Curated guides to some of the world’s great cities. A map that can show you the next electric charging station on the road for your car. And maps that show elevation changes for that bike ride you’ve been meaning to try for years.
Apple Maps has been refining their product for years, with continuous improvements coming at every opportunity. Now comes iOS 14, Apple’s biggest update in history, which takes Apple Maps – and other apps and features – to whole new levels.
One of the great new features are the curated maps, which are available now for New York City, London, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Apple is very much interested in expanding those, but they’ve started with those four cities for now.
The curated guides feature information about restaurants, popular attractions, and other popular spots. Apple worked closely with such trusted brands as Lonely Planet and the Washington Post while creating their curated programs. You can find the best hiking trails in California, the best pizza in New York City or check on the most enjoyable way to spend a day in London.
Apple Maps now has great guides to fab cities and food options.
Apple also has new maps for the entire country for Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. That means every building, every bit of land cover, every marina, every beach, every parking lot; you name it. Those maps, which basically are a rebuilding of existing maps from the ground up, are expected to be released later this year.
Are you running late for a socially-distanced meeting with friends? You can ask Siri to share your ETA with friends and family, so they won’t have to worry if you’re ten minutes late. You also can see if there are speed traps or red light cameras up ahead, and if you ARE going faster than the speed limit allows Apple Maps can suggest (without nagging, of course) that you slow down.
Apple also has brought in a great new feature to their routing program called Look Around, which allows users to check out 3D, high-resolution images of monuments, locations and more within the app. The new Look Around feature will be available in Seattle on Monday (June 29) and will be in some cities in Japan this fall. Not only will it show streets, but Look Around will include places that are accessible only on foot.
The cycling maps promise to be truly astonishing and will make it super easy to get around town on your bike. You can make cycling the default mode on your device, which is handy given the popularity of biking in this day and age. You also can check out multiple routes and even look at the elevation profile of each one, which allows you to either take on the bigger hills (way to go!) or avoid them and stick to flatter surfaces (can’t say I blame you).
Use Apple Maps to find the perfect cycling route to your destination.
Apple Maps also can tell you if there are bike lanes along your route, how busy the street is, or if there are obstacles (such as stairs) that will force you to temporarily dismount from your bike. Maps also offers new cycling maneuvers and voice guidance to help you find your way while you bike.
Worried you’ll have to heed nature’s call along the way? Apple Maps can show you where the washrooms are along the way, or where you can find a cycle repair shop if you blow a tire.
The cycling maps will start with the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City and some cities in China, and will be expanded in the coming months.
Got an electric vehicle in your driveway or garage? Apple Maps will show you the charging stations along your total route, so your vehicle doesn’t run out of energy. Of course, you can still find great restaurants along the way, so YOU don’t run low on energy, either. It even tells you the type of connection or coupling device at each charging stop. On top of that, Apple Maps can even show you the amount of charge you have left in your car, either on your hand-held device or your Apple Watch.
Apple Maps already has amazing maps of indoor places around the world, including airports and shopping malls, so you don’t have to wander around aimlessly looking for that shoe store you want to quickly get to or that airport restaurant with the great wine list you want to try.
Apple Maps are extremely helpful for folks who have electric vehicles.
Of course, there’s lots more than new map features in the new Apple iOS 14 system.
The Weather app and widget will keep you up to date on severe weather events, and a new next-hour precipitation chart shows minute-by-minute precipitation when rain is in the forecast.
Translate is designed to be the best and easiest app for translating conversations, offering quick and natural translation of voice and text among 11 different languages. On-device mode allows users to experience the features of the app offline for private voice and text translation. It’s very handy for when we start travelling again.
Worried about your personal information? Privacy is built into the system, so there’s no need to fret about your data being shared.
