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Apple Maps to add public transport directions for users in China

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Users in China will soon be able to access public transit information on Apple Maps. Photo: TNS

People in cities across China will soon be able to see information about public and mass transport using Apple Maps, as the company attempts to improve its much maligned but widely used mapping app.

The upgrade will come as part of iOS 9, the latest version of the operating system for iPhones and iPads. It is expected to be announced today at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Public transit data in mainland China will be provided by AutoNavi, a subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba that has partnered with Apple on its mapping service since 2010.

The mass transit information will also be available to users in San Francisco, New York, Toronto, London, Paris and Berlin, with other cities and regions to be added later.

Launched in 2012, Apple Maps has gained a bigger slice of the pie due to its position as the default mapping program for iOS. Yet it has often struggled to keep up with competitor Google in terms of features and accuracy.

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