What’s All the
Fuss About...
49Apple’s backpack- coming to a park
or pedestrianised
area near you soon
(maybe)
north of Birmingham.When does it begin?
It actually started at the end of
March, and continues until 20
May, so you’ve not got long to
spot one of the backpacks (or
iBackpacks, as they really
should be called).
Also look for one of Apple’s
mapping cars, which will be
taking photos of more parts
of England, including
Bournemouth, Bradford,
Coventry, Liverpool, Sheffield
and Newcastle (hopefully
someone will tell Apple soon
that there are three other
countries in the UK). Apple’s
website doesn’t give any maps
for these (at least not at the
time of writing), but there are
dates. Some of the cars will be
driving around until the
middle of June.So I’ve got time
to get myself
photographed for it?
If you really want to, though
Apple will blur your face to
hide your identity. It will also
blur vehicle licence plates,
and you can request that your
house is obscured too.Will all this make it better
than Street View?
Hard to say, but it certainly won’t rival
Street View’s coverage, which stretches
across every continent, including the
Arctic and Antarctica (see http://www.snipca.
com/41527). Google has been using its
own backpack – called the Trekker – for
over 10 years, allowing it to take images
of Mount Fuji, the Amazon rainforest
and the Arabian Desert among many
other remote locations. It’s even gone
underwater to photograph the Great
Barrier Reef. By contrast, Apple’s got
some way to go yet – literally and
figuratively.What is it?
A mapping service from Apple that shows
the world in 360-degree photos at street
level. You can navigate by clicking the
screen, which takes you to the next image.Hmm, that sounds familiar. Is it
just like Google’s Street View?
Yes, basically the same. Street View
launched way back in 2007, when Apple
was too busy building early iPads and
iPhones to bother with such things. It
took the company another 12 years to
release its rival version, as part of an
upgrade to Apple Maps, in iOS 13.How do I use it?
Open Apple Maps on your iPhone or
iPad, then tap the grey binoculars icon at
the bottom left of your map. You’ll see
Look Around appear at the top of your
screen, with the binoculars showing you
on the map where it’s looking (^1 in our
screenshot, looking at Number 1 court at
Wimbledon). Tap the full-screen icon at
the top left^2 , then use your fingers to
drag left and right, move forward, and
zoom in and out.Can I use it in my
neighbourhood?
Depends. It covers far less of the UK- and of the world generally – than Street
View, particularly in areas that are
inaccessible to the company’s mapping
cars, which capture images using a
camera attached to the roof. Apple has a
plan to fix that though: backpacks.
Like that one below left?
Yes, exactly that. It’s being worn by Apple
staff conducting “pedestrian surveys” in
parts of England. Poking out the top are
cameras and Lidar sensors, which send
lasers to judge distances.Will they come near me?
Only if you live in Berkshire,
Birmingham, London, or Manchester –
the areas being captured by the survey.
Visit http://www.snipca.com/41524, then
click the map links and look for the
areas outlined in blue. They’re mostly
parks, pedestrianised streets and places
of interest, including the Tower of
London, Windsor Castle, Heaton Park in
Manchester and Sutton Park, six milesLook Around
Apple wants you to see more of the country from your phone
Issue 630 • 27 April – 10 May 20222
1