The Maps Guide — Maps & Earth Updates https://themapsguide.com/news/ Independent reporting on significant Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google My Maps developments. en Trump says Google declined his Atlantic Ocean name-change request https://themapsguide.com/news/trump-google-maps-atlantic-ocean-name/ https://googletreks.org/news/trump-google-maps-atlantic-ocean-name/#news-article 2026-10-22 Alice Maps & Earth Updates At an October 21 rally in South Carolina, Trump recounted asking Google about renaming the Atlantic Ocean. He attributed a refusal to Sundar Pichai and indicated he would leave the name alone. The purported conversation remains Trump’s account. UN Backs Equal-Area World Maps: What Equal Earth Changes https://themapsguide.com/news/un-equal-earth-map-mercator-projection/ https://googletreks.org/news/un-equal-earth-map-mercator-projection/#news-article 2026-09-08 Alice Maps & Earth Updates The UN's “Correct the Map” decision has renewed attention to how world maps portray continental size. Here is what the decision supports, how Equal Earth differs from Mercator, and what the comparison means for classrooms and digital maps. Google Makes Places Insights Historical Snapshots Generally Available https://themapsguide.com/news/google-places-insights-historical-snapshots/ https://googletreks.org/news/google-places-insights-historical-snapshots/#news-article 2026-09-07 Alice Maps & Earth Updates Google's September 2 update changes how analysts can compare place records across months. Here is what the release adds, who it is for, and why a change in map records does not by itself prove a business opened or closed. Why Google Maps Shows “Lake America” in the U.S. and “Lake Ontario” in Canada https://themapsguide.com/news/google-maps-lake-america-lake-ontario-labels/ https://googletreks.org/news/google-maps-lake-america-lake-ontario-labels/#news-article 2026-09-06 Alice Maps & Earth Updates Google Maps now shows different names for the same lake depending on the user’s country. Here is what Google says each region sees, what the U.S. GNIS record and Canada’s official names database say, and how Google, Apple, MapQuest, and Bing currently differ. Google Integrates WeatherNext 3 Into Maps: What's Confirmed and What's Still Unclear https://themapsguide.com/news/google-weathernext-3-maps-weather-forecasts/ https://googletreks.org/news/google-weathernext-3-maps-weather-forecasts/#news-article 2026-09-05 Alice Maps & Earth Updates Google says its new WeatherNext 3 forecasting model is now integrated into Maps. Here is what the announcement establishes, what can be examined through Weather Lab and the developer platform, and what Google has not yet explained for ordinary Maps users.