Download Now

In the post-iOS 6 world, developers now have a choice of using Apple's new MapKit to embed map tiles and location services in their app, or to use Google's newly separate Google Maps SDK along with Google's tiles and location services. Both have strengths and weaknesses, including design and data quality. To compare and contrast Apple and Google's offering, and after speaking with developers, Michael Grothaus at FastCompany reports:

The gist seems to be that Apple's MapKit is easier to implement and offers better integration into iOS. However, the data quality can be problematic to the extent that it fuels bad reviews on the App Store.

So, if data quality is urgently important, or you require features beyond MapKit, Google's Maps SDK could be worth switching to. However, developers are limited to 100,000 API requests by users per day. That might sound like a lot, but each user action might make several API requests at once, eating into a developer’s daily quota. Additionally, unlike MapKit, the current Google Maps SDK doesn’t allow for overlays and gradient polylines, which apps like Armstrong’s Plane Finder uses to show the altitude of flights.

Where Google’s SDK does stand out is its search capabilities, which Armstrong says beats Apple’s hands down.

No easy answers to complex questions, unfortunately, but there's a wealth of information contained in the feature so check it out, and if you're working with maps in your app, let us know which service fits better with your apps, and why.

Source: FastCompany

Sam Vermette of The Transit App wanted multi-colored versions of the little pulsating blue dot Apple uses to show your current location in maps, and Apple doesn't expose a public way to do that. So, he had to rebuild it from scratch. Or, in more technical terms, according to Vermette's blog:

Vermette details the process he went through, and the results he managed to achieve. It's a fascinating read not only for developers or designers working on custom controls, but for anyone interested in just what goes in to making even the smallest interface elements delightful.

Source: samvermette.com

Google Maps for iPhone is now available from the App Store, and those experiencing problems with Apple's built-in iOS 6 Maps app now have a free, proven alternative to use, complete with turn-by-turn navigation, Street View, and transit directions. So... how does the new Google Maps app stack up?

Up until iOS 6, the stock Maps app was powered by Google location data. With iOS 6, Apple dumped Google, licensed TomTom and others instead, and rebuilt an entirely new app with Flyover, turn-by-turn, vector tiles, and more. But the actual point of interest, routing, and general location didn't work very well, especially outside major U.S. cities. And it was a big problem for Apple and users both.

We've taken a look at a lot of mapping solutions for iOS from stock options to alternative paid options. Nokia also recently released Nokia HERE for iOS to give users yet another option. Many users are still very attached to Google Maps and for good reason. It's inarguably one of the most robust mapping solutions on any platform.

The new version of Google Maps for iOS comes with a lot of the features that users of older iOS versions are used to but adds some new features as well. The largest and most welcome addition is actual turn-by-turn directions complete with voice navigation. Once you've searched for a place to go you can easily enter turn-by-turn and voice navigation in one tap. You can cancel and resume at any time or view the entire route. Along the top you have the ability to quick view steps as well which will temporarily pause voice navigation. Once you're ready to resume, you can do so with one tap.

From the main voice navigation view you can slide upwards to view list details of the route. You can also mute voice navigation altogether if you'd like. If there were multiple routes found, you can view those and choose between them by tapping each individual one or swiping back and forth between given routes. This is a great feature for those times when there are detours on one route and you'd like to quickly go another way.

Unlike Apple Maps, you've also got transit directions which are much needed for anyone living in an area that heavily relies on public transit. For many, this was a deal breaker on iOS 6. Well, you've got the option back now and it functions almost the same way as it did under previous iOS versions of Google Maps. The overview of a location also gives you a nice Street View preview that you can tap on in order to view in more detail.

Users can sign into their Google account via the app in order to pull mapping information on any routes they've viewed from other Google Maps enabled devices. If you view driving directions on your Mac, they'll also be available for your iPhone so you don't have to re-enter them. You can also view a detailed history of routes and destinations under settings. These are things Google obviously was not able to offer as a native mapping solution in previous iterations.

Overall, Google Maps for iOS is a big jump forward in terms of functionality and usefulness. While many users were upset by Google data it being pulled from iO MapsS, it may not have been a bad thing. Free of their entanglement and tussles, both the built-in iOS 6 Maps and the new wholly-owned Google Maps apps are free to do what they want, as quickly as they want.

