Apple has introduced some environmentally friendly updates to the Maps app coming with iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur this Fall. Alongside cycling routes and electric vehicle routes, you can also save expert travel guides to plan your next weekend away and enjoy more features in macOS.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new Apple Maps features!
Get the best cycling routes directly from Apple Maps.
Apple has introduced cycling routes to the Maps app. This means you can get directions to a location that routes you along cycle paths and give an accurate arrival time based on cycling.
Even better, Apple Maps alerts you to any stairs you might need to carry your bike up, giving you the option to avoid steps altogether if you prefer. Maps even alerts you to busy roads where you need to be extra cautious of traffic.
Choose the best route for you, picking between the fastest, the shortest, or Apple’s suggested route. You can also view a simple graph showing the elevation of your route, so you know if you’re in for an uphill struggle or a downhill ride before setting out.
Cycle routes are available across iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, and even watchOS 7. This means you could navigate on your bike without looking at a screen by paying attention to the Apple Watch tapping your wrist.
Electric vehicle routes
Apple Maps tells you where and when to charge your electric car.
Forget your distance anxiety with the new EV routing option in Apple Maps, which tells you where and when you need to stop and charge up your car. You can create a route from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and save it for later use.
Apple Maps accounts for your current charge, charging time, and elevation when predicting your ETA. This way it can route you to the perfect charging stations, making sure they offer compatible chargers for your car.
Guides
Guides give you expert recommendations for the best places to visit.
The new Guides feature in Apple Maps offers expert recommendations on places to eat, meet, shop, or visit in a city. Save the Guides you like to easily find them again when you need them. You can even share Guides with other people you think will like them.
Apple has partnered with trusted brands to create these Guides and plans to update them when new destinations pop up. So you can rest assured that you’ll always know the best places to check out.
When iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur come out this Fall, Guides will be available for:
San Francisco
New York
London
and Los Angeles
You can even create your own Guides in macOS to share with friends and family members.
Maps in macOS Big Sur
macOS Big Sur gives Apple Maps a whole new look.
Apple has redesigned Maps in macOS Big Sur to include more of the iOS 13 Maps features. The biggest change is the addition of a sidebar that shows your favorite locations, saved guides, and recent searches.
You also get indoor maps at places like airports and shopping malls, to keep you facing forward once you’re out of the sun. And on top of that, use Look Around to get a detailed view of a destination before setting foot out the door.
If someone shares their ETA with you, view their journey progress right on the map. Or create your own routes in macOS before sharing them to your iPhone and hitting the road.
Find out everything new in iOS 14
Maps will receive a well-needed boost with the latest software features, but this is only the tip of the iceberg of Apple’s announcements from WWDC 2020. Check out our iOS 14 overview to learn everything that’s coming to your iPhone this Fall.
Dan writes tutorials and troubleshooting guides to help people make the most of their technology. Before becoming a writer, he earned a BSc in Sound Technology, supervised repairs at an Apple Store, and even taught English in China.
What if I don’t want to see Apple’s spammy map guides every time I open the app?
I open Maps because I want to look at a map, not some guide by a so-called expert. Just because Google maps is full of spam doesn’t mean Apple maps needs to do the same.
The driving directions took a major step backwards in IOS 14. Maps no longer gives you turn information distances. Where the iOS 13 version would say in 1 mile turn left on Main Street it now says turn left on Main Street. It was nice to know I would be driving 10 miles before I turned now it tells me I will turn right. I have to pick up my phone and look at the screen to see how far until my turn. Major problem for me. I may need to switch to a third party navigation app
What if I don’t want to see Apple’s spammy map guides every time I open the app?
I open Maps because I want to look at a map, not some guide by a so-called expert. Just because Google maps is full of spam doesn’t mean Apple maps needs to do the same.
The driving directions took a major step backwards in IOS 14. Maps no longer gives you turn information distances. Where the iOS 13 version would say in 1 mile turn left on Main Street it now says turn left on Main Street. It was nice to know I would be driving 10 miles before I turned now it tells me I will turn right. I have to pick up my phone and look at the screen to see how far until my turn. Major problem for me. I may need to switch to a third party navigation app