Apple recently added a new feature to Apple Maps that gives iPhone owners the ability to give ratings and photos to public places. This is in addition to the current rating system that relies on third-party providers Yelp and TripAdvisor. The Maps app has seen ongoing changes and improvements in recent years, with Look Around providing street-level viewing of an area and Flyover showing three-dimensional aerials of some popular areas.

Apple launched its Maps app in 2012, and it was well behind the leader Google Maps in terms of quality and features. Directions were sometimes so flawed that they could have led to real-life disasters, with people following Apple's guidance to drive across lakes, as recreated and immortalized in an episode of The Office. Undeterred, Apple continued to improve Maps to the degree that it is in many ways equivalent to Google's Maps app for the iPhone. Maps directions are quite reliable now and Apple even added a globe view of the Earth when zooming out far enough, just like Google's product.

Related: Apple Maps: How COVID-19 Travel Guidance Works & What To Expect

A relatively new development is the ability for iPhone users to add photos and ratings via Apple Maps. To do so, the user can open the Maps app, then search for a business or zoom and reposition the map to locate any public place on the screen. Tap the placeholder for that location to reveal more information. The rating control will be visible near the bottom left corner and tapping it will bring up the rating window. For businesses, there is an opportunity to rate it in three areas including 'Overall', 'Products,' and 'Customer Service.' Rather than a points system or a star count, Apple opted for a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down for each rating category. For places like public parks, there are no categories, just single thumbs-up or down for an overall rating. One or more photos can be added with a clearly marked button labeled, 'Add Photos', and these can be taken immediately using the iPhone's camera or shared from the photo library on the device or in iCloud.

Apple Maps Ratings, Yelp & TripAdvisor

Apple iPhone Maps Ratings And Photos

Apple Maps includes ratings on public places and businesses that are drawn in from Yelp or TripAdvisor and Apple gives credit to the well-established, crowd-sourcing services with a logo beside those reviews. At the moment, iPhone users don't have an option to write a review, but if Apple is planning to replace Yelp in the future, that might need to change. A thumbs-up is somewhat helpful but lacks clarity in many ways. Hotels and restaurants, in particular, may rely upon the rating system in Maps for new customers and an overly simplified rating system might lead to misunderstandings.

Apple is clearly still working toward gaining feature parity with Google Maps and keeps getting closer, but it's not there yet. iPhone users can also submit feedback about any navigation issues and request changes if inaccurate information is spotted for a particular location. Traffic delays can also be reported, continuing Apple's efforts to crowd-source information to improve its accuracy. A few years back, most iPhone users installed Google Maps by default out of necessity, but that has changed. With ratings and photos available now, along with improved accuracy and other features, Apple Maps is a strong alternative.

Next: With iOS 15, Apple Maps Gets One Step Closer To Besting Google Maps

Source: Apple