Apple said its crews will capture road details, traffic signs and landmarks nationwide, including areas inaccessible to vehicles. All data collection teams and vehicles will be clearly designated, the company said, promising to adhere to privacy protections.

Street-level imagery will be used for its Look Around feature.

Commenting on the announcement, Regio product manager Merle Annov said Apple's work in Estonia is not for a new product launch, but part of refining existing map data and adding street-level coverage.

Annov said the move shows smaller markets are still seen as worth investing in, but noted that street imagery alone does not improve all map layers, which depend on multiple data sources.

Different priorities mean there are as many views on what makes a good map as there are users, she added. 

"Some care most about accurate and up-to-date address data, while others want all hiking trails, boulders and protected areas listed," Annov said, adding that navigation depends on other key details such as footpaths and traffic restrictions.

Others, she added, value clarity and readability above all.

Annov said that all maps inevitably lag behind real-world changes and require constant updates, something local providers also work to minimize through direct integration with various registries, user feedback and continuous data monitoring.

While global platforms like Apple Maps and Google Maps dominate, she said local companies like Regio can still compete through more detailed coverage, faster updates and local expertise.

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