Since its tumultuous introduction in 2012, Apple Maps has made significant strides; however, its immersive Look Around feature still trails behind Google’s Street View. Recent revelations indicate that Apple is gearing up to enhance this functionality.
According to a report from journalist Ryan Fae (cited by MacRumors), newly discovered code within the recently launched web version of Apple Maps suggests imminent expansion for the Look Around feature.
The current street-level imagery available through Look Around is primarily found in major U.S. cities and a handful of international areas. However, upcoming updates will likely broaden coverage to include essential highways, smaller municipalities, and rural zones across the United States.
Moreover, plans are underway to extend Look Around’s reach into several new countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, China, Belarus, Turkey, Bulgaria, Mexico, and Slovakia—many of which currently lack comprehensive Street View options.
The Showdown: Apple Maps vs Google Maps
SCOOP (for @VirtualStreets_): A leak regarding Apple Maps reveals an extensive network of future Look Around coverage as integrated into their web beta version. Here’s what users can anticipate next!🧵 pic.twitter.com/kClNfG6Lj2August 10th 2024
It should be noted that these new flags placed for Look Around are not yet finalized; additional developments may be forthcoming. The timeline for when these enhancements will be implemented remains uncertain.
In the ongoing rivalry between Apple and Google mapping services , it’s evident that Google holds an advantage with its globally extensive Street View imagery covering numerous roads as well as countless trails and skiing paths. Furthermore,, Google’s platform provides a more detailed experience when researching business listings or places of interest.
Nonetheless,, Apple has successfully narrowed the gap concerning fundamental mapping capabilities such as turn-by-turn navigation. Significant changes are anticipated with iOS 18 next month:, enabling users to search for locations anywhere on the map rather than just around their immediate vicinity. Additionally,, Apple recently unveiled a web version of its maps service; however it does not yet support the Looking Around functionality.
This week also saw Google unveil exciting augmented reality features related to time travel coinciding with events at Paris 2024 Olympics – all while preparing for new hardware launches: Pixel 9 smartphones and Pixel Watch 3—streaming live soon!
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