The ‘ETA Always-On’ Trick That’s Fixing Morning Routines
Redditor u/JAR14, who admits to being perpetually late, described a clever method of staying punctual using Apple Maps’ real-time Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) feature. The strategy? Open the Maps app first thing in the morning, punch in your destination, and just leave it on.
No route started. No navigation activated. Just a constantly updating ETA staring back at you.
The user wrote: “Every time I look down, I see the ETA. And I know. And can decide what I can do or don’t have time for.”
It’s not revolutionary in terms of tech—but in practice, it turns your iPhone into a personal timekeeper that constantly reminds you of your vanishing minutes. According to the poster, it even helped them arrive on time for a dentist appointment, which, for someone who describes themselves as habitually tardy, was a small but mighty win.
Apple Maps Gets a Redemption Arc?
The comments section lit up with praise and similar experiences. One fellow iPhone user mentioned how integrating addresses into the Apple Calendar with “time to leave” alerts became their own secret weapon against lateness. Another person joked that while the battery hit is real, “sometimes ya gotta just choose your poison.”
Surprisingly, this small community hack is helping to change the narrative around Apple Maps—an app that had one of the roughest launches in tech history. When it debuted in 2012, CEO Tim Cook had to publicly apologize for its inaccuracies and even recommended users try other services, including Google Maps.
But fast-forward to now, and Apple Maps is quietly becoming a feature-packed underdog. From offline navigation to tighter system integration with iOS, the app has slowly earned a second look—especially from iPhone users who value a clean interface and smarter scheduling support.
Here’s Why It Matters
Sure, Google Maps remains the dominant player with more users and arguably better location data. But Apple Maps’ system-wide integration gives it an edge when it comes to syncing with your daily life. For people with ADHD or anyone who struggles with managing time in the rush of a morning routine, seeing a live countdown every time you pick up your phone might be the gentle nudge you didn’t know you needed.
So whether you’re a techie loyalist, a late-riser, or just someone seeking small wins in an otherwise chaotic morning grind, this Apple Maps trick might just be the underrated iPhone feature you’ve been sleeping on.
And who knows? It might be the thing that finally pulls you out of bed on time.