Maps & Location

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Learn how to integrate MapKit and Core Location to unlock the power of location-based features in your app.

Maps & Location Documentation

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Documentation of parameters to enable Apple Maps EV routing
Hi, I'm building an aftermarket solution to enable Apple Maps to support EV routing for any EV. I am going through the documentation and found some gaps - does anyone know how the following properties work? INGetCarPowerLevelStatusIntentResponse - consumptionFormulaArguments INGetCarPowerLevelStatusIntentResponse - chargingFormulaArguments Is there a working example that anyone has seen? Many thanks
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468
Jan ’25
iBeacon with CLMonitor Slow
The other day I was playing with iBeacon and found out that CLBeaconIdentityConstraint will be deprecated after iOS 18.5. So I've written code with BeaconIdentityCondition in reference to this Apple's sample project. import Foundation import CoreLocation let monitorName = "BeaconMonitor" @MainActor public class BeaconViewModel: ObservableObject { private let manager: CLLocationManager static let shared = BeaconViewModel() public var monitor: CLMonitor? @Published var UIRows: [String: [CLMonitor.Event]] = [:] init() { self.manager = CLLocationManager() self.manager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization() } func startMonitoringConditions() { Task { print("Set up monitor") monitor = await CLMonitor(monitorName) await monitor!.add(getBeaconIdentityCondition(), identifier: "TestBeacon") for identifier in await monitor!.identifiers { guard let lastEvent = await monitor!.record(for: identifier)?.lastEvent else { continue } UIRows[identifier] = [lastEvent] } for try await event in await monitor!.events { guard let lastEvent = await monitor!.record(for: event.identifier)?.lastEvent else { continue } if event.state == lastEvent.state { continue } UIRows[event.identifier] = [event] UIRows[event.identifier]?.append(lastEvent) } } } func updateRecords() async { UIRows = [:] for identifier in await monitor?.identifiers ?? [] { guard let lastEvent = await monitor!.record(for: identifier)?.lastEvent else { continue } UIRows[identifier] = [lastEvent] } } func getBeaconIdentityCondition() -> CLMonitor.BeaconIdentityCondition { CLMonitor.BeaconIdentityCondition(uuid: UUID(uuidString: "abc")!, major: 123, minor: 789) } } It works except that my sample app can take as long as 90 seconds to see event changes. You would get an instant update with an fashion (CLBeacon and CLBeaconIdentityConstraint). Is there anything that I can do to see changes faster? Thanks.
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58
Jun ’25
Request of CarPlay Navigation Entitlement when having the Driving Task one
I have the CarPlay Entitlement "Driving Task" and two of my apps use it. Now, in both apps, I have implemented Navigation. I requested the Navigation CarPlay Entitlement when the feature was mature and builds were available in Test Flight, since I wanted to release the new versions of the apps with navigation available both on the iPhone and in CarPlay. I got no answer to my request, so I decided to release the apps with only navigation in the iPhone and the Driving Task functionality in CarPlay, thinking that maybe being live with navigation in the App Store was a requirement. I have asked permission again, and so far, the request is being ignored again. What are the requirements to get the Navigation CarPlay Entitlement? If the app is approved for navigation, is there something else the app must do to get the entitlement? Requirements for CarPlay Entitlements seem quite obscure, are they listed anywhere? Is there a technical problem to move from an existing CarPlay Entitlement to another? Can that be the reason the entitlement has not been granted? Some of my competitors have the CarPlay Navigation entitlement. My use case is the same (in a better app in my opinion, of course). But I am only getting bad reviews because "the app does not include the map in CarPlay" after the big investment in implementing navigation in the apps. Any help or insight would be appreciated.
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785
May ’25
Re-enabling Background Location Services When Reconnecting to a Bluetooth Device
Hi all, We’re running into a challenge with our iOS app DriveSmarter, which uses background location updates when connected to a physical Bluetooth device (e.g., dash cam, radar detector). For battery efficiency, we disable location services in the background when no device is connected. The problem we’re now facing is: How can we programmatically re-enable location services when a Bluetooth device reconnects while the app is still in the background? From what I understand, Core Location doesn’t allow re-enabling background location updates unless the app returns to the foreground. But our core use case requires this to happen seamlessly in the background when the user starts driving and the device connects again. To clarify: We stop location updates when the device disconnects. We want to resume location updates only when the device reconnects, even if the app is still in the background. Manually bringing the app to the foreground is not a reliable or user-friendly option. So my questions: Is it possible to programmatically restart background location services upon a Bluetooth connection event while staying in the background? If not, are there any best practices or Apple-recommended alternatives to achieve a similar result? Any guidance, patterns, or creative solutions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance
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Jun ’25
How can you determine if the map tiles in MapKit have successfully loaded?
