Skip to main content

Future Apple Maps update could make your daily commute easier

apple planning 3d street view for maps version 1433125815 iphone ipad
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Apple Maps was a total fiasco when it first launched. Since then, Apple has added new features and improved the quality of Maps’ directions, but the app is still missing a major feature Google Maps has had for years: Public transit directions. Anyone who lives in a big city has probably used Hopstop, Google Maps, Embark, and other third-party apps that help them get all the info about subways, buses, and trains. But now it looks like Apple is working on its own solution, based on evidence contained in a patent discovered by Patently Apple.

The company filed a patent called “User Interface Tools for Commute Assistant,” at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on December 4. The patent details plans for a public transit app for commuters  and travelers that would allow Apple Maps to draw information on trains, subways, and buses from other public transit apps it recently acquired, such as Embark and Hopstop, as well as Google Maps.

The app may allow users to select one of several different routes to their destination, view estimated arrival times, and also get details about delays or potential problems at individual stops and stations. The directions should update in real time, so you can see what’s happening while you’re en route. This could be particularly useful when you’re stuck in a New York City subway train between stations for 15 minutes.

If you take the same route every day, like most commuters, you’ll be able to save your favorite routes, and even select a backup for each trip. That way you could quickly switch trains or buses if there was a problem on your line.  The app may also provide information about all the forms of transit that pass through each station, and provide a space for favorite routes, a section for service advisories, and information on which stations have Internet access.

Of course, the commute app is still only a patent, so it’s unknown when the public transit features will debut on iOS. Apple was silent about Maps during its iOS 8 presentation this past June at its developers conference, so solid news on the feature’s integration may not come until next year’s WWDC.

Editors' Recommendations

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
Apple plans to put more ads on your iPhone, report claims
iOS's App Library page shown on an iPhone 13 Pro.

Apple is planning to put ads in more of the apps that come pre-installed on the iPhone, a new report has claimed.

While the tech giant already includes ads in its News, App Store, and Stocks apps, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on Sunday that it recently internally tested ads in Apple Maps and could incorporate them into other software such as Podcasts and Books, too.

Read more
Upcoming Microsoft Teams update could finally make chatting easier
Microsoft Teams on a Windows desktop.

Microsoft has plans to bring several new features to its Teams app in the coming weeks, including a translation-focused update and a new pop-out feature for shared meeting content.

The brand added these features to its Microsoft 365 Roadmap page, stating that they are on track for an August update for Teams; however, the roadmap is more like a list of ideas Microsoft is currently developing rather than guaranteed updates.

Read more
WatchOS 9 will make typing on your Apple Watch less terrible
Scribbling on the Apple Watch Series 7

Typing away a message on the Apple Watch's tiny screen is not a straightforward business. The scribble system isn't there yet for languages other than English, and voice-to-text can be a pain with punctuations. Apple brought a full-screen keyboard to the Apple Watch Series 7, but its small keycaps are a test of patience regarding accuracy. Thankfully, the upcoming WatchOS 9 update will bring some reprieve, thanks to the arrival of QuickType on Apple's smartwatch.

First spotted by graphics designer Brahm Shank. who shared his finding on Twitter, QuickType will be exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 7, given its larger display that can accommodate a full-size virtual keyboard. For the unaware, QuickType originally debuted on the iPhone with iOS 9. Based on a predictive engine, it analyzes the on-screen message and suggests words to continue your sentence.

Read more