Google Maps for iOS is far closer in functionality to Google Maps for Android than ever before, and while it sucks it took so long to get to the App Store, it was worth the wait.

• Free - Download Now

Additional resources:

• iOS 6 Maps vs. iOS 5 Maps vs. maps.google.com: iOS mapping apps for iPhone shootout!
• Navigon vs. TomTom vs. Scout: turn-by-turn navigations apps for iPhone shootout!
• Nokia HERE Maps vs. Apple maps update

HERE Maps by Nokia was just released for iPhone and iPad and aims to take on Apple's own iOS Maps for a place on your Home screen. The real question is, does it stack up to offerings that are already available natively or in the App Store?

We recently took a look at native mapping solutions for iOS including iOS 6 Maps, iOS 5 Maps, and maps.google.com. We stacked them head to head and determined what the strengths and weaknesses of each were. We also took a look at alternative navigation apps including Navigon, Scout, and TomTom and figured out which were the best solutions.

HERE Maps offers driving, walking, and transit information on both iPhone and iPad. The first thing you'll notice is that voice guided navigation is not available for driving, which doesn't make a lot of sense. You can, however, obtain audible walking directions.

The interface of HERE Maps is very slimmed down and only provides you with what you need on the screen at any given time. As far as map views are concerned, you can choose between regular map, satellite, public transport, and live traffic views. Community views is also available which are maps that are updated by the people around you regularly. Depending on where you live will depend on whether community views is a useful feature. In my area, I couldn't find anything on community views within 50 miles of me.

To find a place, you can simply tap in the search field and start typing. HERE will try and auto suggest what you are typing. If it finds it you can simply tap on it. It will show you the location on the map. Tapping on the place will bring up more information on it including the address, phone, an option to share it, and the route button. Tapping on the route button will then allow you to choose between driving, walking, and transit directions.

Underneath the location information you'll see a list of nearby places. You can toggle between food, shopping, nightlife, sights, and public transport. It's a nice feature while traveling and something tourists will appreciate when walking around.

HERE Maps won't be taking over as my main navigation app anytime soon but it will remain on my iPhone when I'm traveling. The main reason is for the walking and transit support as well as the nearby places feature. It isn't much use to me while stuck in a car since it doesn't support voice navigation for driving, it's a nice app to have when exploring new areas on foot.

Any other time, I'll stick with either iOS 6 Maps or Scout by Telenav.

Additional resources:

• iOS 6 Maps vs. iOS 5 Maps vs. maps.google.com: iPhone location data shootout!
• Navigon vs. Scout vs. TomTom: Turn-by-turn navigation app shootout!
• Even more app vs app

Nokia has launched a new, free maps app for iOS, called HERE maps. Since Nokia owns NAVTEQ, one of the world's very few sources of comprehensive mapping data (the other's being Tele Atlas, owned by TomTom and licensed by Apple, and Google), and they've been producing mobile maps apps for years, formerly on Symbian and now on Windows Mobile, the quality will likely be very good.

Maps are available in 200 countries and can be presented in map view (standard line art), satellite view, public transportation view, and live traffic view. Where available, you can also access community view, that includes crowdsourced data that hopes to be even more current. Like any good maps app, you can search for locations, get search suggestions, and share locations you find.

There's routing, of course, and you can get step-by-step voice navigation... for walking directions. But not for driving directions, which is really odd. You can also get public transport directions.

While the app itself uses HTML5 with off-board maps downloaded as needed, you can save maps locally for when you may be in areas without data coverage. You can also group places you frequent, or simply like, into Collections.

The interface is very flat, filled with sold colors, and while not Metro-esque (or whatever Microsoft is calling the Windows Phone design language these days), it does stick to similar basics. The controls are different enough from iOS maps that they'll take some getting used to.

Nokia HERE maps for iOS is also nowhere near as fleshed out or fully featured as Nokia Maps for Windows Phone 8 (check out WPCentral's full Nokia Maps for Windows Phone 8 preview to get a better sense of just what the differences are.) But that stands to reason. This is a 1.0 and it's on a competing platform. Baby steps. For now.

Yet, while Apple continues to struggle with mapping quality and Google continues to posture, dissemble, and fret about the state of their own iOS Maps app, Nokia announced and shipped.

Take that.

