Handelsstreit: Apple ändert Namen von Lake Ontario in „Lake America“

Apple Maps has altered the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for users in the United States following an executive order by President Donald Trump. This decision came shortly after Alphabet, the parent company of Google Maps, also renamed the lake for US users. Apple's name change aligns with the update to the United States Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which is the source of the lake's official name in the US.

Canadian users will still see the lake as Lake Ontario, while users worldwide will be able to view the lake under both names, similar to Apple's previous action regarding the Gulf of Mexico. These alterations highlight how US tech companies are being influenced by US political disputes, despite international organizations rejecting such changes.

Trump's order for Lake Ontario's name change affects only federal US usage and does not dictate other countries' naming conventions. A recent poll shows that most Americans are against Trump's actions, including raising taxes on imported Canadian goods and renaming the lake. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New York Governor Kathy Hochul both pledged to keep the lake's original name.

Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America, is predominantly located in Canada, with a smaller portion in New York. Trump has been making provocative statements towards Canada, even suggesting it could become the 51st US state, a notion his leaders have dismissed as absurd. In January 2025, Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, prompting similar adjustments from Apple and Google for US users.