Apple Maps has a Web version now and it's nearly as good as Google Maps

Apple Maps is now available on the web as the company doubles down on its efforts to take on Google in the customer-facing software market. The web version is quite similar to the Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but is currently in beta. That means it still does not pack all the features. Apple says it will add features such as Look Around in the coming months, but you can access view guides, order food directly from Maps, explore different cities, and check details of businesses for now. Also Read: Lost Signal? Try Google Maps Offline - The Travel Hack You Shouldn’t Skip

You can visit the beta.maps.apple.com website from supported browsers to access Apple Maps on your device. Since the web version is not exclusive to an operating system, you can also access it on a mobile browser. It currently supports Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad and Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. So, no luck if you are a Firefox or Opera browser user, but Apple said it will expand support for more browsers “over time.” Also Read: Did you get this Google notification?

Apple Maps on the Web lets you check driving and walking directions, much like Google Maps. However, unlike Google Maps, which lets you drop any direction or navigation information to your mobile app linked to an account, Apple Maps currently does not support sending navigation details to your iPhone. Another caveat is that you can access Apple Maps in English only, but Apple may add support for more languages in future. Also Read: Always share your exact location with this trick

Once Apple Maps gets Look Around functionality on the Web, it can become a better rival to Google Maps, the Street View feature of which is one of its best. Apple said developers, including those using MapKit JS, can link their apps to the web version “so their users can get driving directions, see detailed place information, and more.” Earlier, developers had to use the API to create maps for different websites, such as DuckDuckGo. However, the official web version will make things easier and more comfortable for developers.