Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
We've known for a while that Apple Maps has become integral to Apple's long-term strategy, especially as the company is developing a vehicle.
The Cupertino-based iPhone maker recently released another quiet update for Apple Maps, enabling cycling navigation in Switzerland and Sweden.
The company did not release an official announcement for this update, but users started seeing turn-by-turn information for the cycling mode a few days ago. Apple has been testing cycling navigation in the two countries for several months, but the company never commented on the general availability.
Apple Maps now offers the full navigation package for cyclists, including bike lanes and paths and essential information like the road incline. With this feature, the application searches for routes optimized for bikes, so the ETA could be different from the driving mode. It's because cyclists could use special lanes and alleys where cars aren't allowed.
The Apple Watch companion app also enables advanced functionality thanks to the cycling update in Apple Maps. The smartwatch can offer voice guidance and turn-by-turn navigation, so the cyclist wouldn't have to look at the phone for instructions.
Apple keeps working on improving the experience with Apple Maps, but the company has never been in a rush to bring its new-generation package to all users worldwide. The rollout started approximately three years ago and has been taking place in painfully slow stages, with users in several countries still using the "old" Apple Maps.
The detailed city experience is the biggest update ever received by Apple Maps, bringing Apple's in-house maps and rich details, including trees, buildings, medians, sidewalks, and crosswalks. 3D landmarks make navigation easier in large cities, while the experience behind the wheel is enhanced with traffic lights and stop sign warnings on the map.
The new Apple Maps also includes a Waze-inspired incident reporting system. With this feature, users can flag the location of police traps, accidents, and other hazards. However, the limited availability of the updated Apple Maps and the app's reduced number of users in non-US markets has also impacted the incident reporting system, with reports remaining scarce in Europe when using the app for navigation.
Apple has so far remained tight-lipped on its plans for the broad availability of its new Apple Maps experience, typically rolling out support for new countries every few months. Cycling navigation is also expanding regularly, with the feature rolling out to the first users as part of the iOS 14 update for Apple Maps. It's already available in large countries, such as the United States and China, with the iPhone maker typically covering cities rather than states. For example, cycling navigation is available in London but not the entire United Kingdom, as Apple seems to focus on regions where the feature makes sense.
The company did not release an official announcement for this update, but users started seeing turn-by-turn information for the cycling mode a few days ago. Apple has been testing cycling navigation in the two countries for several months, but the company never commented on the general availability.
Apple Maps now offers the full navigation package for cyclists, including bike lanes and paths and essential information like the road incline. With this feature, the application searches for routes optimized for bikes, so the ETA could be different from the driving mode. It's because cyclists could use special lanes and alleys where cars aren't allowed.
The Apple Watch companion app also enables advanced functionality thanks to the cycling update in Apple Maps. The smartwatch can offer voice guidance and turn-by-turn navigation, so the cyclist wouldn't have to look at the phone for instructions.
Apple keeps working on improving the experience with Apple Maps, but the company has never been in a rush to bring its new-generation package to all users worldwide. The rollout started approximately three years ago and has been taking place in painfully slow stages, with users in several countries still using the "old" Apple Maps.
The detailed city experience is the biggest update ever received by Apple Maps, bringing Apple's in-house maps and rich details, including trees, buildings, medians, sidewalks, and crosswalks. 3D landmarks make navigation easier in large cities, while the experience behind the wheel is enhanced with traffic lights and stop sign warnings on the map.
The new Apple Maps also includes a Waze-inspired incident reporting system. With this feature, users can flag the location of police traps, accidents, and other hazards. However, the limited availability of the updated Apple Maps and the app's reduced number of users in non-US markets has also impacted the incident reporting system, with reports remaining scarce in Europe when using the app for navigation.
Apple has so far remained tight-lipped on its plans for the broad availability of its new Apple Maps experience, typically rolling out support for new countries every few months. Cycling navigation is also expanding regularly, with the feature rolling out to the first users as part of the iOS 14 update for Apple Maps. It's already available in large countries, such as the United States and China, with the iPhone maker typically covering cities rather than states. For example, cycling navigation is available in London but not the entire United Kingdom, as Apple seems to focus on regions where the feature makes sense.
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