Apple Maps is fantastic for navigation, but I particularly enjoy using it to explore new neighborhoods, discover great coffee shops, and plan outings and adventures. With the release of iOS 18, there’s a significant update that finally addresses a feature that has been long overdue: you can now search within the specific area you are viewing on the map. This has been a long-awaited improvement for me.
My long-standing Apple Maps issue
Here’s a notable exchange from Apple’s support community back in 2020:
I know I am going to be in a certain location at some time in the future. I enter that address in Maps and it locates it. I now want to search for, say, used bookstores near that location. How do I do it?
Situations like this were very common for me before iOS 18.
I would launch Apple Maps and start exploring an area on the map.
This typically occurred when planning a holiday, seeking a new coffee shop, or checking out shops and eateries in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Prior to iOS 18, I would be viewing a particular area in Apple Maps, enter a search query, and click on the ‘Search Nearby’ option that appeared.
Was it my misunderstanding to think ‘Nearby’ referred to the area I was currently examining?
Apparently, it was, because Maps would then search for results based on my actual location, often zooming out to show suggestions that were far from my intended area.
As mentioned in that original support thread:
This is SUCH a basic feature, I can’t help but think it exists in Maps and I must be the one who can’t figure it out.
What’s the ultimate solution? It didn’t exist previously, but it is now available in iOS 18.
New search option introduced in Maps with iOS 18
Among numerous enhancements in iOS 18, Apple Maps has finally addressed this long-standing issue.
Now, while you browse an area in Apple Maps and enter a search, you will see a new option: ‘Near area on your map.’
For instance, if I’m exploring a neighborhood and type ‘Starbucks,’ I’ll receive a list of nearby Starbucks locations along with two suggested searches:
- Starbucks: Search Nearby
- Starbucks: Near area on your map
The first option works as it always has, but the latter provides exactly what I have always wished for.
You can tap ‘Near area on your map’ to receive results based on the area you’re currently viewing.
Additionally, if you already have a search inputted and then pan around to another area on the map, a ‘Search here’ button will now appear.
These new functionalities make it just as easy to discover places anywhere in the world as it is to find those near your current location.
Although it took some time for the feature to be implemented, Apple Maps has significantly improved with its introduction.
Have you tried the new search feature in Apple Maps with iOS 18? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
