Apple rolls out improved navigation and mapping details in Australia

An improved Apple Maps experience is now available in Australia following recent launches of richer and enhanced mapping and navigation data in Andorra, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Refreshed Apple Maps is now available in Australia
  • It features better navigation and richer details
  • Some users complain about local inaccuracies

Apple's marketing image showing the globe view on Apple Maps
Image credit: Apple

Not everyone in Australia likes improved Apple Maps

Maps changes in Australia seem to be live now, with reports on social media from Australians confirming that an improved Maps experience is now accessible to them. Some people also complain about inaccuracies and issues such as weird locality names below the suburb level or headlines being the same shade as beaches. Read: How to customize Apple Maps

Some of those problems could be chalked up to changes on Apple’s servers needing some time to propagate. Apple employs so-called ground truth specialists tasked with ensuring that what Apple’s vehicles have recorded matches the reality. Still, mistakes happen and it looks like Apple’s updated mapping data for Australia could use some additional work.

Several years ago, Apple set out to refresh the Maps app with better road coverage and pedestrian data, more precise addresses, detailed land cover, three-dimensional buildings and other perks. The updated map first launched in the US in January 2020, but Apple has since been enriching Maps in other countries as well.

If you’ve spotted vehicles labeled “Apple Maps” in your city, chances are that Apple is surveying your area ahead of a refresh. The surveyed data is then used to build a richer Maps app with more detailed roads, parking lots, parks, buildings, airports and more.

To see which Maps features are available in your country, check out the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability webpage on the Apple website.