Apple has rolled out a major update in Apple Maps which will now display Indigenous lands in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Apple has also announced new initiatives with remote communities to improve education standards while still preserving local cultures.
The company is also expanding the Apple Foundation Programme to provide opportunities for students to learn coding and pursue a career in the growing app economy.
“We’ve had teams in Australia and New Zealand for over 40 years, and we’re thrilled to deepen our relationships here and bring new opportunities to communities across both countries,” said Alisha Johnson Wilder, Apple’s senior director of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.
“These efforts put community first by representing Indigenous land, expanding access to education, and protecting our shared environment.”
APPLE MAPS – INDIGENOUS LANDS
Apple has been working closely with Indigenous advisors, cartographers, Indigenous community members and Traditional Owners to represent Indigenous land within Apple Maps.
From today users will see Indigenous protected areas, reserves, Indigenous place names, Traditional Country and, in some areas, dual language labels.
Users will also find information about Indigenous lands within new place cards so they can learn about the local area and traditional owners.
It’s also possible for communities to even add their own photos, destinations on their land as well as text in their own language.
Apple has been working closely with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
“Sharing our story and deep connection to the land is a meaningful moment for our community — a testament to our resilience, history, and vision for the future,” said Rodriguez Pindiying, a community member from Mamadawerre.
“This isn’t just about geography; it’s about preserving our culture and ensuring Mamadawerre’s legacy for generations.
“Through Apple, we have the rare privilege of sharing our heritage on a global stage, reminding the world that no matter how distant we may seem, our connection to the land, to each other, and to the world is universal.”
In New Zealand, Apple partnered with Indigenous cartographers and several iwi (Māori tribes) to develop detailed place cards and map icons which include one for marae – a significant meeting place and cultural centre for Māori.
EXPANDING COMMUNITY GRANTS
Apple has always maintained a deep connection with communities with a focus on supporting students and teachers and protecting the environment with digital technology.
Apple is further committing to work more closely with the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust (KKT), established by Traditional Owners of the Warddeken and Djelk Indigenous Protected Areas across West and Central Arnhem Land.
Apple has supported CKT’s Indigenous Women’s Ranger programme since 2022 which offer employment and leadership opportunities in remote community areas.
Those participating in these programmes can learn and transfer essential knowledge between generations of women while blending traditional cultural practices with cutting edge science and strengthening their connection to the environment to help combat climate change.
Across Australia, grants from Apple also support:
— Worawa Aboriginal College, a boarding school in Victoria for young Aboriginal women who come from communities in urban, regional, and remote Australia. Apple is working with Elder in Residence Dr Lois Peeler AM and artist Dr Baden Pailthorpe to use iPad to deepen the students’ creativity as they preserve the school’s story and heritage.
— The Djamu Youth Justice Program, an initiative from the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Apple’s funding supports Indigenous young people in the justice system, creating meaningful connections to art and culture, and providing opportunities to learn about vocational pathways in the arts.
— ID. Know Yourself (IDKY), a not-for-profit organisation that supports Aboriginal children and families impacted by the out-of-home care, child protection, and justice system within Gadigal Country, Sydney, Australia. Through its partnership with Apple, IDKY is making technology accessible for the community, advancing skills development, and unlocking creativity.
— Common Ground, an organisation that’s using iPad to advance the storytelling capability of First Nations people to strengthen cultures, languages, and traditions.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Apple is strengthening its partnership with e Pūkenga New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology — a vocational training and education organisation with 25 Polytechnic and industry training divisions.
This will allow them to expand programming to even more teachers in Māori immersion schools as well as equipping students with essential skills and giving them the opportunity of earning a new accreditation in digital technology.
APPLE DEVELOPER ACADEMY
In 2022, Apple introduced the Apple Foundation Programme at University of Technology Sydney and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) – a four week course for students to learn the basics of app development with swift even if they had no prior coding experience.
Apple is introducing third Apple Foundation Programme with Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth which will be housed in the new city campus which will open in early 2026.
Apple is expecting more than 100 students to go through the programme in the first year alone.
