Apple Planning Transit Routing in iOS 9 Maps, Advances on Indoor Mapping Project

ios_8_maps_transitApple is planning to add a new Transit view to Maps in iOS 9 that features bus, subway, and train routing and directions, according to 9to5Mac. The much-rumored Apple Maps feature would bring native transit routing back to the iPhone for the first time since Apple ditched Google as the default mapping provider on iOS. The report also claims that Apple has made advancements on its indoor mapping project.

"Sources said last year that the transit functionality for Maps includes larger icons for users to more quickly spot airports, subway stations, and train stations within the Maps app. In addition to the main functionality, there is also a trip planning feature for transit, and a new Transit view alongside the existing Standard, Hybrid, and Satellite/Flyover views."

Transit features in Apple Maps were originally expected to launch alongside iOS 8 last year, but were delayed due to personnel issues and data inconsistencies within Apple. The company has reportedly "refined the data, added new cities, and developed a new push notifications system" since that time, however, and the feature is now ready to be unveiled at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple has been actively expanding its in-house routing team over the past few years through multiple job openings. In late April, for example, the company put out a job listing for a "Maps Software Engineer" part of the Routing team, as reflected by at least one Apple employee's LinkedIn profile. "As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps," the job description reads.

Transit Routing Engineer
Apple has also been making progress on its indoor mapping project, which will enable iOS users to navigate major buildings, offices and landmarks. The company has been using autonomous robots with iBeacon sensors to collect indoor mapping data, starting at its offices in Cupertino, although the feature may not go live this year. The indoor mapping project is in conjunction with Apple's van-based street mapping data collection.

Related Forum: iOS 9

Popular Stories

Golden Apple Logo

Every Apple Secret That Leaked Wednesday

Thursday August 14, 2025 4:13 am PDT by
Apple made a major slip Wednesday when it accidentally included hardware identifiers in software code linking to numerous unannounced products. The leaked information provided MacRumors with concrete evidence of Apple's hardware development across multiple product categories. Here's everything that was confirmed through the code discoveries: New HomePod mini with updated chip – New...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Pro to Start at $1,049 With Doubled Base Storage

Wednesday August 13, 2025 1:45 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will have a starting price that is $50 more than the iPhone 16 Pro but it will come with a minimum 256GB of storage, doubling the base capacity compared to last year's model. The information comes from Chinese leaker Instant Digital, posting on Weibo. The account, which has 1.5 million followers, has now made the claim three separate times in recent weeks....
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Chassis Offers First Look at All-Aluminum Body

Thursday August 14, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
An alleged iPhone 17 Pro production leak may provide a first look at the device's milled all-aluminum chassis, which this year includes the camera bump – in contrast to last year's iPhone 16 Pro model that features a glass camera module attached to an all-glass back panel. Originally shared by leaker Majin Bu, the image below could be of a moulding, but it still lines up with rumors that...
iPhone 17 Pro Feature Dual

When Will Apple Announce the iPhone 17 Event?

Tuesday August 12, 2025 12:46 pm PDT by
It is now mid-August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner. This year, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17, the all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here are some of the key rumors for those devices:iPhone 17: Same design as iPhone 16, but with an A19 chip, a larger 6.3-inch display, an upgraded 24-megapixel front camera, ...
maxresdefault

Top 5 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday August 12, 2025 11:48 am PDT by
We're just about a month away from Apple's annual September event, and we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. There are some useful new features rumored for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which we've summarized below. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Satellite Connectivity - The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be the first...
Apple TV 2025 Thumb 2

New Apple TV Coming Later This Year With A17 Pro Chip

Wednesday August 13, 2025 5:29 pm PDT by
Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV that's slated for launch later this year. Information about the upcoming device that was found in Apple code indicates that it will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip. There have been multiple rumors about a new Apple TV coming in 2025 with a new A-series processor, but it hasn't been clear which chip Apple would use...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.6.1 is Coming Today

Thursday August 14, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
In case you missed it — this is the post for people who mainly only read headlines — Apple has announced that it will be releasing iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 later today. Apple shared this information in a press release on its Newsroom website. The software updates will re-enable the Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States....
ios 26 liquid glass lock screen beta 6

Apple Changes Liquid Glass Again in iOS 26 Beta 6

Monday August 11, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to tweak the way that the Liquid Glass design looks ahead of the iOS 26 launch, and the latest beta makes a change to the Lock Screen. The Lock Screen clock has been updated with additional transparency, allowing more of the background to peek through. Beta 6 on left, beta 5 on right The clock also has more of a 3D, floating look, which is in line with the rest of the ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max's Internal Design With Metal Battery Allegedly Leaks

Friday August 15, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Alleged images of the iPhone 17 Pro Max's internal design have surfaced, offering a potential look inside the device before it is announced by Apple next month. The images were shared by the account "yeux1122" this week, in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver. The account aggregates Apple rumors and leaks, so it is likely not the original source of the images, and it is unclear if they...

Top Rated Comments

icanhazapple Avatar
134 months ago
hiring fail

how can you work at Apple and be dumb enough to post in your LinkedIn profile that you are working on unannounced features for a product.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
luckydcxx Avatar
134 months ago
Don't be racist.
The comment had nothing to do with race.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
134 months ago
I have liked the map app since the start regardless of the naysayers.

I look forward to the on-going improvements and continued deep integration with the rest of the iphone and now watch.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
leftynaut Avatar
134 months ago
how can you work at Apple and be dumb enough to post in your LinkedIn profile that you are working on unannounced features for a product.

To be fair, she just directly quoted from the job posting, which was posted for the public at one time. Just like the article mentions... :rolleyes:

In late April, for example, the company put out a job listing for a "Maps Software Engineer" part of the Routing team. "As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps," the job description reads.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticSoda Avatar
134 months ago
Don't be racist.

Oh, grow up!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Paddle1 Avatar
134 months ago
how can you work at Apple and be dumb enough to post in your LinkedIn profile that you are working on unannounced features for a product.

Did you read the article? All she did was quote the job listing.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)