On Wednesday evening, Apple for the first time officially opened up a way to use its map service Apple Maps via a web browser — nearly twelve years after it was first made available as an app. The service is now under beta.maps.apple.com To find, maps.apple.com Apple continues to provide information about maps. The offer also has strict browser guidelines: only Safari, Chrome or Edge can be used on Mac and iPad, and only Edge or Chrome can be used on Windows PCs. With Firefox you get an error message that the browser is “currently not supported”.
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Available everywhere – but not everywhere
The map was previously already available on the web via a detour: the search engine DuckDuckGo had integrated Apple Maps into its offering since 2019. Now the service – similar to the more successful Google Maps – is also available directly in the browser. a statement Apple said the current public beta was available “worldwide,” but noted in the small print that availability “depends on the region.” This includes the regular offer you know from the Maps app – at least partially. This includes navigation by car or on foot. Bicycle navigation and navigation via public transport are still missing, even if departure dates and modes of transport are given at the stops.
So-called Guides are also integrated, which are curated editorial content about places and sights. Finally, there’s a feature called Find Nearby, which shows places such as restaurants or shops within the currently displayed map. So-called Maps Place Cards have already been implemented; they provide more information about places such as opening hours and should also make it possible to carry out activities such as ordering food directly from Apple Maps.
Representations are still limited and not complete
The map displays are not yet complete: there are only “standard”, “hybrid” (a combination of satellite and standard) and “satellite”. 3D buildings are not shown in the browser, nor is Apple’s successful Street View competitor “Look Around” shown in the browser. The latter has already been announced for the browser. Apple said, “Additional features (…) will be available in the coming months.” Developers can still MapKit JS Use and link directly to Apple Maps on the web now. The public beta is currently available in English only.
Apple Maps error message in browser: It must be Safari or Chrome.
(Image: Screenshot Apple.com)
At first glance, the Apple Maps public beta on the web makes a good impression. However, it is surprising how many features are currently missing – as is the fact that the popular Firefox is not allowed (yet?). There are also some glitches in operation, such as clicking on locations sometimes not working or the display of departure times suddenly disappearing. Apple has not said how long the beta phase will last. Only the company knows why it took so long to get the maps to the web.
(B.Sc.)
