Apple Maps Adopts Gulf of America Following Name Change Announcement
In a apple/” title=”Unveiling iOS 18.2: Exciting New Features and Innovations from Apple!”>significant update, Google Maps has officially transitioned the name “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America,” responding to an executive directive from President Donald Trump. Reports indicate that Apple is poised to introduce this change as well.
Implementation Timeline for Apple Users
According to recent reports, Apple will implement this renaming within its mapping service for U.S. users starting Tuesday, with plans for a global rollout shortly thereafter.
The Origin of the Name Change
The decision was conveyed by President Trump on January 20 during his second term inauguration, marking it as one of his inaugural actions as president. In his directive, he instructed the Secretary of the Interior to “execute all necessary measures to rebrand the region previously known as the Gulf of Mexico as ‘the Gulf of America,’ covering areas bordered by Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida all the way up until international waters with Mexico and Cuba.”
The Rapid Shift Toward Digital Naming Conventions
This transformation was widely anticipated in digital platforms before being reflected in traditional cartography. Google had previously commented on its commitment to updating naming conventions in accordance with governmental announcements when it stated that their process includes adapting new names upon formal updates from official sources.
Google’s First Move Ensures Name Consistency
As expected, Google promptly updated its application for both Android and iPhone users; while “Gulf of America” is now visible there for those situated in the United States specifically. However, internationally recognized territories still refer to this body water under its historical designation established over four centuries ago — “the Gulf of Mexico.”
Apple Snags Search Traffic With New Terminology Displayed
Effective immediately: As part of their update on Tuesday, searching “Gulf of America” will yield results reflecting this newfound name within Apple Maps for U.S. users. The timeline regarding when other global audiences will experience this nomenclature shift remains uncertain.