• Free - Download now

Apple has a year left on their most recent Google Maps agreement, apparently, and didn't expect Apple to remove them from iOS 6 and launch a new app anywhere near this soon. Meaning, Google was caught flat-footed and won't be ready to ship a standalone Google Maps app for the App Store for several more months. This according to a quartet of stories published today.

Kevin Krolicki of Reuters scored a quote from Google Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt:

Schmidt also said Android was kicking the iPhone's butt, yet doesn't enjoy the same kind of media attention obsessively lavished on Apple. So there.

Bloomberg also got a quote from Schmidt at the same Tokyo Nexus event:

Chris Ziegler of The Verge, meanwhile, says Google was caught off-guard by Apple's timing:

And Nick Wingfield and Claire Cain Miller of the New York Times says making the standalone Google Maps app will be complicated, firstly because they already have a Google Earth app and will need to figure out if they're going to consolidate it into maps, but also...

Though, frankly, if Google only figured out Apple was rolling their own mapping solution when it was announced at WWDC, they're clearly reading the wrong blogs... The moment Apple bought its first mapping company, PlaceBase back in July of 2009 alarm bells should have been going off for Google -- giant, neon alarm bells -- and they should have immediately begun a skunkworks project to have a standalone iOS app ready and waiting for just such a turn of events. Seriously, it's like watching someone wind up a punch with cartoon-like exaggeration and not even preparing to counterpunch until knuckle starts denting jaw.

In any case, iOS 6 users will have to keep offering corrections to Apple's database, and those desperate to get Google Maps back onto their iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads will likely be stuck using maps.google.com for the next few months still, and that's unfortunate.

Scout by Telenav, one of our favorite turn-by-turn navigation apps for iPhone, has just been updated to support downloadable maps for offline use, and voice commands that allow you to control Scout with words so your hands stay free for driving.

Access to offline maps will require a subscription but it'll only run you $9.99 a year which is a steal compared to other voice navigation apps. It makes it the cheapest option currently available when it comes to GPS apps as long as you only need maps in the United States. Scout does not currently support Canada and other countries.

The other large feature that has been added is voice commands which allow you to speak to Scout without ever having to take your hands off the wheel. There's now a dedicated button in the bottom navigation for voice commands. Just tap it to activate voice commands and then you can say things like Find a gas station or Find a nearby hotel and Scout will take care of the rest. A list of places that match your criteria will appear. Tapping on one will start voice navigation from your current location.

If you reside in the United States and don't have a need for maps anywhere else, we highly suggest you check out Scout.

Scout is a free download in the App Store and you can purchase the premium subscription as an in-app purchase for $9.99 in order to access offline maps.

Free - Download Now

NAVIGON, the popular turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone, has been updated to version 2.1 and now includes Google Street View, manual route blocking, and an optional NAVIGON Cockpit in-app purchase.

Anyone who's ever tried to find a restaurant, bar, or local business knows that knowing what it looks like on the outside can be vitally important to finding precisely where it is. It's not fun driving 30 minutes to get roughly there only to spend another 10 trying to get precisely there. NAVIGON knows this and is adding Google Street View so you can see where you're going even before you get there.

Manual route blocking is more about putting power and control back in the users hands. Once in a while, we really do know better than the machine. So now, if a recommended route comes up, but we know there's some construction there, or just a fast food joint or ex's place we want to avoid seeing, we can tap it and forget it. NAVIGON will consider it blocked and route us around.

Cockpit is like a heads-up mode for driving data. It's all your important info, all in real time, all right where you need to see it. That includes everything from gForce to speed to position. While Cockpit isn't part of the free update, it is available at the same time for $5.99 and could be a lot of fun for off-roaders and performance enthusiasts alike.

NAVIGON is currently the best turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone for anyone who needs world-wide options and offline support. You can download just the maps you need, when you need them, and have them on your iPhone even when your data connection gets flaky. These new additions and options just make a good thing better.

If you already own NAVIGON, go get your update. If you're planning a trip this summer and need a great turn-by-turn navigation solution for iPhone, go check it out. It's currently on sale until July 16.

Variable - Download now

Full press release:

The Transit App was lovingly, painstakingly designed and coded by Sam Vermette (of Shows) and Guillaume Campagna to make taking a bus, catching a train, or hoping on the underground as easy checking the weather or reading a social status. And they've succeeded brilliantly.

