Apple Inc. is renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America on its Maps app, following an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on his first day in office.
The change comes after the US government updated its official map to reflect the new name. Alphabet Inc.’s Google made a similar update to its Google Maps app earlier this week. Microsoft Corp.’s Bing Maps and MapQuest Inc., meanwhile, have yet to rename the gulf, according to checks of their maps offerings on Tuesday.
Apple is making the change Tuesday for customers in the US, but said it would soon roll out the shift for all users globally. Apple offers its Maps app on most of its devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Mac, and recently launched a web version to better compete with Google Maps.
Republican lawmakers have already praised Google’s move to adhere to Trump’s order and quickly chastised Apple for not immediately falling in line. US Representative Greg Steube earlier on Tuesday wrote on Facebook that Apple is “still lost at sea.”
Since Trump’s November victory, technology executives such as Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai have appeared with him at a variety of events, including the inauguration. A slew of users have already responded negatively to the Google decision, saying that the search giant has capitulated to the new administration.
Mexico also has criticized the decision, saying the US can’t decide on its own to rename a body of water touching both countries.
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