Apple Maps get clutch new feature to take on Google Maps

If you're an iPhone user always getting lost, or in need of very precise mobile navigation, then you'll be happy to know that what3words has now enabled users to use Apple Maps when in the app. 

By doing this, you can now benefit from the enhanced Apple Maps, as well as retain certain accessibility preferences, such as Voiceover support.

Haven't heard of what3words before? It's a free app that has divided the world into a grid of 57-trillion 3-meter squares and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. 

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For example, the street food market at Croydon Boxpark, London, can be found at ///these.slip.pretty, or ///tortoises.swarm.announce refers to a precise location on Ben Nevis where, in February 2020, a group of hikers was rescued. 

Apple Maps is now the default mapping provider for all iOS what3words users.

 what3words claims this is possible because Apple Maps has gone through a significant redesign over the past year, with better road coverage and detailed land cover introduced, alongside more three-dimensional buildings and mapped green areas.

Of course, if you still prefer Google Maps, Waze or Citymapper, then you can switch between other providers in the settings tab.

This updated comes after the news last year that customers on the Vodafone, BT Mobile, EE and Plusnet mobile networks are now able to access the what3words online for free in emergencies. 

For example, people calling 999 who need to discover their location urgently can now access their precise 3-word address knowing that it will be data free and won’t cost them a penny. 

This is important as it removes a barrier at what is an incredibly stressful and time-sensitive moment.

When dealing with callers who are struggling to describe their location, call handlers can send an SMS to the caller’s phone with a link to the what3words Find.Me website. This opens a simple web page displaying three words: the address for the caller’s current location. The caller reads the three words to the call handler, enabling the emergency control room to identify exactly where the caller is and to dispatch help straight to the location.