Spring and summer break is just around the corner and it is the perfect time to go out, see friends, visit family, and do all sorts of activities. Regardless if you plan to have a domestic or international trip, you want to have a device or app to help you navigate directions during your trip.

Apple Maps is your must-have companion to explore new places or visit your favorite locations. You can use and optimize the Apple Maps based on what you need and it has a plethora of features right at your fingertips.

This article will give an overview of the Apple Maps’ features that will be helpful during your trips.

What is Apple Maps?

Apple Maps is the premier navigation app for Apple users, showing simple navigation and guides across two hundred regions worldwide. It also includes navigation via multiple modes of transport, such as driving, cycling, walking, and the stops you need to take when taking the subway.

Apple Maps offers easy integration across all Apple devices while providing high data protection and location security.

10 Key Apple Maps Features

Apple Maps offers more than just directions for drivers. It’s nice to know the directions when driving in an unfamiliar city, but the app can also benefit commuters, whether they prefer to use the subway or walk. Below are some of the key features of Apple Maps.

1. Accidents, hazards, or speed checks

One of the most aggravating things a driver can experience is a random accident or hazard on the road. These typically delay your estimated arrival time and cost you to be late to your destination.

However, Apple Maps allows drivers to help other drivers through its report feature. They can indicate an accident or hazard, encouraging other drivers to find a different route. Additionally, drivers can let you know if there is a speed check in the area. This reminds you to be careful when heading to your destination.

Make sure to use Siri if you are planning to report the conditions on the road since you shouldn’t be using your phone while driving.

2. Estimated time of arrival indicator

The ETA indicator helps you determine how long it will take to get to your destination, allowing you to decide when you should be heading to the said location to avoid being late. You can also share your ETA with your contacts. This feature is an efficient way to let your friends or family know when you will be arriving instead of calling them while driving.

3. Parking reminders

It’s easy to forget where you parked your car, especially when the parking area is vast. Wandering the streets as you try to remember the lot where you left your car can take too much time, but you can use Apple Maps to remember specific places like parking lots.

Connect your Apple device to your vehicle’s CarPlay or Bluetooth, and Apple Maps will put a pin to your parking location. Note that this will only happen once you step out of your car and be within trackable distance.

If your Apple Maps doesn’t automatically do this for you, go to Settings and have Location Services turned on. You can also check if you have Show Significant Locations and Show Parked Location turned on. To know more about this, you can read this quick guide.

4. Navigation guides

Apple Maps has a ton of navigation guides useful for multiple situations. It includes turn-by-turn directions for drivers, public transport routes and times, highway information, and indoor building maps, to name a few.

5. Compass Mode

Apple Maps on an iPhone generally uses an up-for-north perspective, rotating the map depending on where your vehicle is going. However, an extra compass mode enables you to use it while walking. This feature adjusts to where you move your phone or body, allowing you to determine which direction you’re facing.

6. 3D renders of key cities

Technology has made significant strides to produce 3D visuals of buildings, landmarks, streets, etc., onto an app. Apple Maps allows users to search for a city and activate 3D mode by pressing the 3D icon on the mini toolbar. An added feature is the Satellite mode which provides full coloration to the 3D render.

7. Transit updates

There are different public transportation services you can choose from, and Apple Maps allows you to see real-time information on trains, buses, and ferries. The app details what time you should board, what line to take for trains, and any delays. It also allows you to pick your preferred route, notifying you of the best time to leave.

8. Walking directions

Apple Maps features the addition of Augmented Reality (AR), where iPhone users scan their environment, which will then provide directions to their destination. This makes it easier to identify your location, leading to accurate directions to your next destination.

9. Curated city guides

Now that traveling is slowly making its way back, city guides will offer helpful information and details about the city you are in. Apple users can check for establishments, restaurants, and attractions and save them on their Guides list.

10. Indoor maps

Apple Maps isn’t just for guides and vehicular directions. The app also allows you to see indoor maps of malls, airports, and terminals, to name a few. This is a convenient feature for establishments with no virtual maps in the area.

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: How Do They Differ?

Another navigation app widely used by people today is Google Maps, but what exactly are the similarities and differences between this and Apple Maps? This section discusses Apple Maps vs. Google Maps.

1. Availability

Apple Maps is exclusively available to Apple users, while Google Maps is accessible on nearly every device. Apple and Android users can simply login into their Google account to access Google Maps, but if you are an Apple user, Apple Maps is available on your device right away.

2. Interface

In terms of interface, Apple Maps has a cleaner look. It shows basic landmarks and streets but also provides the user with additional information. On the other hand, Google Maps presents all the details at once. This makes the interface quite disorganized, which can confuse people. Apple Maps does the opposite by giving the user more freedom and only showing the information they need at a time.

3. Accuracy

Apple has come a long way in terms of improving Apple Maps and its UX and UI, though it certainly still has some catching up to do. Despite both providing relevant details, the amount of information available on Google enables their navigation app to provide more detailed, accurate navigations in numerous cities.

4. Device integration

Both Apple and Google Maps integrate voice commands into devices, but Apple has a unique integration with Siri. Aside from asking for directions, Apple Maps enables users to enter Flyover Mode and explore cities in a 3D landscape. However, Google Maps allows you to download an entire map for offline use. This is especially handy for people who don’t always have a stable internet connection.

5. Map design

Apple has opted for a minimalist interface, displaying only necessary details unless you zoom in on a specific area. Google does the same, but the information it provides from the start is a lot more than Apple’s. Additionally, both maps include a dark mode for easy viewing.

6. Privacy

Society has become conscious of security and privacy in online platforms. The more you use an app, the more information you provide the developers.

Your daily actions build your profile on both Apple and Google. Keep in mind that you always have control of the type of data you share, whether you’re using Android or iOS. Your location and other whereabouts are extremely crucial information, so take this matter seriously.

Apple gives you control over the type of information and data you share. For example, in iOS 14.5, you can ask an app not to track your activities, and exclude your data in serving ads, etc. Moreover, Apple shows you which types of data are and aren’t connected to you, giving you full access to your privacy and security.

As for Google, “While advertising makes it possible for us to offer products free of charge and helps the websites and apps that partner with us fund their content, we do not sell your personal information to anyone.” Google further explained that sensitive information and personal files are not used in serving ads.

Convenience, Minimalism, and Exclusivity

Apple has made significant strides to improve its navigation app over the past few years. What was once a clunky map app, Apple Maps has become a decent software that provides sufficient information to users in an easy-to-use interface. Along with its exclusivity to Apple devices, it offers users more options.

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