Before Apple Maps, Apple has long relied on companies like Tripadvisor, Foursquare, and Yelp for location valuation. But since last year, Apple has been rolling out its own rating system that allows users to provide feedback directly in the app on locations they've been to. Recently, the feature has also been rolled out in the Netherlands, iCulture discovered.
Apple Maps rating system in the Netherlands
The new rating system works with thumbs, instead of a star rating like you often see with Yelp. At a visited location you can indicate how well you like certain parts of a location. For example, at a restaurant you can give an overall rating, but also indicate how good the food and drinks, the customer service and the atmosphere are. You can also upload your own photo, if you have one of the location.
You can find the new rating system in the information card of a visited location. Apple Maps uses the location history for this, but also the photo library of your iPhone. In the privacy terms, Apple says that these suggestions for posting reviews are processed on the device and that it cannot be read by Apple. Unlike many other features, use of the rating system is tied to your Apple ID. This is necessary to make the rating system reliable, so that only valid assessments come through.
The rating system was first discovered in the beta of iOS 14 in 2020, but has only been available in the first countries since last summer. It is currently unknown whether the feature will be rolled out to all users in the Netherlands. If you don't see the function yet, it's not your fault. Apple has more features in Apple Maps for users to do their part. For example, in Apple Maps you can report an accident during your navigation.
Below you can read the previous updates in this article about the new rating system
Update 24 August 2021: Apple is now rolling out the rating feature to the United States. Users will now see photos taken by others here. It works in iOS 14 and the iOS 15 beta. Plus, they can give a thumbs up or down for most locations. If you tap the thumbs down button, you can indicate whether you are dissatisfied with the products, service, atmosphere and the like. This depends on the location: atmosphere will be important in a restaurant, slightly less in a hospital. In addition, users can now upload photos, which will appear in Apple Maps over time.
Currently, Apple Maps is still showing Yelp ratings alongside Apple's new ones. Ultimately, Apple could ditch partners Yelp and TripAdvisor, if there are enough of their own ratings. You cannot add written reviews yet. In the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan has been testing the feature for a while.
Update April 22, 2021: Apple promised that in iOS 14 you would be able to rate locations with a thumbs up or down. This means that Apple is no longer dependent on reviews from third parties, such as Yelp and TripAdvisor. The idea is that as an Apple user you give a thumbs up yourself if you like a place. But so far the rollout has not really gone smoothly. In the UK and in Australia some people already have the option. It is still not available in the US and in the Netherlands and Belgium. neither.
People who have physically been to a certain place and then tap a point on the map are given the opportunity to rate a place, including the quality of the products and services. After that, with the option ‘Add Photos to Maps’ upload your own image.
From images shown during the Spring Loaded event, the impression now arises that Apple is willing to roll it out further – at least in the US. For example, during the announcement of the iMac, it was shown that you can give a recommendation for Joshua Tree National Park in California in the Maps app. Even so, Yelp reviews can still be seen. This gives the impression that Apple does not (yet) completely want to put the reviews of external parties aside. Via MacRumors.
Revision history:
- 2022 – April 01, 09:56: Article updated and updated for Dutch rollout.
- 2021 – August 24, 09:06: Article updated due to US rollout.