Apple Maps' latest free update brings it closer to seriously rivalling Google Maps

Apple Maps continues to snap at the heels of the all-conquering Google Maps, and now it's introduced another feature that brings it closer to Google's offering.

Earlier this year, Apple rolled out a version of Maps that you could access with a web browser even if you don't have any Apple devices, and now it's given that web app one of the best features of the iPhone app.

The feature is Look Around, and we've got good news and bad news about it. The good news is that it's really, really good. And the bad news is that it's not widely available – whether you can get it depends on which bit of the world you want to Look Around at.

What is Look Around and where can you see it?

Look Around is similar to Google's famous Street View, and it gives you smooth 360-degree panoramic views from street level. Apple introduced it in iOS 13 back in 2019, and since then it's slowly added new bits of the world to its image database.

The problem here isn't a technical one but a logistical one: the world is big, and that means Apple has prioritised its busier bits.

The full list of Look Around maps is online at Apple's website, where you can see that the feature is available in London and Edinburgh, but not Birmingham nor Glasgow yet (for example).

You can get a really good view of where Look Around is and isn't available via the Look Map website: it shows coverage in dark green on a map of the world. Mainland Europe is pretty much completely dark green, but most of the UK and Ireland isn't covered just yet.

The new online version is officially a beta and it still lacks some key features of the Maps app, such as 3D buildings. And you can't currently use your Apple ID to access saved favourites. No doubt all of those things are on Apple's to-do list.

You can see the service and try Look Around for yourself at beta.maps.apple.com.