MapQuest is now the No. 1 U.S. app after bucking Trump’s ‘Lake America’ renaming

MapQuest, the mapping application that once ruled the app market, has made a remarkable comeback and now holds the top spot among U.S. apps on the App Store. The extraordinary turn of events began after the U.S. government directed the mapping services to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” a decision MapQuest refused to abide by. The company's refusal to comply sparked a wave of downloads as consumers supported MapQuest's stance, propelling the app to the top of the App Store chart.

As of Tuesday, MapQuest had surged to the No. 1 position across both apps and games on the U.S. App Store, and the app had seen over 1.5 million downloads in the U.S. and Canada combined since the executive order was announced. This unprecedented surge in downloads highlights the strong support from consumers, who not only downloaded the app but also engaged with it by making feature requests and submitting bug reports.

MapQuest's General Manager, Doug Berger, expressed his amazement at the level of engagement from users, stating that the company is working diligently to deliver an exceptional experience to its customers.

The company's defiance of the government's directive sets it apart from its larger competitors, such as Google Maps and Apple Maps, which both complied with the renaming. MapQuest's ownership by the internet advertising company System1, which acquired the app from Verizon in 2019, has allowed it more flexibility in taking such a stand. Although MapQuest was once the original mapping application, it has gradually ceded its dominance to Google Maps over the years.

In the span of just a few days, MapQuest's download numbers have skyrocketed, representing over 56% of its year-to-date U.S. downloads. The surge in downloads occurred at a significantly faster rate than it did during the same period last year, indicating a strong and growing consumer base.