Apple Maps gains statewide transit coverage in Arkansas, Ohio, Maryland & West Virginia

Apple's continuing expansion of public transit directions in Maps has brought coverage to most urban areas in Arkansas, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia — though the company still has much work to do to catch up with Google.

iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch owners should now be able to get bus and train directions across the four states. This includes departure times, color-coded routes, and any extra walking involved.

Apple has been slowly expanding transit support since reintroducing it with 2015's iOS 9. The company stripped native transit functions from the iOS 6 version of Maps alongside other Google content — the result was a major backlash, not so much because of the transit issue as missing or mislabeled map data.

Apple's transit coverage is still well behind Google Maps, which had a considerable headstart. Many parts of the U.S. are still left out, and only China, Ireland, Japan, and the U.K. are broadly covered on a global level. In some countries directions are offered in just a single city, if at all.

Last month Apple brought transit directions to Orlando, Fla. and cities in Virginia and Missouri, as well as bike-sharing data to 175 cities in 36 countries.