Apple Joins Google in Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America
In a swift move, Apple has followed Google by officially renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its Apple Maps service, just days after President Trump mandated the change.
New Name for Lake Ontario
Users of Apple Maps in the United States will now see “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario, one of North America’s five Great Lakes, when accessing the website or mobile application. This change will only be applicable to users within the United States. Meanwhile, Apple Maps users in Canada will continue to see the original name, Lake Ontario, and users from other countries will be presented with both names.
Executive Order Sparks Name Change
This alteration stems from an executive order signed by Trump on August 27, which instructed the Interior Department to update the lake’s designation in the U.S. geographic naming service and other federal databases within a 30-day timeframe.
Presidential Directive Highlights Economic Importance
The order states, “In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that the Lake officially be renamed as Lake America.”
Impact on U.S.-Canada Relations
Trump’s mandate, along with the compliance from both Apple and Google, has intensified an already tense relationship with Canada, particularly following the breakdown of trade negotiations between the two nations.
Apple and Google’s Justifications
Apple has not yet provided a comment regarding the change. In contrast, Google Maps explained its rationale for the alteration, stating in its announcement last week that it updates geographic names to reflect changes in official government sources such as the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
MapQuest Takes a Different Approach
However, not all mapping services are adopting this new naming policy. MapQuest announced that it will retain the name Lake Ontario on its maps, opting to stick with the name that users are accustomed to. The service also did not rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America last year.
Surge in MapQuest Popularity
The changes by Apple and Google regarding the lake’s name have resulted in a notable increase in users flocking to MapQuest. The downloads of this veteran mapping service have surged, elevating its iOS app to the top position in the U.S. App Store’s Top charts, even surpassing the popular ChatGPT as of September 1.
MapQuest’s Response
Furthermore, MapQuest achieved the No. 6 position overall in Google’s Play Store across both apps and games. The company appears to be steadfast in its decision, having posted on X a GIF of an apple, captioned “Them Too.” In a separate post showcasing their app as the most downloaded, they declared, “The people have spoken. We are working.”
Historical Context of Name Changes
There is a historical precedent for Apple and Google’s compliance with Trump’s directives. Last year, both tech giants changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America following another name-changing order issued by the President.
