MapQuest Refuses to Rename Lake Ontario Amid Government Change
The US government's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' has caused a stir in the mapping world, with Apple and Google Maps updating their services to reflect the change. However, one major mapping service has refused to follow suit: MapQuest.
MapQuest continues to identify the body of water as Lake Ontario rather than adopting the new name, which is a departure from the company's decision last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' after Trump ordered the change. The decision has unexpectedly turned MapQuest into a major talking point online.
Downloads of the longtime mapping app have surged in the US, pushing MapQuest to the No. 1 spot in Apple's App Store navigation rankings by September 1. It had even moved ahead of ChatGPT in the overall US App Store charts, and climbed to No. 6 overall on Google Play when apps and games were combined.
MapQuest appears to be embracing the attention rather than backing away from its decision. The company posted a GIF featuring an apple alongside the words 'Them Too', seemingly taking a swipe at Apple's decision to adopt the new name.