MapQuest is suddenly back in the spotlight after refusing to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.” The classic mapping app has now topped Apple’s US App Store. It even moved ahead of ChatGPT and ESPN Fantasy Sports.
The surprise comeback follows a post from MapQuest last week. The company said it would keep calling the lake Lake Ontario. Trump had pushed for the new name during rising tensions between the US and Canada.
Doug Berger, MapQuest’s general manager, explained the decision.
“We took the same approach we did with the Gulf of Mexico,” he said.
“Be part of the conversation, and give people an app that keeps the names they’re familiar with.”
Meanwhile, other major mapping apps took a different approach. Google Maps now shows “Lake America” to users in the US. Canadian users will still see “Lake Ontario.” Apple Maps also changed the name to Lake America on Tuesday. However, some users said the old name was still appearing.
MapQuest has also added a feature that lets users rename the lake themselves. Interestingly, the controversy has given the 1996 mapping service a huge boost. MapQuest said its app usage is now about 50 times higher than it was a week earlier. The company has also embraced the nostalgia wave. New users can pick fun avatars, including a unicorn or a wizard.
One TikTok user praised the app, saying,
“MapQuest is that girl.”
Eric Trump, however, mocked the comeback on X.
“Shocking to see you’re still alive,” he wrote.
Whether the new fans will stay remains unclear. For now, MapQuest is enjoying an unexpected comeback.
