Apple Maps
web mapping service provided by Apple Inc
Apple Maps is a web mapping service developed by Apple. As the default map system of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, it provides directions and estimated times of arrival for driving, walking, cycling, and public transportation navigation. A "Flyover" mode shows certain urban centers and other places of interest in a 3D landscape composed of models of buildings and structures.
First released on September 19, 2012, Apple Maps replaced Google Maps as the default map system on Apple devices. At launch, it drew criticism from users and reviewers for incorrect directions, sparse data about public transportation, and various other bugs and errors. Apple has since further developed the software to address the issues raised by such criticism.
While previously exclusive to Apple devices, Apple released a cross-platform MapKit JS API in 2018, allowing Apple Maps to be embedded on the web.
As of July 2024, Apple Maps is available directly on Apple's website.
History
Initial release
Apple revealed that the application would replace Google Maps as the default web mapping service for iOS. Apple also announced that the application would include turn-by-turn navigation, 3D maps, and the virtual assistant Siri. The mapping service was released on September 19, 2012.
The public source identifies “Apple Maps” as web mapping service provided by Apple Inc. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Apple, Maps and mapping.
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A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Apple Maps”, the useful work is to connect “web mapping service provided by Apple Inc” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q276101. None of the 3 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2012, 2018 and 2024.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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- Expand the search: follow Apple Maps primary sources, Apple Maps archive and Apple research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
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This entry incorporates text from “Apple Maps” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.