Apple Maps feature to support Japanese transit data in iOS 10

This could be pretty nifty if you’re traveling to Japan this fall or next year.

Apple in a recent update to its Japanese website confirmed local transit data will arrive in Maps when iOS 10 launches this fall, further expanding the feature’s reach into Asia.

The feature was quietly announced in an update to the Japanese version of Apple’s iOS 10 preview webpage. When Maps debuts this fall on Apple’s next-generation operating systems, which also include macOS Sierra and watchOS 3, customers in Japan will be able to search for public transport options, compare fares, view subway station maps and more, the company says.

A recent screenshot showed a bird’s-eye view of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, complete with train lines and the locations of entrances and exits, suggesting initial availability will include Japan’s capital.

Launched last year as part of iOS 9, transit capabilities have been slow to roll out. Currently, availability is limited to large metropolitan areas in the U.S., as well as select cities in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Germany and Mexico. Japan is not yet on Apple’s list of supported countries.

Apple Maps’ Transit feature aggregates data from outside sources to provide users with route information, departure times and other information for buses, trains, ferries and more.

If you’ve had a chance to play with the iOS 10 beta and have any feedback to offer, let us know in the comments.

Via AppleInsider and Alta Distance