MapQuest says it is keeping the name “Lake Ontario” on its maps despite an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump directing updates to geographic names, including changing it to “Lake America.” In response to MapQuest’s decision, its iOS app sees a surge in downloads and usage, with the app moving up U.S. and Canadian App Store rankings in the days after the announcement.
According to the outlets, MapQuest reports “hundreds of thousands” of new downloads since Thursday and says map usage rises to about 50 times normal levels as of August 30. MacRumors reports the app becomes the top free iPhone app in Canada and is fourth on the U.S. free iPhone chart as of Monday morning, while Slashdot says it reaches No. 1 in U.S. navigation and higher overall positions in the U.S. and Canada.
The reporting also contrasts MapQuest’s approach with Google Maps, which announces it is showing “Lake America” to U.S. users, while Apple is not yet shown making a similar switch in the timeframe described. MapQuest’s general manager Doug Berger says the company is trying to “be part of the conversation” and keep familiar names, including referencing how it handled the “Gulf of Mexico.”
