Apple Maps has made its debut on the web. With a beta version launched on Wednesday afternoon, users can now access driving and walking directions, as well as view ratings and reviews on the web version of Apple Maps from both desktop and mobile browsers.
Accessible via beta.maps.apple.com, the web version of Apple Maps offers many features found in the iOS app, such as viewing guides, ordering food directly, exploring cities, and obtaining business information. Apple has announced plans to introduce more features, including Look Around, in the upcoming months.
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| A screenshot of Apple Maps on the web. |
Currently, the web-based Apple Maps is available solely in English and supports Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad, as well as Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. Apple intends to extend support to additional languages, browsers, and platforms in the future. Developers utilizing Apple's MapKit JS tool are now able to link directly to the web version of Maps.
Since its initial release on the iPhone in 2012, Apple has consistently enhanced Apple Maps with new features like detailed city maps, multi-stop routing, cycling directions, EV routing, and offline navigation.
In the past, web versions of Apple Maps were indirectly available through developers who integrated the API into websites such as DuckDuckGo. The official web release marks a significant expansion, potentially increasing its competitiveness with Google Maps, which has been accessible via web browsers for many years.
Additionally, open-source projects are also vying for a share of the mapping market. The Overture Maps Foundation, supported by Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, recently released its inaugural mapping dataset to the public, enabling developers to integrate this data into their applications.