A forthcoming iOS operating system update is set to bring a dedicated cycling option to Apple’s native navigation app.
The tech, which was debuted at Apple’s worldwide developer conference earlier this week, brings cycling routes to Apple Maps for the first time.
It was also the most requested feature from users of the application, according to Meg Frost, the director of product design for Apple Maps. It brings functionality closer to that already offered by Google Maps, which is a native installation on Android devices but also available for free to those with iOS.
What’s coming for cyclists using Apple Maps?
For cyclists, Apple Maps route mapping will soon consider bike lanes and dedicated cycling paths as well as roads. Its route guiding will take elevation into account, according to Apple, and will present you with an elevation map prior to accepting the route, so you shouldn’t encounter any unexpected climbs.
Once you are navigating a selected route, the map will once again alert you of steep sections and will also notify riders when they need to dismount for stairs. An option to avoid routes with stairs is also available.
The directions will be able to display on Apple’s Watch once users install the forthcoming OS 7 update, too.
The mapping is set to debut in America and China with New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay being the first stateside locations with full cycling functionality. In China, cycling maps are expected for Shanghai, as well as the capital of Beijing.
Apple says it will be adding further cities and other areas in the coming months.
When can I update my Apple Maps to include cycling routes?
Apple hasn’t officially announced a date for the iOS14 update which will add cycling routes to the Apple Maps application on your iPhone or iPad, though most tech websites are predicting a rollout for early September 2020.
