The updated Apple Maps is now testing extensions in Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia.

Apple has been working on updating Maps for years, starting in 2018 when the new interface was launched in Northern California. Since then, Apple has been expanding the availability of new looks and new features. What’s going on this week for three new areas.

As first noticed by Justin O’Bairn (via MacRumors), who keeps an eye on Apple Maps, this marks another major expansion for Apple Maps. Although, at the moment, this is all only in testing. Apple is testing the updated design in Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia.

According to O’Bairn’s magazine, this will be the sixteenth Apple Maps expansion to date. Meanwhile, the new regions will be the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth regions to receive the updated Apple Maps experience. And while this is testing, there are some missing elements:

Note. On test maps in the Palestinian areas, POI marks and trade corridors are completely absent. Turn-by-turn instructions are also not available in Saudi Arabia on test maps.

Apple began rolling out in 2018 and completed the availability of the new Apple Maps interface in 2020. Since then, the company has been expanding availability internationally, including in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Portugal and more.

As for testing, it should last at least a few weeks. After that, while everything is running smoothly, the updated Apple Maps interface will be available to users in these regions.