Apple will support its updated Maps application with high-quality “editorial content” and recommendations as it looks to build a more feature-rich alternative to Google’s own navigation offering.
A job listing spotted by The Verge this week revealed Apple’s plans to hire a “Product Manager – Maps, Writer/Editor” with the view to building “exciting” experiences for its users.
The job description noted that Apple was ready to meet the challenges posed by cutting-edge mapping products and to help users explore the world, whether they are commuting locally or want to plan a holiday abroad.
It added: “Mapping products are evolving beyond being primarily point-to-point vehicle navigation to becoming location-based services platforms that help one make sense of the physical world.”
Apple wants Maps to educate users and support global exploration with a regular stream of targeted and personalised content.
The listing specified a few qualifications, including knowledge of food and shopping trends, an “insatiable” passion for discovering new places, and the ability to create engaging digital content.
The news follows Apple’s recent rollout of its new Apple Maps app, which was built from the ground up to offer better navigation and greater detail of topography and road coverage.
The updated app is already live for users in the US but is still to launch in other regions.
Apple already offers daily, editorially curated content in the App Store, which got an overhaul back in 2017 alongside the release of iOS 11.
In other news, Apple’s budget-focused iPhone SE successor is now close to release after entering the final stages of production.
While the coronavirus could delay its unveiling, everything is now pointing to the imminent launch of an iPhone 8-style handset with an A13 processor.
Apple could announce the device at a private event in March or April.