Apple employees are not only in France to improve the Maps application, they are also in the United Kingdom and more precisely in England. They are also on foot to map some cities.

Apple Maps Teams is in the UK

Apple uses cameras and sensors mounted on pedestrian backpacks to collect map data in over 85 specific cities and towns including Berkshire, Greater London, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. It is a question of getting into pedestrianized areas, which are difficult to reach, or even completely inaccessible by car.

Upon arrival, it will improve upon the Maps application and be on par with Street View, like Google Maps. As is already possible in many cities in the United States, we can walk the streets and choose our preferred angle. Apple has yet to say when the data will be available for England. Furthermore, the group has not revealed when it will be available in France.

Here’s what Apple says for on-foot mapping on its site:

Some pedestrian recordings use backpack-mounted equipment to access the data directly in the map, for example for a 360º view. Other pedestrian recordings are made with iPads, iPhones or other devices to improve shots. These pedestrian recordings allow us to improve and update the Maps app in areas where vehicles cannot easily pass while using the same privacy protections as vehicles.