GoKawiilApple Maps renames Lake Ontario 'Lake America' for U.S. users after Trump order
Apple has updated Apple Maps to display Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' for users located in the United States, following an executive order Trump signed on August 27. Canadian users will still see 'Lake Ontario,' while people outside both countries will see both names listed. Google made the same change last week, citing its policy of following official U.S. government naming databases.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The renaming shows how quickly major tech platforms will alter globally recognized geography to comply with a U.S. presidential directive, even when it affects a body of water shared with another sovereign nation. The move adds friction to an already tense U.S.-Canada relationship amid collapsed trade talks, and it has created an opening for smaller rivals like MapQuest, which refused to change the name and saw its app shoot to the top of download charts.
- Apple Maps now shows 'Lake America' instead of 'Lake Ontario' for U.S.-based users only.
- The change follows a Trump executive order and mirrors an identical move by Google Maps.
- MapQuest's refusal to rename the lake helped push it to No. 1 on the U.S. App Store charts.
Rand McNally Road Atlas — When digital maps keep getting renamed and relabeled, a printed atlas is a refreshingly stable reference. Rand McNally's classic road atlas covers the US, Canada, and Mexico with clear state-by-state maps, and it never needs a signal or a software update. It's a handy glovebox companion for Great Lakes road trips.
See Rand McNally Road Atlas on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techcrunch.com — Kirsten Korosec, 2026-09-01
Published there as: “Apple follows Google in adopting Trump’s ‘Lake America’ name”
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