We are developers of a golf app designed to assist golfers on the course. A key feature of our app is displaying a map of each hole, and we are currently transitioning to using MapKit and camera functionalities for this purpose. However, we are encountering issues with the downloading of map tiles when using the default satellite imagery. We have tried several approaches to diagnose the issue: We have tried several things to diagnose the issue: We implemented the mapViewDidFailLoadingMap delegate method. But it is inconsistent, sometimes triggering offline errors even when map tiles are cached. We implemented, the mapViewDidFinishRenderingMap method, but it always returns false when offline or you won't get the callback. Which doesn't let us know that rendering tiles has failed. We would appreciate your guidance on the following specific questions: Does MapKit provide a way to confirm if a map tile has fully loaded? Is there a method to detect if a portion of the map hasn't loaded or if a tile request has failed? Can we determine whether a map tile is cached, and if so, how long it will remain cached, similar to Cache-Control HTTP headers? Is there a way to trigger the preloading of map tiles when we know the user has a good internet connection? Please see the sample project for steps to reproduce the issue. Thank you for any assistance!
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Jan ’25
When should I convert coordinates to GCJ02?
Our backend management system uses Google for Location, and Apple Maps is just one of the solutions in our map component. When should I convert coordinates to GCJ02? Maybe you would say that when you are in mainland China? BUT NOT AT ALL! What if the user does not enable location permission? What if the user has not inserted a SIM card? Or not Chinese SIM card but location in China? OR the user location in China, But use VPN with en overseas IP? All solutions are not perfect, unless you open the API to developers and tell us whether Apple Maps currently uses the wgs84 coordinate system or gcj02, which is the most reliable.
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Jun ’25
MapKit with MKTileOverlay Crashes After a Time
I'm building a weather map that shows the rain on the map. I'm able to retrieve PNG images that are used as tiles to put onto the map. I then reload all the tiles on the map with each timeframe (tile set for every 10 minutes). I'm able to get the map loaded up and I'm able to place the tiles and reload the data for each time slot. I preload all the PNG data needed for the tiles and store that NSData for them in memory so that they are quick for loading and showing on the map. I have timer's set to reload the overlay with the next set of tiles for each time slot. Giving the view of a moving precipitation map over time (just like you'd see on any weather map.) I have 12 time slots (timestamps) showing every 10 minutes for the past 2 hours. I have it showing each in sequence and then repeating. Over time I get a crash with this error as a Thread 1: signal SIGABRT. Failed to acquire drawable, rendering to temporary texture validateRenderPassDescriptor:782: failed assertion `RenderPass Descriptor Validation MTLRenderPassAttachmentDescriptor MTLStoreActionMultisampleResolve store action at attachment 0 requires resolve texture ' validateRenderPassDescriptor:782: failed assertion `RenderPass Descriptor Validation MTLRenderPassAttachmentDescriptor MTLStoreActionMultisampleResolve store action at attachment 0 requires resolve texture ' Through some searching I've discovered that this seems to be console output from Metal. I assume Metal is used for MapKit to render the overlay tiles? I'm using the same custom overlay where I set the timestamp on it and then tell it to reload. I also reuse the same MKOverlayRenderer as shown here... - (MKOverlayRenderer*)mapView:(MKMapView*)mapView rendererForOverlay:(id<MKOverlay>)overlay { if ([overlay isKindOfClass:[MKTileOverlay class]]) { if (!self.rainRenderer) { self.rainRenderer = [[MKTileOverlayRenderer alloc] initWithTileOverlay:overlay]; self.rainRenderer.alpha = 0.5; } return self.rainRenderer; } return nil; } And here's the function that reloads the overlay... - (void) updateRainFrame { self.currentFrameIndex = (self.currentFrameIndex + 1) % self.timestamps.count; if ((self.currentFrameIndex >= 0) && (self.timestamps.count > self.currentFrameIndex)) { NSLog (@"self.currentFrameIndex = %lu", self.currentFrameIndex); NSString *timestamp = self.timestamps[self.currentFrameIndex]; [self.overlay setTimestamp:timestamp]; [self.rainRenderer reloadData]; } } The time it takes to crash seems arbitrary. Sometimes it's very quick. Less than a minute. But usually it's several minutes. 10 or 20 minutes or more. Feels like some sort of race condition that's occurring. Perhaps ARC is not able to release the images for the tiles quick enough for each overlay reload? That's a wild guess but I think it's something more deeper in Metal as I feel I would see other errors related to memory availability. Some of my searches point to something about MSAA needing to be turned off in Metal to resolve this. However I have no idea how I would do that through MapKit. Any suggestions? Let me know if there is somehow a way to capture more from the crash to give more insight.
