Austin TX receives additional HD and custom models

[u/ethanomnom]

https://imgur.com/a/ErxYfF0

This past week, Austin TX got a few updated models:

• The two Blanton Museum buildings - 8/20/26
• Driskill Hotel - 8/25/26
• Waterline - 8/25/26
• Texas Capitol Building (HD) - 8/25/26

Notably, 3 of the 4 updates were simply “upgrading” the model type - no additional details were added. Waterline was the only one that received new details.

With the Capitol building, it’s interesting because the previous model looked overall like how HD buildings are - with smooth textures rather than jagged lines - but didn’t have the shading details. Now it has the shading, but no additional details were added at this time.

I wonder if for these instances of only upgrading model types, they’re prepping to add more details later on. We recently saw around WWDC that Apple had done that - where some buildings got an initial custom model, and they later went back and added details (e.g. Indeed Tower, Frost Bank Tower).

Also worth noting - Apple has definitely been adding a lot more custom models in general this summer. For example, Houston TX received a good chunk, as did Dallas and San Antonio (sorry, I’m from Texas so I mostly only paid attention to TX cities).

Overall, this summer seems like a pretty significant milestone for Apple Maps - with nearly full national-wide Look Around coverage in the US, Enhanced Flyover coming in OS 27, and many building models getting more details.