After a decade of Apple Maps on iPhones, the very useful travel assistant is now available on web browsers following the release of a beta version.
The new option provides driving and walking directions for users, as well as ratings and reviews for further information.
Apple Maps for web is very similar to the iOS app, but it doesn’t quite have all the functionality that existing Apple users will be used to. The interface is a stripped-back version of the app, with the data layers offering Standard, Hybrid, and Satellite.
General map navigation, destination guides, business information, and food ordering are available, while the big tech giant has stated it will add other features in the coming months, such as the Look Around tool.
It's here y'all! Apple Maps beta is now live on the web! This means you can now integrate Apple Maps in your web apps using MapKit JS! #AppleMaps https://t.co/kv37LdzCHc
— Timirah James (@TimirahJ) July 24, 2024
Who will use the web version of Apple Maps, given every existing Apple user already has access? On iPhones and Macs, the service has its own dedicated app so there won’t be much fanfare around the launch, but it could be about wider competition.
Web availability means more internet users have another alternative to Google Maps, and service providers like DuckDuckGo appear to be a great outlet for Apple Maps to secure further expansion. Another contender on the market is the Overture Maps Foundation, backed by Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, which has launched its first public mapping platform, giving developers free access to mapping information for their applications.
Apple Maps for web is currently only available in English, compatible with Safari and Chrome on iPad and Mac, as well as Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. The iPhone maker has plans to add support for many more languages, browsers, and other platforms.
It will be interesting to gauge how Apple Maps progresses on the web and if it can take a bigger slice of the pie from Google Maps.
The service is accessible now at beta.maps.apple.com.
Image credit: Via Ideogram
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