Apple's redesigned Maps app is now available in Canada following a test of the feature that kicked off back in October. The Canadian expansion comes 11 months after Apple finished the rollout of the revamped Maps app in the United States.
The launch of the redesigned Maps app in Canada was shared by Justin O'Beirne, who follows Apple's work on the Maps app, and it was highlighted by Apple in an announcement. The expansion to Canada is Apple's largest Maps expansion to date, and Canada is the fourth country to get the new design.
"With Apple Maps, we have created the best and most private maps app on the planet and we are excited to bring this experience to our users in Canada," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We have rebuilt Apple Maps from the ground up to provide better navigation, richer detail, more accurate information for places, and incredible features like Look Around, curated Guides from trusted sources, and much more. Now it is easier than ever for users in Canada to explore and navigate the world."
O'Beirne says that this is likely Apple's last Maps expansion of the year, and he also shares some other fun facts. Apple's new map now overs 12.5 percent of Earth's land area, and more than 440 million people or 5.7 percent of the global population. Screenshots of the new maps in Canada can be found on his website.
Along with the United States and Canada, the new Maps app is available in Ireland and the UK.
Apple's redesigned Maps app was first introduced in iOS 12, and since then, the Cupertino company has been working on expanding it. The updated Maps app offers up faster and more accurate navigation along with more detailed views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls, sports fields, foliage, pools, pedestrian pathways, bodies of water, and more.
Today's update brings Look Around to Canada, allowing Maps users in Canada to see street-level imagery with 3D photography. Look Around is available in cities like Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, as well as parts of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and more.
Also new in Canada is support for Guides, the iOS 14 feature that offers up a curated list of interesting places to visit within a city.