Image Courtesy: Apple Maps
Apple has begun changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for users in the United States, following an executive order from President Donald Trump that prompted Google Maps to make a similar change.
The update applies differently depending on a user’s location. Apple Maps users in Canada will continue to see the lake identified as Lake Ontario, while users outside the United States and Canada may see both names. The change is still rolling out across Apple’s platforms, with some mobile users continuing to see the original name alongside the new designation.
The decision follows reports that Trump personally contacted Apple about updating the company’s maps. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the president had “reached out to Apple directly,” shortly before the company began implementing the change. Reuters subsequently reported that Apple Maps had renamed the lake for U.S. users.
Google Maps had already updated its listings after Trump’s executive order changed the name within the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. However, the federal action does not change how Canada officially identifies the lake or determine its name internationally.
Apple and Google previously made similar adjustments after Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico renamed the “Gulf of America” in U.S. government usage. Both companies adopted the new designation for users in the United States while handling the name differently in other regions.
Not every mapping company has followed suit. MapQuest publicly announced that it would continue using Lake Ontario, a decision that unexpectedly generated renewed interest in the long-running navigation service. Reports indicated that the app climbed to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings after the announcement.
The Lake America controversy has unfolded amid heightened tensions between the United States and Canada, including an escalating trade dispute. While digital maps can reflect naming conventions adopted by governments, the renaming has no effect on Canada’s official designation of the lake, which forms part of the border between the two countries.
For American Apple Maps users, however, the familiar Lake Ontario label is now beginning to disappear.
