Apple Maps joins Google in renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America

The change stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump on August 27, which granted the Interior Department a 30-day window to update federal databases and geographic naming services. While Apple remained silent on the policy, Google stated that its updates strictly reflect changes made to official government sources like the Geographic Names Information System. The adjustment is localized, meaning users in Canada still see the traditional name, while international users encounter both.

Not all platforms are following suit. MapQuest has publicly rejected the change, maintaining the historical name of the Great Lake. This stance has driven a massive influx of users to the platform, propelling its mobile app to the top of the U.S. App Store charts, surpassing even ChatGPT in daily downloads as of September 1. The company solidified its position by sharing a pointed social media post featuring an apple icon with the caption “Them Too.” This incident follows a similar pattern from last year, when both tech giants renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in response to a previous presidential decree.