Apple Maps vehicles will begin surveying Germany next week, through mid-September, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine.

lookaround1
The data collected, such as road details, signage, and landmarks, will be used to improve ‌Apple Maps‌ as part of Apple's efforts to revamp the app. The 360º imagery will also likely be used for "Look Around" when Apple eventually expands its new Street View-like feature beyond the United States.

Look Around is new to ‌Apple Maps‌ in iOS 13. Where available, the feature provides a street-level view of what's around your current location or the location you search for on the map. It's similar to Google's Street View, with one advantage being smoother panning when moving around the map.

Apple will censor faces and license plates on images that are published in Look Around, as it explains on its website:

Apple is conducting ground surveys around the world to collect data to improve Apple Maps, and in support of the Look Around feature. We will also periodically revisit some locations to gather new data in an effort to maintain a high-quality, up-to-date map. We are committed to protecting your privacy while conducting these surveys. For example, we will censor faces and license plates on images that are published in Look Around.

At launch, Look Around is limited to areas in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, but Apple plans to add more locations over time.

‌Apple Maps‌ vehicles have also surveyed parts of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Portugal, Croatia, Japan, Andorra, and Puerto Rico since data collection began in 2015.

(Thanks, Burak!)

Top Rated Comments

manu chao Avatar
70 months ago
This won’t work in Germany
Exactly:
- 244'237 requests from German residents to blur out their homes (2010) ('https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/low-number-of-objections-germans-unfazed-by-google-street-view-a-724369.html')
- Google Has Stopped Street View Photography In Germany (2011) ('https://searchengineland.com/google-has-stopped-street-view-photography-germany-72368')
- Google restarted surveying Germany with cameras but won't make the images available to the public, only to be used to improve mapping services (2017) ('https://www.computerbild.de/artikel/cb-News-Internet-Google-Street-View-Kamera-Autos-Deutschland-2017-16475459.html')

What is available via Street View in Germany are images from 2008 to 2010 (and limited to 20 cities).

Apple certainly can use its image collection in Germany for mapping purposes but is unlikely to make Look Around available widely (it probably will be restricted to main tourist attractions).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPhysicist Avatar
70 months ago
The presence of the word "Frankfurter" in the newspaper's name made me laugh because I'm still 12 years old inside, apparently.

(Yes, I know... city of Frankfurt and all that)
Ha. You say that. Frankfurter Würstchen are commonly known as Wiener. Now you’ve got a laugh.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Janschi Avatar
70 months ago
This won’t work in Germany
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
70 months ago

Apple Maps vehicles will begin surveying Germany next week, through mid-September, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine ('https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/diginomics/apples-kamera-autos-rollen-ueber-deutsche-strassen-16298154.html').
The presence of the word "Frankfurter" in the newspaper's name made me laugh because I'm still 12 years old inside, apparently.

(Yes, I know... city of Frankfurt and all that)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...