UPDATE
20 October 2023
Apple rolls out all-new map across Hong Kong
Maps now brings more detailed road coverage, better navigation, three-dimensional landmarks, and incredible features like Look Around, Natural Language Guidance, and more
Beginning today, users in Hong Kong can experience the new Apple Maps. With better and more accurate navigation; comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, and shopping centers; and three-dimensional landmarks like the Hong Kong Space Museum, it is now easier and more enjoyable to map out any journey.
“Apple Maps is the best way to explore and navigate the world, all while protecting your privacy. We are excited to bring this experience to even more users with the new features we’re rolling out today,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Maps has been rebuilt from the ground up, with better navigation, richer detail, more accurate information for places, and remarkable features that only Apple can deliver, like Look Around, Natural Language Guidance, and more. Now it is easier than ever for users to find the places they love and get to where they’re going.”
Maps helps millions of people in more than 200 countries and territories navigate and explore the world. Privacy is central to the Maps experience, offering personalized features using on-device intelligence, and it is everywhere customers are: at home; in the office; on the go on users’ iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch; and in the car with CarPlay. Maps is deeply integrated into the most popular apps customers use every day, including Photos, Messages, Calendar, Weather, and more. With MapKit and MapKit JS, Maps is also the foundation for thousands of third-party apps and services.
A New Navigation Experience
There are many new Maps features in Hong Kong that help users more easily navigate and explore the world. Natural Language Guidance offers more natural-sounding directions that are even easier to follow, such as “At the next traffic light, turn left.” Lane guidance helps eliminate wrong turns and directional misses by lining users up in the correct lane before they need to turn or enter an elevated road. And with multistop routing, users can plan up to 15 stops in advance and automatically sync routes from Mac and iPad to iPhone when they’re ready to go.
With Share ETA, users can also now share an estimated time of arrival with family, friends, and coworkers with a simple tap, or by asking Siri. The receiver can follow along on the journey, and Maps will update them with a revised estimate for when the traveler is arriving if a significant delay occurs. Users can safely and easily report an accident, hazard, or speed check along their route by letting Siri know “There’s an accident up ahead” or “There is something on the road.” Users can even report when incidents displayed on the map have been cleared, all while keeping their focus on the road.
Transit riders in Hong Kong can find nearby stations more easily and pin favorite lines. Riders will also receive notifications when it’s time to get off at their stop.
Look Around and AR Walking Directions
Maps offers interactive street-level imagery with high-resolution 3D photography and smooth and seamless transitions with Look Around. Now, Maps users anywhere in the world can explore Hong Kong with Look Around.
Step-by-step walking directions in augmented reality in Maps can help users get around unfamiliar areas. Users can simply raise their iPhone to scan surrounding buildings, and Maps will show them easy-to-follow directions that can be viewed in the context of the real world.
More Immersive Features
In addition to the new updates now available, Maps offers many useful features:
- Offline maps on iOS 17 allow users to select an area on their device and download it with just a tap. While offline, users can access turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, transit, and cycling; see their estimated time of arrival; find places in Maps; and more.
- Favorites provides one-tap navigation to frequent places. Whether it’s at home, work, the gym, or school, users can simply tap and go once a place is in Favorites on the launch screen.
Maps and Privacy
Apple is committed to keeping personal information safe and has built privacy into the core of Maps. With Maps, no sign-in is required. Personalized features, such as suggesting departure time to make the next appointment, are created using on-device intelligence. Any data collected by Maps while using the app, including search terms, navigation routing, and traffic information, is associated with random identifiers that regularly reset to prevent connecting search and location data stored on the server to an identifiable user. Maps goes even further to obscure a user’s location on Apple servers when searching for a location through a process called “fuzzing.” Maps converts the precise location where the search originated to a less-exact one within 24 hours.
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