Home / Technology / MapQuest Defies Trump, Keeps Lake Name
MapQuest Defies Trump, Keeps Lake Name
7 Oct
Summary
- MapQuest retained Lake Ontario's historic name, unlike competitors.
- This decision led to a 50x surge in usage and millions of downloads.
- The mapping service now offers Android Auto beta support.
MapQuest, the world's longest-operating commercial web mapping service established in 1996, has recently seen a dramatic increase in user engagement. This surge followed the company's decision to retain the 380-year-old name 'Lake Ontario' on its maps, defying pressure that had influenced competitors like Google and Apple to alter their display of the name within the US.
This principled stance resulted in a 50-fold increase in MapQuest's usage rates and generated over 1.5 million downloads of its applications, propelling it to the top spot on Apple's App Store. A company spokesperson highlighted the significant user support demonstrated through these downloads.
Capitalizing on this renewed interest, MapQuest has introduced a beta version of its service with Android Auto support, now available on Google Play. This expansion offers users an alternative mapping experience with unique naming conventions.
