by: Kanjo Joel BassettPosted on:

Apple Maps Preps Tokyo Public Transit Info

Apple Maps in the iOS 10 and macOS Sierra developer beta builds adds Tokyo train station and traffic information in a ramp up similar to the recent Nearby search rollout earlier this year.

Shinjuku iOS 10
Apple Maps has recently added Tokyo station entrance/exit information in local signage. Also new are station footprints: the pink super-structure on top of the actual Shinjuku station platform in blue.
Major Tokyo train stations such as Shinjuku now show entrance/exit information in local signage along with station footprints only when viewed in iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas, which suggests localized resources contained in the beta Map apps. Traffic information also appears as text in destination route suggestions. Roads do not, as yet, show any traffic UI information.

These very recent additions suggest the Apple Maps team is building up local information ahead of a Tokyo public transit rollout along with other Apple Map services shortly after the official release of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra this fall.

It’s a given fact that the entrance/exit and station footprint information is purchased from a 3rd party agency. There is no evidence, so far, that Apple has any local team collecting additional information. Let’s hope the map team has lined up higher quality agencies for Tokyo public transit. As I’ve said before, the data quality from 3rd rate Japanese agencies used in Apple Maps so far, is pathetic.

Traffic iOS 10
Traffic information appearing in route suggestions below the destination.
Update: added agency and station footprint information.