Seemingly out of nowhere,Apple has announcedthe launch of a dedicated Maps service on the web, albeit in the form of a beta. The experience at its core is the same as the oneiOSandmacOSusers have grown accustomed to over the years, though a number of features such as syncing favorites have not yet been implemented.
“Maps on the web is currently available in English, and is compatible with Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad, as well as Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. Support for additional languages, browsers, and platforms will be expanded over time,” says Apple in a blog post.
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How to use Apple Maps on the web
It’s free and simple to access
If you’re happy to use Apple Maps in English and aren’t an avid Firefox or Opera user, then you may head over toApple’s official beta websiteto access the service for yourself.
The web version of Apple Maps is currently available in English only. verify this works for you.
Unfortunately, the new web-based service doesn’t appear to be playing nice with all browser and operating system configurations quite yet. I was able to get the link running using Microsoft Edge on macOS, but my Android device simply loads a splash screen that reads “Your current browser isn’t supported.”
Thankfully, Apple does provide a quick accesslink to its support website, which outlines the current and most up-to-date state of supported systems.
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Apple Maps has come a long way over the years
Apple Maps launched all the way back alongside iOS 6 in 2012. In its earliest iterations, it was notoriously plagued with glitches and inaccuracies that ultimately led toa rare apology issued directly by Apple.
In the years since, Apple has built its Google Maps competitor into a competent alternative, with both servicesregularly trading blowsin terms of both use cases and accuracy.
It’s currently unclear what the driving force is behind today’s announcement of a more openly available and cross-platform Apple Maps. It very well could be the result of mounting pressure and pushback against the company’s walled-garden approach, or it could simply be a bid to get more users to make the switch away from Google.
For what it is, Apple Maps via the web is very much a beta release, and it shows. As stated, it currently lacks some of the functionalities included in its dedicated app counterparts. Hopefully, we’ll see Maps reach feature parity across platforms given enough time, especially withiOS 18 slated to introduceeven more goodies to the service this fall.
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