Apple Maps Adopts Trump’s Lake America Name as MapQuest Hits No. 1
Apple Maps follows Google in showing Lake Ontario as Lake America to US users, while MapQuest refuses and surges to No. 1 in Apple's App Store on September 1.
Summary
Apple followed Google by relabeling Lake Ontario, one of North America’s five Great Lakes, as “Lake America” on Apple Maps less than a week after President Trump’s August 27 executive order. U.S. website and mobile app users will see only Lake America, Canadians retain Lake Ontario, and users elsewhere see both names. The order calls the lake a flourishing economic resource critical to the nation and gives the Interior Department 30 days to update the U.S. geographic naming service and other federal databases. Apple did not comment. Google said last week that Maps follows official sources, including the Geographic Names Information System.
MapQuest is retaining Lake Ontario because it favors familiar names, the same policy it applied when Apple and Google renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America last year. Its refusal helped downloads skyrocket, lifting MapQuest to No. 1 in the U.S. App Store on September 1, ahead of ChatGPT, and No. 6 overall across apps and games on Google Play. Trump’s directive and Apple and Google’s compliance have further strained U.S. relations with Canada after bilateral trade talks broke down.
Positives
- MapQuest reached No. 1 in the U.S. App Store on September 1, overtaking ChatGPT after retaining the Lake Ontario name.
- MapQuest climbed to No. 6 overall across apps and games on Google Play.
- Canadian Apple Maps users will continue seeing Lake Ontario rather than the new U.S. designation.
- Users outside the United States and Canada will see both Lake Ontario and Lake America.
- The Interior Department received a defined 30 day deadline for updating federal geographic databases.
Risks & concerns
- U.S. Apple Maps users will see Lake America instead of the historically familiar Lake Ontario name.
- Trump’s directive and Apple and Google’s compliance have worsened tensions with Canada after trade talks broke down.
- Apple did not explain its decision or respond to a request for comment.
- MapQuest’s refusal leaves major mapping services divided over which name users should see.
- Apple and Google previously replaced Gulf of Mexico with Gulf of America following another Trump order last year.