Topline
The digital maps platform MapQuest has soared to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings after refusing to adhere to President Donald Trump’s order to change Lake Ontario’s name to Lake America, even as its larger rivals Google Maps and Apple Maps have chosen to do so.
A map is displayed as US President Donald Trump signs an executive order that aims to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
MapQuest, which launched in 1996, has taken advantage of the controversy over the President’s renaming order—amid an ongoing trade spat with Canada—by highlighting its refusal to change on social media.
Late Sunday night, after Google implemented the change, MapQuest posted a tongue-in-cheek note on X, saying it was “aware that Lake Ontario is being correctly labeled on our map.”
An earlier post touting its defiance against the order was mocked by the President’s son Eric Trump, who wrote: “Shocking to see you’re still alive…I thought the iPhone 3 took you out 15 years ago.”
The social media chatter appears to have boosted the company, pushing it to the top of the list of the most downloaded free apps on the Apple iPhone App Store in the U.S., according to Sensor Tower.
On Google’s Play Store for Android phones, the app is currently ranked fifth among the most downloaded free apps in the U.S. and tops the chart in the mapping and navigation apps category.
What Has Mapquest Said About the decision?
The company issued a statement about the surge in downloads of its app after it entered the top 10 of the downloads chart on Monday. The statement said it is the “highest chart position in the brand’s 30-year history,” and that “hundreds of thousands” have downloaded the app since Thursday, boosting usage to 50 times above normal levels. The company attributed the boost to its decision to “keep the historical, familiar names for lakes and gulfs on its maps.” The platform has also added a feature that allows users to rename the lake themselves to whatever they want. The company said this is a feature they first designed last year when Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico’s name to be changed to the Gulf of America.
What Do We Know About Google Maps’ Name Change?
On Sunday, Google Maps began showing the name “Lake America” for U.S. users instead of “Lake Ontario.” The company said the change is in line with its policy of using names for geographical features from official government sources, such as the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The name “Lake America” appears for users in the U.S., while Canadian users will continue to see the name “Lake Ontario” for the water body. Both names are shown for users outside the two countries.
What About Apple Maps’ Name Change?
Apple’s own mapping service followed suit on Tuesday, renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America for U.S. users. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the change was implemented after Trump “directly” reached out to Apple to ask for it. The water body still appears as Lake Ontario for Canadian users, as it does on Google. The iPhone maker has not yet issued a statement explaining the name change, but its in line with its decision on the Gulf of Mexico renaming in 2025.
further reading
Apple Maps Joins Google Maps In Renaming Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ (Forbes)
Google Maps Now Displays ‘Lake America’ After Trump’s Executive Order Amid U.S.-Canada Trade War (Forbes)
Leave a comment