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Jun ’25
IMDF Labels for Indoor Survey App
I have seen examples of conducting an Indoor Survey of an IMDF where it has labels on the map. This would help. Our structure is basically a huge hall that gets reconfigured weekly from a horse venue to a car show to a home and garden show. I was thinking of creating a series of walkways to criss cross the floor and then survey them once done. It would be nice to have a label of the features on the map. How is this done? Thank you, Mele
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Nov ’24
Live Activity does not work as a proxy for CLBackgroundActivitySession
Hi, I've watched the WWDC video "Discover streamlined location updates" As detailed here: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2023/10180/?time=364 In order for my app to receive location updates in the background, the video states that I can either use a live activity or a CLBackgroundActivitySession My app has a live activity, however the location updates stop shortly (10 seconds, this is the normal "grace period" described) after backgrounding the app, even when the live activity is visible. If I acquire a CLBackgroundActivitySession, location updates continue in the background. I have reproduced this behavior in the Simulator in a barebones app for testing and confirmed that it's not working as described. My question is: Should I hold a CLBackgroundActivitySession even when I already have a Live Activity?
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75
Jun ’25
Remove WeatherKit from existing app
One of my apps includes a free weather forecast using WeatherKit. Recently, it started to get more downloads and almost reached the limits of the free tier. I've removed the forecast in newer versions but there's still a substantial amount of users who do not update their apps. Is it possible to somehow remove the capability from existing apps? Thank you!
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80
Jun ’25
Rotate mapkit.ImageAnnotation
Hello I'd like to be able to rotate an mapkit.ImageAnnotation. From this post on Stack Overflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/78686475/need-to-style-a-mapkit-js-marker-annotation/78702266#78702266 I understand that it's possible, for example, to the following: map.annotations[0].element.style.cursor = "pointer"; and this works for me. However, I need to do something like the following, but it doesn't work: map.annotations[0].element.style.transform = "rotate(90deg) "; Any ideas how a mapkit.ImageAnnotation and mapkit.MarkerAnnotation can be rotated? Thanks in advance Sam
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367
Jan ’25
Navigation Directional Information Permissions
I am developing a navigation application. My goal is for this navigation app to also work in the background and provide the user with real-time directional updates. When apps request access to location services, users see a TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) prompt. This prompt allows the user to choose under what conditions the app can access location services (for example: “While Using the App”, “Always”, etc.). If the user selects the “While Using the App” option, can the navigation app still access location in the background and provide directional information to the user? Is something like this technically possible? Does Apple allow this behavior for navigation apps or similar use cases?
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50
Jul ’25
App not showing up in Apple Map's share location menu
I'm making an app that can have locations and links shared to it. I have gotten the share intent working for text and urls with: NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebURLWithMaxCount: 1 NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebPageWithMaxCount: 1 NSExtensionActivationSupportsText: true in Info.plist of the share extension. I am able to share Google Maps locations and safari websites. However, my app does not appear when I share a location on Apple Maps. I also tried the other options in the docs (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information-property-list/nsextension/nsextensionattributes/nsextensionactivationrule) as well without success. When I share a location (i.e. a shop) in Apple Maps, it looks like a link but perhaps its something else? Does anyone know how to get an app to come up in the share menu of an Apple Maps location? Thanks!
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33
Jul ’25