Apple Maps gets more detailed 3D data for three more countries

France, Monaco, and New Zealand all now have updated terrain and road details as Apple Maps' new map data reaches sixteen unique locations.

New in Apple Maps are better highlighted areas, redesigned name labels, updated terrain information, improved visual clutter, as well as the addition of 3D models in locations for those three countries.

The most notable changes are in the metropolitan areas. In the case of Paris, France, businesses have been updated and re-organized in its presentation, and sites like the Eiffel Tower now has a 3D model in Flyover.

The new information covers a total population of 70.4 million among the three countries, and was a culmination of 39 days of public testing, according to mapping enthusiast Justin Oberine, who has been tracking the evolution of Apple's data collection for Apple Maps.

Oberine noted that the mapping data Apple has collected has now reached 19% coverage of the Earth's land area, and almost 10% of the world population.

Apple Maps has been continuously updated with new mapping information, as part of a global initiative that started in 2018. Earlier in April of 2022, Germany and Singapore received a similar facelift in its data with better detailing in labels, highlighting, and landmark modeling. June brought better information to 11 more countries, as well as the debut of multistop routing.

6 Comments

David H Dennis 68 comments · 9 Years

About 2 years ago

Any idea when Costa Rica, where I live, would be getting this treatment? Right now we don’t even have directions!

Alas it will probably take years :(

Anilu_777 577 comments · 8 Years

How do you get Maps to stay in 3D mode? It’s annoying to have to keep changing it.

tommikele 599 comments · 12 Years

I spend a fair amount of time in Tel Aviv and I must tell you Apple Maps is woefully bad in Tel Aviv. Quite surprising considering its position as the premier tech hub in the Middle East. So much is missing from Apple Maps that I find it mostly unusable there. No transportation information, Many major, long time locations can't be found via search. It is horrible. You would think it was two totally different apps when you compare it to using it in the USA. I try to stay away from Google anything as much as possible. Sadly, Apple forces me to Google Maps.

iqatedo 1811 comments · 21 Years

tommikele said:

I spend a fair amount of time in Tel Aviv and I must tell you Apple Maps is woefully bad in Tel Aviv. Quite surprising considering its position as the premier tech hub in the Middle East. So much is missing from Apple Maps that I find it mostly unusable there. No transportation information, Many major, long time locations can't be found via search. It is horrible. You would think it was two totally different apps when you compare it to using it in the USA. I try to stay away from Google anything as much as possible. Sadly, Apple forces me to Google Maps.

I wonder to what degree local regulations/authorisation impede advanced mapping/imaging? Is this even a thing? Some authorities might be reluctant to allow detailed mapping in some locations.

mpantone 2243 comments · 18 Years

iqatedo said:

tommikele said:

I spend a fair amount of time in Tel Aviv and I must tell you Apple Maps is woefully bad in Tel Aviv. Quite surprising considering its position as the premier tech hub in the Middle East. So much is missing from Apple Maps that I find it mostly unusable there. No transportation information, Many major, long time locations can't be found via search. It is horrible. You would think it was two totally different apps when you compare it to using it in the USA. I try to stay away from Google anything as much as possible. Sadly, Apple forces me to Google Maps.

I wonder to what degree local regulations/authorisation impede advanced mapping/imaging? Is this even a thing? Some authorities might be reluctant to allow detailed mapping in some locations.

I vaguely recall that someone (Google?) was criticized for harvesting WiFi access point data during it mapping activities here in the USA and they were forced to discontinue the practice.

There's a Wikipedia entry concerning Google Street View privacy concerns:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View_privacy_concerns

which illustrates a wide range of concerns that depend on local regulations. Note that these regulations evolve over time based on changes in the laws or the courts' interpretations of existing legislation.

For sure, satellite imagery has been altered or deleted in some cases. There have been successful lawsuits concerning street view recording.

Do not assume that the Wikipedia article is comprehensive and up to date.

Remember that in 2022 at least here in the USA, there's very little personal privacy left. Things like your name, age, previous residences, employment, tax history, political donation history, etc. are all recorded in various public databases.