Apple has confirmed that its Apple Maps vehicles will be expanding into Canada, performing deeper scouting to improve the Apple Maps product in the country.
According to new reports, fleets of Apple Maps vehicles will begin to travel through all ten provinces in Canada between May and November, although Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories will be excluded from the initial expansion due to difficult terrain and low populations.
Google has invested in such regions with its Maps product, however.
To confirm the news, Apple issued notices in regional newspapers to let citizens know it would be ‘capturing road details, signage, and landmarks’ and that the company was planning to publish its new data ‘in a future product update’ via Apple Maps and its affiliates.
Apple also said it was ‘working closely with local regulators’ to limit privacy concerns.
When Apple replaced Google Maps with its own Maps product back in 2012 with iOS 6, the company faced major criticism from consumers and critics, with Apple later issuing a public apology and promising to fix the problems with its new service.
Amongst the critiques were mislabeled landmarks, incorrect names, inaccurate maps and more.
Since, Apple has been scanning the United States, as well as Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and adding Canada to its list will provide more in-depth data for users in the country and tourists exploring Canada.
However, whilst Apple Maps vehicles have spanned several countries, only the United States has seen new first-party maps go live to date, suggesting a larger update could be coming with iOS 13.
Apple is also reportedly deploying foot teams in major cities around the world to assist with pedestrian and cycling directions – increasingly important as electric vehicles like scooters, skateboards, and bikes become more common, with consumers moving away from owning cars.
Are you excited to see Apple increase its Apple Maps investment, and begin to map out Canada? Let us know on Twitter using @AppleMagazine, and check back soon for more news on Apple Maps as and when we get it.