We know Apple has been making improvements to its Maps software following its disastrous launch in September 2012, but we weren’t aware that bolstering its monster-tracking capabilities was part of the plan.
Scotland’s mysterious Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as ‘Nessie’, seems to have turned up on Apple Maps, giving hope to fans of the lake-based beast that it really may exist.
Spotted on Apple Maps satellite imagery last year, the sighting has only just gained widespread attention, adding another layer of mystery to a story that has intrigued locals and visitors alike for hundreds of years. Looking at the image, we can see what appears to be an object around 30 meters (100 feet) long just below the surface of the water.
Glen Campbell, founder and president of The Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, seemed hopeful that Apple Maps had captured an image of the elusive creature.
“The interesting thing is that nobody has been able to explain what it is,” he told ABC News. “It’s pretty large, so it’s not a seal or an otter. It’s also not a whale or basking shark as some people claim, because they wouldn’t go in fresh water.”
While growing evidence suggests the object in the satellite photo is actually the wake of a boat, Campbell is adamant it isn’t.
“When you look at it, it looks like it could be a boat, but on the right-hand side, if you look at the various images taken from Apple Maps, you can see the other boats moored on the shore, which do not look similar at all,” he explained.
Campbell, who claims to have spotted Nessie with his own eyes 18 years ago, says this latest sighting has brought the legend “back into the forefront of the public imagination,” with debate once again raging over whether or not some kind of unusual creature really exists in the Scottish loch.
It’s also put Apple Maps back in the news, though the tech giant will be pleased that this latest tale isn’t quite along the lines of those embarrassing incidents from days gone by.
