The digital space that I am reviewing is Apple Maps, as it is what I most commonly use. When you first open the app you immediately see a local street map of where the app thinks you are. The app is usually fairly accurate with your location but it isn’t always perfect. The pre-routing map is easy to zoom in and out and to rotate. It also shows which way your phone is pointed to better orient yourself.

From there the next step is to pick a location. The destination tab can be pulled either all the way or halfway up the page to still allow access to the map. On the tab you can either type in a new address, select a favorite location such as home or work, or select one of your recent destinations. Once a location is selected, the tab pulls up information about the destination depending upon what type of location you are routing to. For example, when selecting a restaurant the app will pull up the store’s rating and price from Yelp, its hours, its address, its phone number and its website. You then confirm you want to go there and next the app begins routing in earnest.

Once you’ve selected a location, you are able to choose what mode of transportation you will be using. Before you set off, however, the app typically gives you a few choices for the specific route you want to take. You can choose to remove certain elements from your route depending on your mode of transportation such as toll roads and highways if you are driving. From there you select your route and begin towards your destination.

Once you begin your route, the map zooms in on where you are and by default now orients the map in the direction it thinks you are moving. As you move along the route it will warn you of upcoming turns with both visual and audible instructions. It also gives you a constantly updated ETA and both a count of your distance and time remaining.

Apple Maps, as of 2021, is an excellent tool for both navigation and for providing information about a given destination. The map is easy to manipulate when you want it to be and focused when you want that to. It provides a high degree of flexibility when planning your route which is always nice too. It provides easy navigation with its audible and visual instructions and overall is an excellent tool for getting from one place to another.