If you’re an iPhone user and you haven’t checked your Apple Maps app in the last 24 hours, you really should, because Apple just added a much-needed feature that everyone would definitely find handy.
We’re sure you have been dependent on Google Maps as your saviour every time you get lost in Singapore. But Apple Maps is now catching up, and possibly overtaking it with a new feature.
Here’s what you can look out for.
Transit Information Comes To Apple Maps
In a push to have more people use Apple Maps on their iPhones, Apple is pushing out an update that could not only help tourists into Singapore, but also Singaporeans who do not really know their way around.
This big update is the ‘Transit’ feature in Apple Maps.
With it, you can now easily plan out your journey across bus and MRT routes in Singapore. It’s like having your personal navigation GPS – minus the annoying voice-over telling you to make turns.
Familiarity is key in ‘Transit’.
If you feel right at home looking at the MRT station names on Apple Maps, it’s no accident.
That’s because everything has been designed to mimic the signage that you would find at an MRT station, right down to the icons and colours. The Apple Maps team based in California even made their way to Singapore to obtain the exact fonts used.
Also when using the Transit feature, Apple Maps will put only the necessary public transportation routes in full view. So this means that you will not be confused by unnecessary road overlays.
Additionally, Apple Maps now introduces new pins for popular tourist hotspots in Singapore.
Referred to as points of interest (POI), these are specially designed to denote places such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Gardens by the Bay, Raffles’ Landing Point, the Esplanade, and more, so that tourists can easily locate places to go, and actually get there easily.
Singapore’s The 4th To Join The Transit Club
Countries that have nationwide support for Apple Maps’ Transit feature is still a somewhat-exclusive club, and Singapore’s the 4th in the world to join it. The first three countries to have enjoyed this feature were Great Britain, China, and Japan.
Apple Maps is also looking to integrate ride-hailing services like Uber and Grab into Transit, so you can book a ride without need to leave Apple Maps.
So if you own an iPhone, why not give Apple Maps a go?
It’s the feature that powers location-based apps in your device anyway.
