A few days ago, at Apple's WWDC 2026, multiple software updates were announced. In terms of map functionality, Apple announced that the Flyover mode of the city will receive a picture quality upgrade, with significantly improved details: from the outline of a single tree to the light and shadow reflection effect of a skyscraper's glass curtain wall, everything will be clearer and sharper.
This upgrade relies on two core technologies to achieve. Firstly, the new aerial data is captured by manned aircraft, and the image data is much richer than the content collected by previous drones; Next is Apple's self-developed visual intelligence series model, which can convert aerial images into complete and coherent 3D scenes.
This upgrade is not just about visual beautification: Apple has abandoned traditional textured polygon mesh technology and adopted a new rendering underlying architecture that can native present light and shadow reflections, transparency effects, as well as fine edge details such as drainage ditches and high-voltage cables.
Why is the 3DGS effect better than oblique photography
3D Gaussian Splashing (3DGS) abandons the traditional modeling process of oblique photography from images to point clouds, grids, and textures, relying on end-to-end optimization to directly express scenes using Gaussian ellipsoids. It has comprehensive advantages in detail restoration, modeling efficiency, data volume, real-time interaction, and data collection flexibility, presenting photo level image quality, achieving minute level modeling, smaller model size, and supporting smooth real-time rendering. It has stronger adaptability to weak textures and complex scenes.
The difference between the two is precisely reflected in the details that make 3D maps a point of ridicule for netizens. Photogrammetry technology will stitch multiple photos together into a continuous plane: isolated trees will turn into a blurry green block, power poles will turn into cluttered pixels, and reflective glass curtain walls will also turn into a dark and phantom.
Comparison of 3DGS and Tilt Model Effects
Gaussian particles can simulate the color shift caused by changes in viewing angle, and even if the viewing angle is rotated, the light and shadow reflection effects on the glass of skyscrapers can be truly preserved. This is also the core development idea of generative rendering technology in recent years: weakening rigid geometric models and relying more on data learning to restore scenes.
SHARP: Strong evidence of Apple's layout Gaussian sputtering technology
Apple's deep cultivation of radiation field technology is not a temporary move at this year's press conference. For many years, the company has been recruiting engineers with practical experience in Gaussian sputtering. In December 2025, Apple open-source the SHARP model, and the outside world also gained insight into its related research and development achievements. This system can complete new perspective image synthesis with only one photo.
Realistic view synthesis for a single image
Traditional 3D Gaussian sputtering technology requires taking dozens or even hundreds of photos of the same scene, while SHARP can estimate the depth and geometric structure of the image and locate millions of Gaussian particles through only one round of network operation; On a regular graphics card, the entire process takes less than one second.
The project code has been uploaded to GitHub at the repository address of apple/ml sharp. Since its release, it has received approximately 8500+stars, and the supporting papers have also been simultaneously published on the preprint platform arXiv.
In the field of 3D mapping technology, Google has achieved immersive view effects through the NeRF series radiation field technology, and its existing 3D maps have outstanding realism. Previously, netizens generally speculated that 3DGS technology would be introduced first by Google Maps, but unexpectedly, Apple Maps took the lead in applying this technology and planned to carry out global iteration on over 300 cities and landmark scenes, with a landing scale significantly exceeding Google's current radiation field application scope.
The new Flyover feature has not yet been launched. This update will be implemented on Apple Maps for iOS 27, macOS 27, and VisionOS 27 systems. The voxel rendering achieved through Gaussian sputtering can better leverage its advantages on the Vision Pro headset. As each city requires reprocessing based on brand new aerial footage, this feature will be gradually launched in stages.
