For the first time, Apple has brought its Maps application to the web. Potential users can access Apple Maps on the web using Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad or Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. The application is a public beta, so don’t expect full functionality or a bug-free experience.
It’s accessible through the beta.maps.apple.com site, and the feature set is extensive. Currently, users can only get driving and walking directions or view ratings and reviews for places already on the amp. They can also take over actions like ordering food directly from the Maps place card, browsing curated guides, and exploring cities.
Additional features, including Look Around, will be available in the coming months. However, you can’t log into your Apple ID on the web to browse saved places and custom guides, and there doesn’t seem to be an option to change measurement units.
Developers, especially those using MapKit JS, can now link to Apple Maps on the web. This makes it easy for users to get driving directions, see detailed information about places, and more. Finally, the announcement also adds that the app is currently only available in English, with support for additional languages, browsers, and platforms to be expanded over time.
Apple Maps’ web expansion makes it a significant step forward in the mapping app’s fight against its biggest rival, Google Maps. Apple Maps was also previously available on the web, but this was only made possible by third-party developers who used its underlying API to create maps for specific sites, including DuckDuckGo.
In the 12 years since its launch, Apple has consistently added features to the service to keep it relevant against Google Maps. Features like more detailed city maps, EV routing, offline navigation, multi-stop routing, and even cycling navigation have helped bridge the gap with Google. But there are more players in the space now, including the open-source Overture Maps Foundation backed by Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft which made its first mapping data set publicly available on July 24, letting developers freely use the data in their own implementations.
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