One great addition to the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad line of electronics with the release of the iOS 6 operating system is 3D map capabilities. Apple took the liberty of replacing the old Google Maps application with one of its own creation. 3D maps are a great way to get a more accurate feel for a particular area. Instead of only seeing where a particular location is supposed to be on any given street, you can now get a feel for the way the surrounding area looks. The 3D map capabilities of your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad aren’t enabled by default, however. In order to see them you have to make a few very specific changes to the “Maps” application.
Step 1
Open your Apple device’s “Maps” application. Note that there is no way to uninstall the native “Maps” app, so don’t worry about its accidental removal. The icon appears to be very similar to the old Google Maps application that was available in previous versions of the iOS operating system.
Step 2
If you’re trying to get directions to a particular location, tap the button in the upper left corner of the “Maps” application labeled “Directions.” If you just want to see a three dimensional view of a specific location and have no interest in turn by turn directions, tap inside the “Search” bar in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3
Enter your desired location information into the boxes on screen. If you’re trying to get directions between two places, enter each address into the boxes on screen and tap the blue “Route” button. If you only want to view a 3D map for one particular location, enter that address into the bar on screen and tap “Search.” Note that if you want to see a 3D view of your current location, tap the triangular “Location” indicator button in the lower left corner of the “Maps” application.
Step 4
Tap the small grey button labeled “3D” in the lower left corner of the “Maps” application. The label on the button will turn from grey lettering to blue lettering. The 3D maps functionality of your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad will now be enabled. The viewing window in the main portion of the application will shift slightly to allow for three dimensional maps.
Step 5
Disable the 3D maps feature of the “Maps” application at any time by tapping again on the “3D” button in the lower left corner of the screen. The blue letters reading “3D” will turn grey and the main viewing window will shift back to its original configuration.
