Apple Maps to Roll Out ‘Look Around’ Feature in More Countries

Apple is gearing up to enhance its Maps app by broadening the reach of its “Look Around” feature, a move that positions it as a more formidable competitor to Google Maps’ Street View (via MacRumors).

Apple Maps’ Look Around feature offers users high-resolution, interactive street-level imagery within the Maps app. However, its availability has been somewhat limited, primarily covering major cities and select regions around the globe.

The upcoming expansion of Look Around was hinted at by a discovery made by X user Ryan Fae. Fae uncovered details in Apple Maps’ vector tile format, which is utilized in the beta version of the web-based platform, indicating that the underlying code reveals an extensive plan for future coverage areas. Moreover, the expansion is not limited to the U.S.

The findings suggest that new countries will soon benefit from “Look Around” coverage. The list includes Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, China, Belarus, Turkey, Bulgaria, Mexico, and Slovakia.

For many of these countries, this will mark the first time that high-quality street-level imagery will be available through any platform, as Google’s Street View either lacks coverage or provides low-quality images in these regions.

The expansion into these new areas is not entirely surprising, considering that Apple mapping vehicles were spotted in several of these countries throughout 2023. This expansion aligns with Apple’s ongoing efforts to improve and differentiate its mapping services from those of its competitors, particularly Google.

As Apple continues to invest in expanding Look Around, the Maps app is likely to become a more compelling alternative to Google Maps for users around the world.