Folks in Germany can now contribute to the Apple Maps rating system via an iPhone, iPad or Mac following the feature’s debut in the US and Canada in 2021.
Native Apple Maps ratings have launched in Germany
The German launch of Maps ratings was first reported by the German-language blogiphone-ticker.de, which underscored these terms and conditions:
Anyone who chooses to contribute to the new ratings database agrees toApple’s Terms of Use for Ratings and Photos. At the end of these extensive guidelines is a keyword list of those points that Apple does not want to see in this context. In addition to content-related exclusion criteria, this also includes technical specifications, for example, the submitted photos must be good and sufficiently large and may only be in JPEG, PNG or HEIC formats.
VisitApple’s iOS Feature Availability webpagefor the complete list of supported Apple Maps capabilities and other features and services in your region and language.
How to rate a place on Apple Maps
To provide ratings and photos for a particular place, select it on a map and choose “Rate” from the place card. Rate:6 tips for using Maps on Apple Watch
No Rate button? If so, this place currently doesn’t support native Maps ratings.
How to view your Apple Maps ratings and uploaded photos
You can view and delete your ratings and uploaded photos by choosing the “Ratings & Photos” option after clicking your profile picture in Maps.
A history of your ratings and photo uploads is tied to your Apple ID.
How to stop receiving suggestions for Apple Maps ratings and photos
Apple wants as many people as possible to contribute to Maps ratings by uploading their own photos and giving places a thumbs up or down. To achieve that, Siri intelligence running on your device (nothing is sent to the cloud or shared with Apple) may suggest submitting a Maps rating or photos.Apple’s support documentclaims this only happens if the user recently visited or took a photo of a point of interest. Should you find these suggestions annoying, disable them by turning off the option labeled “Show Ratings and Photos Suggestions” inSettings → Maps.
Ratings and your privacy
The Apple Maps & Privacy document on Apple’s website says that publicly posting these ratings, photos and other content to points of interest is purely optional. If you don’t want to use this feature, you don’t have to. Unlike other Maps activity, ratings and photos that you share within the feature are linked with your Apple ID
“Ratings and photos you share are linked to your Apple ID to ensure a safe experience,” Apple says. “Maps usage outside of ratings and photos is not linked to your Apple ID.” In other words, Apple may collect or retain some personal information related to your usage of the native ratings and photo uploads on Apple Maps.
