Event
Apple has updated its Apple Maps service to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in the United States, following President Trump’s executive order and Google’s earlier compliance. The change, effective for US users, stems from an order signed on 27 August directing the Interior Department to update federal geographic databases. While US users see the new name, Canadian users will continue to see Lake Ontario, and international users will see both. This move has strained relations with Canada and boosted downloads of MapQuest, which refused to change the name, pushing the app to the top of the US App Store.
2 published stories · artificial-intelligence · source reliability 67%
Apple has followed Google in renaming Lake Ontario for US users, a move that has escalated diplomatic tensions with Canada and propelled rival MapQuest to the top of the US App Store.
Background
Apple Maps has updated its service to display “Lake America” for users in the United States, aligning with a recent executive order signed by President Trump. This follows an earlier adoption of the name by Google Maps. The change is part of a broader geopolitical dispute with Canada, where the lake’s renaming has exacerbated tensions during ongoing trade negotiations. While US users see the new name, Canadian users retain “Lake Ontario,” and international users see both. The move has also sparked a consumer response, with MapQuest, which refused to change the name, surging to the top of the US App Store.
Apple Maps has updated its service to display “Lake America” for users in the United States, aligning with a recent executive order signed by President Trump. This follows an earlier adoption of the name by Google Maps. The change is part of a broader geopolitical dispute with Ca
Fact cards
Key entities: Apple, Google, President Trump, Lake Ontario, MapQuest, Canada.
Why do US users see a different name than Canadian users? The name change is based on a US executive order; Apple retains “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users and displays both names for international users. Which other major map services have made this change? Google Maps had alrea
TechCrunch | https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/01/apple-follows-google-in-adopting-trumps-lake-america-name | published 2026-09-01T22:13:34.000Z | primary source | The Verge | https://www.theverge.com/tech/987784/apple-maps-lake-america-renaming | published 2026-09-01T21:22:56.000Z
2025-08-27: President Trump signs executive order directing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” in federal databases. 2026-09-01: Apple Maps implements the name change for US users; MapQuest’s app reaches No. 1 in the US App Store.
Timeline
President Trump signs executive order directing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” in federal databases.
Apple Maps implements the name change for US users; MapQuest’s app reaches No. 1 in the US App Store.
FAQ
The name change is based on a US executive order; Apple retains “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users and displays both names for international users.
Google Maps had already adopted the “Lake America” name prior to Apple.
MapQuest, which kept the original name, saw a significant boost in downloads, reaching the top of the US App Store.
Apple followed an executive order signed by President Donald Trump during a trade dispute with Canada.
No, the Canadian version continues to display “Lake Ontario,” while international versions show both names.
Google Maps previously changed the name to “Lake America,” while MapQuest has refused to change the name.
The renaming occurs during an escalating trade dispute, including US plans to raise tariffs on Canadian automotive imports to 50 per cent.