Launch The Transit App and it automatically detects your location, zones in on the public transport routes in your area, and shows you the next available times. Color coded. With icons. To match the transit system in your area.

The interface is big and blocky and almost Metro-esque, with small but delightful animations for things like time spinning down before your eyes (run!). Tap on one of the routes and options open up. You can switch route directions, pull up a map to see where you are relative to the stop or station, add a route to favorites, or get a list of additional times on that route.

You can also use handy gesture shortcuts. Simply pull right for the map and left to switch directions. Tap and hold the route number for a directional arrow and distance to the stop/station, or tap and hold the time indicator to quickly see the next two times. That makes things easily discoverable for anyone new to the Transit App but incredibly fast for seasoned users. An excellent implementation.

The Transit App remembers the last route you took, so it can immediately offer you the reverse route back to further speed up the experience. You can also uncheck transit agencies you don't use, and set arbitrary locations to make plans for later.

Also, while the Transit App information is stored on a server and updated daily, with an optional subscription (see below), the most recent update can be cached locally you so don't have to worry about getting caught without a connection. You can even download destination bundles for trips when you're on Wi-Fi so you don't waste cellular data or risk poor connections when traveling.

The Transit App is launching with support for Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto. They'll be adding more cities soon, however. The current plan calls for Halifax, Ottawa, and Fredericton in early July, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg in mid July, and Vancouver/Transilink in late July. New York, Washington, and San Francisco are planned for mid August.

Online access for the 3 closest routes is free. All routes in a 1.5KM radius and offline support are available via subscription for $0.99 a month, $2.99 for 6 months, or $4.99 a year. (Sign up for a Transit App account and you can enable that subscription on all your iPhones.)

As iOS 6 Maps showed everyone, doing transit data isn't easy, even for Apple, so the subscription provides for maintaining and expanding the servers and coverage to keep every route up-to-date in every city, for every user. At less than the cost of a fancy cup of coffee per year, it's a no brainer.

The good

• Incredibly well thought out
• Beautifully designed
• Lightning-fast to use

The bad

• Limited locations supported at launch

Conclusion

A couple of months ago I had the chance to sit in at a CocoaHeads talk given by The Transit App's Sam Vermette. He took the room full of iOS and OS X coders and designers through the process he used to develop the interface for The Transit App. As anyone who's listened to the Iterate podcast knows, I'm a sucker for these talks, for the process of design, and for the relentless drive to make phenomenal user experience. There are, frankly, some app categories rich with these kinds of apps, like Twitter or Todo apps. But there are many, many more that are woefully underserved.

The Transit App brings premium polish to a highly useful app category -- and one that's going to be incredibly important if Apple persists in their plans to hand transit directions off to App Store apps in the iOS 6 Maps app.

By pre-sorting and filtering routes based on location, providing just-in-time information, and letting you tap or gesture into more granular, detailed, and custom data, The Transit App manages to make getting your next route lightning fast, yet still lets you dig in and plan future or alternate routes when you have to.

The Transit App is the Apple simplify, refine, repeat mantra made manifest for public transportation, and I can't give it a higher recommendation than this -- it makes me want to take the damn bus.

Free - Download now

We had heard rumors that Apple would be bumping Google data from the Maps app in iOS 6, and a possible reason why, and now we've reached the next stage in the long road of rumors -- the blurry, highly cropped camera spy shot. BGR scored the pictures and, based on them and information they received along with them, produced a mock up of what's sure to be one of the headline features, especially on demo day -- 3D maps (see above).

3D models nothing new in the world of GPS apps, but certainly ambitious for Apple's debut. Apple has acquired a few companies in the mapping world leading up to this release, including C3 Technologies, Placebase, and Poly9. Given Apple and Google's quickly-souring relationship, it's no surprise to see iPhones and iPads without Google Maps preloaded, but I would be surprised if Apple didn't keep it available and updated as a regular ol' title in the App Store. To what extent will Apple scour all things Googly from iOS, though? Will YouTube get kicked out? Maybe switch the default search engine, but to what, Bing? It's laughable, but RIM did it. That's also assuming Apple would want to partner with anyone else; this move with maps sets an interesting precedent where Apple is the one making all of the preloaded services on the device. Not only does Apple have the cash to invest in pushing into these new areas, but it falls perfectly in line with their philosophy of owning the entire experience. I'm a little worried about Apple's ability to do that and retain quality, though; once upon a time, Nokia had a whole suite of solutions that they had made in-house, but eventually handed off the bulk of them to Yahoo! and ultimately to Microsoft.

