Apple Maps has caught up with Google Maps by offering a web version, allowing users to access Apple’s mapping service through a web browser.
In a Newsroom post, Apple revealed that a web version of Apple Maps can now be used as a public beta for web browser users of Safari and Google Chrome on Mac and iPad. Maps on the web can also be used with Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows PCs. Apple noted that “Support for additional languages, browsers, and platforms will be expanded over time.”
In our short time with it, the web version of Apple Maps works just as well as its app counterpart, which has been available on the best iPhones, iPads, and Macs since its debut in 2012. Users can explore specific landmarks, get directions, pick from a bunch of Guides to help give some useful insight into certain locations, change the map view, and more. The Newsroom post also mentioned that features like Look Around, which offers a 3D street view similar to Google Street View, will be available in the coming months.
The release of this web version is great timing too, as Apple Maps has recently been updated with some useful features for visitors to the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11. For example, Apple Maps will display pop-up locations such as temporary venues, souvenir shops, and public gathering sites throughout the games, making it easy for visitors to find all the important places during the summer games.
Using the web version for these updated features will surely help those visiting Paris, especially those bringing their Windows and Mac laptops. Already, Apple Maps on the web is a fantastic alternative to using Google Maps on a web browser.
How to use Apple Maps for web
Accessing Apple Maps on your web browser is a simple affair. First, make sure you’re using one of the supported web browsers: Safari on Mac and iPad, or Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows. Follow this link, and you’ll be taken to the beta version of Apple Maps for the web!
The layout is very simple to follow. On the left, you’ll see three features: Search, Guides, and Directions. These work just as they do in the Apple Maps you’ve likely used on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
That’s all there is to it! Nevertheless, keep in mind that this is still a beta version of Apple Maps for the web, so you may encounter some bugs.