You Might See Apple Cars With 360° Cameras Roaming Around M'sia. Here's What They're Up To
You may also see people walking around with large white backpacks!
By Tharshini Skovalan — 10 Nov 2023, 05:03 PM
Apple will be conducting a ground survey in Malaysia starting today, 10 November, indicates that the Look Around feature on its Maps app may soon be available in the country
The Look Around feature is Apple's version of Google Street View, designed to help users explore or identify specific areas on a map with a 360-degree panoramic view
The feature was initially introduced as part of the Apple Maps rebuild, and was rolled out in the US and Europe in 2020. However, it has yet to come to Malaysia, until now.
Soon, may spot Apple-labelled cars with 360-degree cameras on highways and in residential areas. You may even notice individuals with large white backpacks walking around.
The on-ground survey will gather both imagery and LiDAR data for the Look Around feature on Apple Maps.
Apple will run this survey in Malaysia until mid-2024. Here's the schedule for the deployment of its vehicles and ground staff:
Selangor: 10 November 2023 – 29 February 2024
Kuala Lumpur: 10 November 2023 – 29 February 2024
Putrajaya: 1 December 2023 – 9 December 2023
Negeri Sembilan: 1 March 2024 – 19 March 2024
Melaka: 21 March 2024 – 4 April 2024
Johor: 10 April 2024 – 6 June 2024
Pahang: 11 June 2024 – 24 June 2024
Terengganu: 27 June 2024 – 8 July 2024
Kelantan: 16 July 2024 – 22 July 2024
Perak: 1 March 2024 – 4 April 2024
Pulau Pinang: 8 April 2024 – 27 April 2024
Kedah: 30 April 2024 – 30 May 2024
Perlis: 1 June 2024 – 5 June 2024
Sabah: 2 January 2024 – 22 March 2024
Labuan: 27 March 2024 – 5 April 2024
Sarawak: 6 April 2024 – 25 July 2024
The survey will focus on places reachable by road, while on-foot staff equipped with iPads, iPhones, or other devices will collect data in pedestrian areas to improve Apple Maps.
Besides that, Apple also has assured Malaysians that it will do its part in protecting their privacy
Apple made it clear that they will protect the public's privacy by blurring faces, license plates, and sensitive details in all Look Around images.
If users wish to delete or remove specific objects for privacy reasons, they can do so by contacting Apple via email.
