Live Text and Maps EXPLAINED… What’s where in Maps
Explore better with two new modes in Maps, and look up text in images
Apple’s Maps has had a bumpy ride, and faces tough competition. It has languished far too long, demonstrating how important presentation and reliability are. Monterey doesn’t bring any radical change, but it has received more thorough attention to detail which could now make it your first choice for planning journeys and tours, and more fun for the armchair traveller too.
In addition to existing Public Transport and Satellite map modes, Maps now has dedicated Explore and Driving modes which are far better than Big Sur’s default. Explore mode shows where to go, while Driving shows how, or sometimes whether, you can get there by car, including traffic delays and details of roadworks. All four modes have been redesigned to improve labelling of streets in urban areas, and points of interest and facilities are more clearly visible. Cyclists are still relatively neglected, as designated bike routes and lanes aren’t displayed, neither are footpaths except when zoomed close in, where a lack of topographic information makes them nearly useless.
Personal planning
Each Maps user has their own account, with personal preferences for their type of public transport, their favourites and guides. Mail and Reminders have wisely been added to the Share menu, and zooming right out now displays an interesting interactive globe.
Guides, Flyovers and Look Arounds provide a rich experience when planning a visit, and in some parts of the world are good enough to take you on long exploratory adventures. Place cards have been improved, so that the information they provide about businesses and points of interest is better arranged.
But once you get out of your car and outside the centres of major cities, Maps still tends to abandon you in the wilderness, with the only clear direction coming from specialist third-party mapping apps. Even choosing Fatmap’s guide to Ben Nevis links you to its site selling products, and finds a mountain near Queenstown in New Zealand rather than the peak in Scotland. Oh, Apple Maps, please find us the right Ben.
1 Enhanced detail in cities
City centres like London feature even finer details in satellite and Flyover views.
2 More and better Flyovers
Flyover tours of popular landmarks are easier to access and come in superfine detail.
3 Improved place cards
These have been redesigned to put key information and tools at the top for easy access.
4 Two new map modes
Explore for browsing or walking round a locale, and Driving when you need to get there.
5 More and better guides
Curated guides for a wide range of trails drawn up by those with good local knowledge.
6 Individual accounts
Each Maps user has individual settings for preferred public transport, guides and more.