Apple introduced updates to many of the built-in iOS apps in iOS 13, and Maps is no exception. The updated version of Maps has a long list of new features that are designed to make the Apple Maps app better able to compete with mapping apps from other companies.
There's a new Look Around street view level feature, a Collections feature for aggregating lists of your favorite places, a Favorites option for getting to your most frequently traveled places quickly, and some other smaller updates that are worth knowing about.
In this guide, we've highlighted all of the new features that are in the Apple Maps app in iOS 13.
Maps Redesign
Apple in iOS 12 debuted a rebuilt, updated Maps app that uses an Apple-designed Maps engine to bring more detailed views of things like foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and more.
The work done in iOS 12 is continued in iOS 13 with Apple expanding the new Maps app to the entire United States as of January 2020. Apple now plans to bring the updated Maps app to Europe.
Apple on stage when introducing iOS 13 mentioned these map updates and promised improved detailing for roads, beaches, parks, buildings, and more. Maps in iOS 12 overall looks similar to iOS 13 in states where new Maps have already rolled out, but there could be more detail coming in the future and there are some small changes worth pointing out.
Road Hazards and Traffic Conditions
When viewing the main Maps interface, the app now displays road hazards and traffic conditions so you can see the route ahead at a glance. Previously, this information was available, but only when turn-by-turn directions were activated.
In iOS 13, traffic information is visible on the main map too.
Junction View
iOS 13 adds a Junction View option that's meant to help drivers avoid wrong turns and directional misses by lining them up in the correct lane before a turn or an elevated road.
Siri Directions
Siri gives more natural directions in iOS 13. Instead of saying something like "in 1,000 feet turn left," Siri might instead choose to say "turn left at the next traffic light," which is an easier instruction to follow since there's no distance estimation involved.
Venue Navigation Improvements
When you're navigating to something like a concert at a large venue, Apple Maps now offers up improvements that are better suited towards getting you to your end-point destination.
Real-Time Transit Schedules
The Maps app now includes real-time transit schedules, arrival times, network stops, and system connections for transit directions to provide better overall route planning.
Real-time information like outages, cancellations, and other changes are also listed in the Apple Maps app.
ETA Sharing
There's a new option to share your estimated time of arrival with friends, family, and coworkers. Your ETA will update dynamically, changing even when there's a significant traffic delay. This feature was removed from iOS 13 during the later betas, but could be re-added in the future.
Flight Status
Maps is now able to display up-to-the-minute information about flight terminals, gate locations, departure times, and more.
Place Cards for Businesses
Place Cards for businesses have been updated to be more helpful and easier to use. You'll see information like times of Today at Apple sessions when looking up an Apple Store, for example, or movie times when looking up a movie theater.
Look Around
Look Around is a new Apple Maps feature that's designed to be Apple's equivalent of Google Street View. Look Around offers up a street-level view of what's around you or a location you search for in the Maps app.
You can use Look Around in the main Apple Maps view whenever there's a pair of binoculars visible. Tapping on the binoculars icon delves into a close-up street level view of the location in a little card, which you can tap again to get to a full screen Look Around view.
Look Around can also be brought up when searching for specific supported locations by tapping on the Look Around card in the search results.
When in Look Around mode, tapping on the display lets you move through the Look Around area, and tapping a spot far off in the distance does a neat zoom in maneuver that's fun to watch.
In Look Around, all notable points of interest, like restaurants, businesses, parks, and more, are highlighted with identifying icons and place names so you can tell what's what.
Look Around is limited to areas where a car can go because it's using data captured from a 360-degree camera on a vehicle. That means you can't zoom into areas like parks or beaches, for example, but you can see what's visible from the street.
At launch, Look Around was limited to parts of California, Nevada, and Hawaii, but it has since expanded to Los Angeles, Houston, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Apple plans to continue the expansion in 2019 and 2020.
Collections
Collections lets you search for and aggregate lists of different locations, such as restaurants you might want to try or places you might want to visit.
Collection lists can be shared, so you can make up lists of places for friends and family visiting you in your city and then share it with them, for example.
Favorites
Favorites is a new Maps feature that lets you search for specific places and then add them to a list. Favorites are meant for places that you visit frequently, and Home and Work are already added by default.
You can add any place you go to often to the Favorites list, such as a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, or a friend's house. Tapping on one of your Favorites brings up directions to that spot right away, so think of it like a speed dial option for Maps.
Maps Feedback Form
Apple introduced a redesigned customer feedback interface in iOS 13, which is designed to make it easier for Apple Maps users to submit corrections for things like incorrect addresses, business locations, or operating hours.
CarPlay
All of the new features introduced in the Maps app in iOS 13, such as Favorites, Collections, and Junction View have been added to CarPlay. The Maps app in CarPlay also provides updated route planning, search, and navigation.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about Maps, know of an iOS 13 Maps feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Top Rated Comments
It was all worth the growing pains. Apple owns a critical piece of the data and experience used throughout the entire Apple ecosystem.
Remaining at the mercy of their main competitor would have been a massive strategic mistake. Steve Jobs made the right call moving to an in house Maps app.
Apple puts zero effort on outside-US.