Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’

The update

Apple Maps has officially changed the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for users within the United States. The change follows a similar update by Google Maps earlier this month and comes in response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on August 27. The order directed the Interior Department to update the lake’s name in federal databases within 30 days. Apple’s update applies only to US users; Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario,” while international users see both names.

Why it matters

This move highlights the speed at which private tech companies can implement political directives, often outpacing official government updates. The renaming occurs amid a breakdown in US-Canada trade talks and an escalating trade dispute. While Google cited its policy of updating names to reflect official government sources like the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Apple has not publicly explained its timeline for the change.

What to watch

MapQuest has refused to change the name of Lake Ontario or the Gulf of Mexico to “Lake America,” choosing instead to retain the internationally recognized names. This stance has led to a surge in MapQuest app downloads, pushing it to the top of the US App Store charts. It remains unclear how other mapping services and international governments will respond to the name change.

Sources

• techcrunch.com — Details on Apple Maps rollout, executive order context, and MapQuest's refusal to change names.
• theverge.com — Confirmation of the name change and comparison to Google's timeline.
• engadget.com — Report that President Trump reached out directly to Apple and the status of the rollout.
• arstechnica.com — Context on Google's reasoning and the US government's pending updates.