People opening the Apple Maps app in the United States are noticing a big change on the border of New York and Canada. The massive body of water known as Lake Ontario now shows up as Lake America on the platform. The change is rolling out right now across all devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, as the tech giant updates its geographic data for everyone.
The mapping change follows an ongoing trade dispute and order
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change the name of the Great Lake. The move comes as trade tensions escalate between the United States and Canada, with both sides announcing new tariffs. Reports indicate the White House pressured the company to adopt the new name on the app.
The United States Geographic Names Information System already updated its official database. Not long after, Google Maps updated the region to reflect the new label. People wondered if Apple would keep the historical name going forward, but the company eventually made the shift.
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If you look at the map, the visual label on the water might still say Lake Ontario. But when you tap on it, the location card reads Lake America. Apple is expected to fully update the visual label soon.
The new name is only visible to people inside the United States. If you live in Canada, the app still calls it Lake Ontario. People using the app in other countries will see both names displayed on the map. Meanwhile, MapQuest refused to change the name on its platform, and the decision pushed its app to the number one free spot on the App Store.
The situation shows how global politics can quickly rewrite the basic tools we use every day, forcing tech companies to decide how they display shared borders.
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