The new maps app should be launching alongside iOS 6 this summer. Anyone excited to try it out, or is Google Maps still doing the job just fine? Do you think Apple will be able to do as good of a job as Google did, or do they lack the expertise, even with their handful of acquisitions? And the big question... If we don't end up liking the new built in Maps app, will we be able to get Google Maps in the App Store?

Source: BGR

The U.S. Air Force has ordered over $9 million dollars worth of 32GB iPads to use as digital manuals and navigation charts for aircraft pilots and crews in the Air Mobility Command. Bloomberg quotes:

Although that contract would let the Air Force buy up to 18,000 iPads, how many they actually get funded and approved for remains to be seen. They currently have 63 iPads on order for testing.

The Air Force didn't specifically go after Apple's iPad either. It was an open evaluation and price sounds like it was a significant factor. The Air Force will be getting a discount of about $70 per iPad off the 32 GB model.

The FAA recently approved iPads for use in U.S civil aviation as well, and Alaska Airlines and American Airlines are already putting them to use. So it looks like the future of digital manuals and navigation is well under way.

Now we just need the Firefox/Stealth-like super fighters to hurry up and get here so we can all enjoy a little thought-controlled iPad fun...

Source: Bloomberg

Localmind 2.0 uses your iPhone's GPS to help you zero-in on local experts so you can chat with them live and ask them questions about the things that are important to you in your area. If you're familiar with Foursquare and Quora, it's almost a hybrid of those services where you can questions like, "are there any good bars around this restaurant you just suggested?"

Previously, LocalMind functioned like a helpful bulletin board where folks could leave questions for knowledgeable locals to answer. Now it's much more precise and meaningful. Questions in LocalMind 2.0 are fed into different categories, enabling others to easily find existing answers for nearby restaurants, pubs, shopping, travel, services, arts, and outdoors. Right now, my only qualm is that those filters are by default applied to your current location, as are any search results. I'd love to be able to do some advance scouting for Barcelona when I head over there for Mobile World Congress at the end of the month, but the only way you can hop between cities is to pinch-zoom out on the embedded Google Map a million times, then hunt around for your destination. Even then, one wayward tap, and you're zipped back to your current location. At least there's the browser companion which is more full-bodied.

Why would local experts want to help? Not simply out of the goodness of their hearts, of course. They get points. Once earning expert status at a particular venue, you earn karma points for answering questions, and as you hit certain milestones, you earn tiered titles. Think of it as Foursquare Mayorships, only with granularity and legitimacy.  If you don't want people harassing you with questions about your favourite haunts, you can always opt out of venue expertise. On top of Foursquare, Localmind can recognize Facebook Places check-ins, and also lets you share questions on Twitter.

I'm a big fan of Localmind because, unlike a lot of location-based apps that piggyback on Foursquare, this one actually has a pretty solid userbase, even in my relatively tiny hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. Generally, these sorts of apps have a decent amount of activity in the big cities, like New York and San Francisco, but those of us outside of gargantuan metropolises don't have much use for them. Beyond that, it finally feels like check-ins are actually worth something to someone now, and that I'm not just grasping for stupid virtual badges or stickers.

Free - Download Now

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TomTom, the GPS enabled navigation app has just been updated and it now includes an optimized version for the iPad. The app is now a universal binary so there will be no need to pay for an additional navigation app for your iPad if you already have it on your iPhone.

• Make the most of your iPad, with a full-screen display that shows you driving view and Advanced Lane Guidance images at the same time. Purchase connected services in-App or easily transfer your existing subscriptions (cellular connection required). When you want to go bigger, move your TomTom App to iPad.

• Because roads are constantly changing, on average 15% of roads change every year, your TomTom App update comes with the latest and most up-to-date map.

• Your TomTom App is quicker and easier to use than ever. See driving view with one touch from anywhere, access guidance options in a tap, and switch between different route types more easily. It’s a simpler way to enjoy TomTom navigation on your iPhone or iPad.

A word of warning to those still using TomTom with an iPhone 3G. This will be the last version of the app to fully support it. Future versions should still work but any new features added will not be supported.

TomTom is available for the iPhone and iPad for $49.99.

[App Store link]

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