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Companies control how their info appears in Apple apps with new tool

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Companies control how their info appears in Apple apps with new tool
Companies can edit their Apple Maps place cards with the new Business Connect tool.
Screenshot: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple Business Connect is a new tool that enables businesses to claim their location place cards in Apple Maps, Messages, Wallet, Siri and other apps.

It debuted Wednesday, and owners of businesses of all sizes can now customize their place cards.

How to make parking in the city easier with Apple Maps and SpotHero

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How to make parking in the city easier with Apple Maps and SpotHero
Apple Maps now has the SpotHero parking-space finder built in. Here's how to use the new combination.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhone users can now find a parking space with Apple Maps. Starting Monday, the navigation application has SpotHero built in, giving parking options for more than 8,000 locations across North America.

The feature is free, though the spaces are not. Here’s how to use it.

Today in Apple history: Apple fixes ‘life-threatening’ Maps glitch

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Australia Park
This probably isn't the spot people wanted to reach!
Photo: Papphase/Wikipedia CC

December 10: Today in Apple history: Apple fixes Australian Apple Maps glitch December 10, 2012: Apple fixes an Apple Maps error that caused several motorists in Victoria, Australia, to become stranded in the remote Murray-Sunset National Park.

The glitch showed the town of Mildura about 45 miles from its actual location. In the aftermath, Victoria police describe the app as “potentially life-threatening.” That’s pretty much the opposite of “it just works.”

Today in Apple history: Scott Forstall gets forced out of Apple

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Forstall
The disastrous Apple Maps showed Scott Forstall the way out of Cupertino.
Photo: Apple

October 29: Today in Apple history: Scott Forstall gets forced out of Apple after disastrous Apple Maps launch October 29, 2012: Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vice president of iOS software, is ousted from the company after the disastrous Apple Maps launch.

Apple divvies up the roles previously handled by Forstall, who once seemed on a path to the top, among other high-level execs. Jony Ive assumes leadership of the Human Interface team. Craig Federighi becomes head of iOS software. Eddy Cue takes control of Maps and Siri. And Bob Mansfield “unretires” to lead a new technology group.

How to plan multi-stop routes in Apple Maps

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Apple finally got there.
Get directions to three or four places at once — and get directions to dinner along the way in iOS 16.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple Maps had a rough start upon launch in 2012, but ten years of incremental improvements have changed the tides. Apple Maps is now a feature-rich service that is praised for its detail and accuracy. Not only is it a highly detailed portrayal of the world, its advanced navigation features make it easy to get around. Its public transit integration was a life saver when I was in California for WWDC just months ago.

Apple Maps gets an often-requested feature fulfilled this fall: true multi-stop routing and navigation features. You can plan three, four, fifteen stops of a journey if you want. Here’s how it works.

Apple Maps could start showing ads in 2023

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3D maps are launching in more cities.
Ads are coming to Apple Maps.
Photo: Apple

Apple will reportedly start showing ads inside Apple Maps on iPhone starting next year. The company is looking to generate more revenue from its ad business in the coming years.

Apple currently displays ads inside the App Store and certain apps like Apple News and Stocks.

Apple Maps extends cycling directions to all 50 states

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With the addition of Hawaii, now you can get turn-by-turn biking directions in all 50 states.
With the addition of Hawaii, now you can get turn-by-turn biking directions in all 50 states.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

If you ride a bike, now you can now get turn-by-turn navigation from Apple Maps in all 50 states. That’s because cycling directions recently arrived in Hawaii.

If you get rolling now, there’s just time to bike through the whole country in … never. Not gonna happen.

But it’s nice to know directions are available all over if you ever need them.

Apple Maps gets a major upgrade in Canada

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Apple Maps gets a major upgrade in Canada
Enjoy a more detailed city experience, with 3D buildings and landmarks.
Images: Apple

Apple Maps users in Canada can now enjoy a more detailed mapping experience, as well as enhanced navigation, in several big cities.

Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver are the latest to get Apple’s most recent Maps upgrades — which first debuted in London, Los Angeles, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area in iOS 15 last September.