Apple has updated the label for Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for users of its map application in the United States, following lobbying by President Donald Trump. This change occurred on the same day that John Ternus became Apple's new CEO. Apple is the second US-based tech company to comply with Trump's executive order, with Google also announcing a similar change for its Google Maps on the preceding Saturday.
While Trump's order does not compel private companies to change their naming conventions, it modifies the US Geographic Names Information System, which standardizes how the federal government refers to geographical features. Companies like Google utilize this information system for their mapping services.
Statements from Trump administration officials indicate that the president has taken steps to encourage compliance from private companies that depend on federal government approvals and contracts. US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated in an interview that Trump reached out to Apple directly last week to request the name change on the Apple Maps app.
Apple has previously made name changes as requested by Trump, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' and changing the name of Denali to 'Mount McKinley'. It remains unclear if Apple Maps will adopt the same approach as Google regarding the label change. Apple has not yet responded to inquiries from Al Jazeera.
In a statement, Google confirmed that its maps follow names listed in official government sources, resulting in US users seeing 'Lake America', while Canadian users see 'Lake Ontario', and users in other countries see both labels. However, not all digital mapping companies are following the name change; MapQuest has publicly opposed it, stating, 'Name it whatever you want at your leisure.'
Trump's initiative to rename Lake Ontario occurs amid deteriorating relations between the US and Canada during his second term, particularly after trade negotiations stalled, leading to the US imposing tariffs on nearly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada has responded with plans to impose its own tariffs on US exports of equivalent value. Lake Ontario, located between the two countries, derives its name from the Indigenous Wendat language. Trump's administration aims to enhance US influence in the Western Hemisphere, which includes changing naming conventions and promoting English as the official language.