Finding a parking space can be a real pain in the neck, especially if you’re travelling into an unfamiliar area. Fortunately, there are services that can help you find and reserve parking, and one of them has just joined forces with Apple Maps.
Apple Maps has partnered with SpotHero, integrating the service into Apple Maps on iPhone and Mac. Apple Maps will do all the navigational duties as usual, but it means you’ll be able to find information on parking spots close to your destination. All without leaving the Apple Maps app.
The feature launched on Apple Maps last week, and offers over 8,000 parking locations in 300 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Those locations include parking garages and lots, with the option to filter results based on whether there’s a valet, wheelchair accessibility or even electric car charging.
How to use SpotHero in Apple Maps
Using the SportHero service in Apple Maps is simple, too. All you have to do is search for your final destination, hit the three-dotted More menu on the bottom right side of your screen and look for the Parking option. This opens up a window to the SpotHero website within Apple Maps, letting you find, reserve and pay for a suitable parking space.
This partnership has the potential to make traveling to a new place that much easier. Whether you’re unfamiliar with your destination, or you know that parking availability is pretty scarce, having the option to see and reserve parking in Apple Maps is a big win.
Granted, you get redirected to a third-party webpage to do it, but you still have the convenience factor of everything happening inside Apple Maps. Plus it’s hardly the first time Apple Maps has brought in a third-party to help bolster its feature set.
This is just one more sign that Apple's walled garden is crumbling — for the better.
