Apple Maps follows Google in renaming Lake Ontario

Apple Maps has officially renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America, following the same change that Google already made to its navigation app. The shift applies to the version of Apple Maps used in the United States, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The move comes after an executive order signed by President Donald Trump during an ongoing trade dispute with Canada. Users of the Canadian version of Apple Maps still see the original name when viewing the area, while international versions display both names.

Google updated its map shortly after the new name was entered into the US Geographic Names Information System, or GNIS. Apple’s change arrived later, but both companies have now aligned their US-facing products with the federal designation. The previous renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America followed a similar executive order signed by Trump last year. Apple and Google also adopted that change in their mapping services.

The same renaming effort has not been embraced by every navigation provider. MapQuest has declined to change the name of either Lake Ontario or the Gulf of Mexico on its platform. That refusal appears to have boosted MapQuest’s standing among US consumers, as the app has reached the top position on Apple’s App Store. The surge in popularity suggests that the mapping name changes remain a point of contention for some users.

The adjustments to Apple Maps and Google Maps reflect a broader pattern of geographic naming decisions being influenced by presidential actions. These decisions have sparked attention from tech media and policy watchers alike, given the scale of the platforms affected. For US users, the new names now appear as the primary labels in both major mobile mapping applications. The Canadian and international versions of Apple Maps retain the previous naming structure, creating a split in how the lake is identified depending on where a user is located.

The timing of Apple’s update differs from Google’s, but the end result is consistent across the two dominant mapping services in the US market. The executive orders driving these changes have been issued amid tense relations between the US and Canada. MapQuest’s alternative approach has become a notable exception in the industry, resonating with a segment of app users. As of now, all three services maintain their respective naming choices, with no indication of further revisions.

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