Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Please stop pretending iOS 13’s Apple Maps update will make anyone ditch Google Maps

Please stop pretending iOS 13’s Apple Maps update will make anyone ditch Google Maps

Google Maps was just in the news again, this time because people managed to confirm that the app will soon be getting the dark mode feature users have been eagerly awaiting.

Just before that, the app made the rounds on tech blogs thanks to the arrival of another new feature that people had been clamoring for: incognito mode. What’s most interesting to me personally about stories surrounding Google Maps is how popular they are. There are plenty of things that cause traffic spikes on BGR and on other tech news sites, and stories about Google Maps are definitely among them. It’s obviously one of the most popular apps in the world, but it’s just surprising to me how eager people are to learn about new features coming to Google’s free mapping app. What’s not surprising to me, however, is that the app’s popularity sometimes drives tech news sites to go overboard when it comes to coverage.

I came across a perfect example this past weekend when I stumbled upon a story with the headline “This Apple Maps update might be what finally pulls people away from Google Maps.”

Traffic is obviously important to companies like BGR and our rivals, but sometimes sites do silly things to chase it. Silly things like CNET suggesting a bunch of minor updates to an also-ran mapping app might cause people to leave Google Maps in droves.

Plenty of people use Apple Maps, much in the same way that lots of people use Microsoft’s default web browser Edge. It’s there, and many users don’t care enough to seek out anything better. But the idea that people stop using the best and most popular maps app in the world because Apple added features like “Siri Natural Language Guidance” and a Google Street View copycat that’s available in a grand total of one US city is just plain ridiculous. In fact, the blog post itself doesn’t even mention any reasons why Apple’s new Maps update in iOS 13 might cause people to ditch Google Maps. The author or editor probably just thought the mere suggestion in the headline would get people to click. Well, I clicked, so bravo. I guess.

Here are the new features that Apple added to its Maps app in iOS 13, as highlighted on the Apple website:


New map


Rebuilt from the ground up, the brand-new map features significantly improved and more realistic details for roads, beaches, parks, buildings, and more.


Look Around


Explore where you’re going before you get there with an immersive 3D experience that gives you a 360-degree view of a place. And enjoy smooth and seamless transitions as you navigate your way around.


Collections


Build collections of your favorite and soon-to-be-favorite locations and share them with friends and family.


Favorites


Whether it’s home, work, the gym, or your kid’s school, create a list of places you visit often for quick, one-tap navigation.


Junction View


Junction View helps drivers in China eliminate wrong turns and directional misses by lining them up in the correct lane before they need to turn or enter an elevated road.


Share ETA


Share your estimated time of arrival with family, friends, and coworkers. Your ETA even updates should a significant delay occur.


Customer feedback



A redesigned customer feedback experience makes submitting incorrect addresses, business locations, or operating hours that much easier.


Improved Siri guidance


More natural language enhances the navigation experience. So instead of saying “in 1,000 feet turn left,” Siri says “turn left at the next traffic light.” Improved navigation also guides you closer to your end-point destination, which is especially important for large venues.


Real-time transit


See live departure times, the current location of the bus or train on your route, and a more detailed schedule when viewing transit stops.


Flight status


Up-to-the-moment information about your flight terminals, gate locations, departure times, and more is now available.


Place cards


Place cards are more helpful and easier to use, with dynamically updated information for things like Today at Apple sessions at Apple Store locations.


MapKit


Updates include vector overlays, point-of-interest filtering, camera zoom and pan limits, and support for Dark Mode.


Improved CarPlay experience


CarPlay provides easier route planning, search, and navigation, as well as Junction View in China. Favorites and Collections features are also available in CarPlay.

There are certainly some neat features included on that list. Can anyone point to any single feature or any combination of features that might compel people to ditch Google Maps and make the switch? Of course not. In fact, Google Maps already has most of those features, and in almost every case they’re done better by Google than they are by Apple.

Have you recently updated to iOS 13 on your iPhone? Definitely check out all these cool new features in the Apple Maps app. Then, once you’re done poking around for 30 seconds, you’ll almost definitely go back to Google Maps.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×