Yesterday it was made Apple Maps public beta available on the web. In other words, it is now possible to use Apple Maps by acting from a browser and not only from the official application of the service (available only on iOS, iPadOS and macOS). At the moment the Apple Maps interface is available in English only and works with browsers Safari And Chrome on Mac And iPad (not on iPhone) and with Chrome and Edge on Windows PC at beta.maps.apple.com. Also, 3D viewing like Google Maps does not currently support it. Apple said that “support will expand to other languages, browsers, and platforms over time.”
Apple Challenges Google, Trying to Fill the Gap with Maps
The news announced by Apple seems like a new attempt to bridge the gap with Google Mapsthe Google Maps service launched way back in 2005. Apple Maps, born in the more recent 2012, were initially made accessible only via apps and have remained so until now.
The beta version of Apple’s service already includes the main features present in its mobile version, but not all of them: several functions are still missing, first and foremost Look around (the function comparable to Google Maps’ Street View), through which it is possible to virtually “visit” the locations you search for.
For now, what can be done is get directions to get around by car and on foot; locate useful places and information (e.g. photos, opening hours, ratings, reviews, etc.) and also Browse the Guides to discover shops, restaurants, places to visit, and so on. In the press release introducing the new feature, Apple also announced the following:
App and website developers, even those using MapKit JS, can include links to Apple Maps on the web to allow any user to get directions, see detailed information about locations, and more.
How to Try Apple Maps on Your Browser
Let’s see now, How to try Apple Maps on your browser. It is very simple to do, as you can see from the few steps we have listed below.
- Open one of the compatible browsers with Apple Maps on the Web of your choice Safari And Chrome on Mac And iPad (from our tests it seems that the service also works on Edge for Mac) or Chrome and Edge on Windows PC.
- Visit this page or paste the URL https://beta.maps.apple.com in the address bar of the browser.
- Click on the items in the left sidebar to search for a location (Search), read local guides (Guides) or calculate routes and itineraries (Directions).
In addition, we remind you that you can click on the icon map folded in three (top right) to change the view (Standard, Hybrid or Satellite), on the symbol of the arrow to allow the service to track the GPS location of your device and its buttons + And – to adjust the zoom of the displayed map.