Apple Maps Now Shows Indigenous Lands in Australia and New Zealand

Starting today, the Apple Maps app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac now displays Indigenous lands in Australia and New Zealand, such as reserves and protected areas.

Apple Maps Indigenous Lands Australia New Zealand
In a press release, Apple said the mapping updates were informed by Indigenous peoples, cartographers, language holders, and others in each country.

In Australia, Apple said it referenced language data published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

In New Zealand, Apple said it collaborated with local Māori tribes and Indigenous cartographers to develop detailed place cards and map icons for Indigenous lands in the country. The place cards feature information about the local area, and communities can update them with destinations, photos, and text in their own languages.

The mapping updates are available now, with no software updates required.

More details about these mapping updates, and Apple's recent community initiatives in Australia and New Zealand, can be found in Apple's press release.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...

Top Rated Comments

TokyoKiller Avatar
10 months ago

Nahh...It's more important to posture.
How is it posturing? It’s recognizing what’s really on the ground and making sure the maps reflect that as true to reality as possible.

Technology allows us to do that now and we should do it.

If one sees it as a political posturing, then the issue lies within those who see it that way than Apple simply reflecting what’s on the ground on different parts of states, nations and territories.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
10 months ago

I don’t understand why this bothers people so much. The gulf is part of North America. It wasn’t changed to the Gulf of the United States. I’m frankly surprised we haven’t seen licensed naming rights yet, the Gulf of Coca-Cola, Mt McDonalds, etc.
In my experience and travels, Canada and Mexico calls people from the U.S. "Americans". We call ourselves "Americans." It's meant to highlight the word America. They are from north American too, but don't call themselves Americans and don't say they are from America.

The name predates the formation of the United States a couple hundred years, and it's an E.O., so no one voted on it, congress didn't have any hearings. Ruling by decree shouldn't even be a thing in the U.S., which is supposed to be a representative democracy. We don't own the gulf.

..plus, the name will be changed back as soon as Trump is out of office since executive orders have no staying power. They are a lazy tool for lazy presidents.

TLDR: It's dumb.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gknewell Avatar
10 months ago
I like how they’ll designate these areas but still caved to the “Gulf of America” crap.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Enlightened Doggo Avatar
10 months ago
It's weird that nice things like this upset some people. Seems purely good.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
10 months ago
That’s amazing! Maybe one day they’ll update it to show road construction in the USA ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
10 months ago

I like how they’ll designate these areas but still caved to the “Gulf of America” crap.
The name changed. Apple doesn’t make these decisions. They just list it on the map. It’s like if a street name was changed to something controversial, do you expect Apple Maps to say no we’re not going to change it on our map?

I was upset when they took Pluto off the list of planets, but it is what it is.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)