What’s new in Maps

Plan a route on one device, add multiple stops and see it on another one

The update to Maps isn’t as huge as it was in iOS 15, but there are some useful and impressive new features. The app is also now becoming a strong competitor to the likes of Waze when it comes to planning routes for driving. You can add stops to your routes when you plan them in the Maps app. So, if you want to drive from Exeter to London and make a stop at Stonehenge, or go via Bath, you can add those stops to your route, when you ask for directions. Maps isn’t that smart when it comes to adding stops, so it will add the Stonehenge stop at the end of the journey and route you from Exeter to London and back to Stonehenge. However, all you have to do is tap and hold on the stop and drag it above the destination in the list and Maps will update the route.

Use Siri in Maps

You can also use Siri to add a stop, if you’re already driving on the route. On the same screen where you add a stop, there are now three drop-down menus. These enable you to change the mode of transport, change the time of departure and choose whether or not to avoid toll roads. If you choose a public transport route, there’s another menu that enables you to choose between paying cash or using a travel card, if you’ve added one to your Wallet. Another menu enables you to specify which of the available public transport methods you want to use. If you switch from a driving route with multiple stops to public transport, the route will only be planned as far as the first stop.

Routes are now saved and synced across all your devices. So if you plan a route on your Mac in Ventura, or iPad in iPadOS 16, you will see it in Recents on your iPhone when you need it.

The other major addition is the ability to add travel cards to Wallet and then, when you’re using Maps to plan a journey, you will be able to see the cost of that journey and how much is left on your card. You can also pay for the journey using the travel card in your Wallet.

Another new feature is a toggle switch in Maps that enables you to choose whether to allow companies that supply photos to Maps to use photos you have uploaded to Maps, for their own products and services.

You can now add stops to your driving routes and Maps will update the route. It’s now easier to make changes to your preferred mode of transport, or date and time of departure.

You can add travel cards in Wallet to use in Maps, but supported locations are limited at the moment.