Apple starts testing revamped Maps app in UK, Ireland

San Francisco, Aug 24 Apple has started testing an expansion of its more detailed Apple Maps app in the UK and Ireland.

During the WWDC 2020, Apple announced it would bring its improved Apple Maps to more countries, expanding on its existing work in the US.

Its first international expansion, as part of iOS 14, will cover the UK, Ireland and Canada, and would occur sometime later in 2020, reports AppleInsider.

The revamped Maps app features proper landscape details such as roads, parking lots, parks, buildings, airports, and more.

Apple uses its own vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors and cameras to obtain mapping data.

The revamped Apple Maps, which uses only the data collected by the iPhone maker, can push updates in realtime and has much more detailed features for users.

The end-goal for the new Apple Maps, according to the company, was to be based entirely on Apple-collected data, and not a combination of external data providers.

It's doing this by using the first-party data gathered by iPhones with a privacy-first methodology and its own fleet of cars packed with sensors and cameras, earlier reports said.

( With inputs from IANS )