Apple has quietly launched a new app called “Maps Surveyor” on Friday, March 15, 2025. The app is designed to let users contribute to Apple Maps by collecting data about their surroundings and sending it to the company. However, not everyone can use the new app.
The app description reads, “Surveyor helps Apple improve Maps by collecting data, such as images of street signs and other roadside details, while on an assigned route.” Despite being available for free on the App Store, it seems that Apple has built it for specific users.
After installing the app, it prompts the user to open a partner app. For now, the only option is Premise – a platform that offers rewards to people who complete “simple tasks.” It’s a marketplace that pays money to users who answer surveys, share personal information, or take photos of specific locations.
The app’s code says that Apple will use Premise to invite people to help improve Apple Maps in exchange for rewards. Users will be instructed to attach their iPhones to a mount in landscape orientation and use the Surveyor app to capture images along a given route.
The list of Apple Maps data providers doesn’t mention the new app, which could be because the app has just been released. It’s worth noting that Apple also has its own vehicles that drive through many cities around the world collecting data to improve Apple Maps.
For now, the Maps Surveyor app is only available in the US. But if you have an Apple device and want to help improve Apple Maps, you can send feedback to Apple by looking for the “Report an Issue” option in the app.
This new app shows Apple’s effort to add crowdsourced data to its mapping system. It may help the company keep up with competitors like Google Maps and Waze, which have been using similar methods for years. As Apple continues to improve its mapping services, this app could be part of a bigger plan to use AI and real-time data to make maps more accurate and detailed.