Apple Maps just got a big upgrade for finding restaurants and hotels — what you need to know
Summer is coming and you probably have travel on your mind. So it's certainly a good thing that Apple Maps is getting some upgrades to help you figure out exactly what's worth checking out when you're in a new area.
Assuming you like to sample higher-end dining experiences.
As of today, Apple Maps is bringing in the help of various "expert sources" to add rankings and insights to various spots in the U.S. Currently that includes restaurants, hotels and gold courses, though it's likely Apple will be adding more in the near future.
As for the expert sources themselves, they're quite a premium group. Users are being given the chance to search for restaurants rated by Michelin, including the Green Star and Bib Gourmand awards, plus Michelin Key hotels.
Additional rankings from The Infatuation, Golf Digest and other sources will be added "soon."
Looking at the list of those experts, it shows that Apple Maps is targeting a specific kind of person with these new insights. Michelin is not the kind of organization to review the sports bar down the street, after all. These are the crème de la crème.
Users will also be able to book hotel stays directly in Apple Maps, but only at "select hotels." That feature also lets you reserve a table through Michelin, and will eventually let you book a tee time via Supreme Golf. Which gives you another indication of the kind of hotels we're talking about.
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This is probably just the beginning. While Michelin star restaurants may not be the kind of place you visit a lot, it could be the start of seeing more specialist information come to Apple Maps. Rather than just relying on reviews and ratings from the likes of OpenTable, TripAdvisor or Yelp.
Aggregate sites like that may be useful for getting insights from everyday people, but sometimes you may want to see what the experts have to say. So adding that info to Apple Maps makes things a little bit more convenient. But it would be nice to get detailed insights in more everyday spots at some point.
That's probably going to take some time. For now it makes sense for Apple to start with something rather niche, just to gauge how Apple Maps handles the new feature and how users react.
So, if you're heading away this summer and want to spend some money on a nice restaurant or hotel, Apple Maps has you covered.
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