Search engine DuckDuckGo announced today that it has licensed Apple Maps for its map- and address-related search results on both mobile and desktop.

“We’re excited to work closely with Apple to set a new standard of trust online, and we hope you’ll enjoy this update,” a new post to the DuckDuckGo news blog reads. “We can now offer users improved address searches, additional visual features, enhanced satellite imagery, and continually updated maps.”

DuckDuckGo, which bills itself as a privacy-friendly alternative to Google Search, says it is one of the very first companies to use Apple MapKit JS, a web-based framework for using Apple Maps-powered maps on the web. And it has deeply integrated Apple Maps into its own service: These maps are available from the Maps tab, of course, but also embedded in the service’s private search results.

“At DuckDuckGo, we believe getting the privacy you deserve online should be as simple as closing the blinds,” the service explains. “Naturally, our strict privacy policy of not collecting or sharing any personal information extends to this integration. We do not send any personally identifiable information such as IP address to Apple or other third parties. For local searches, where your approximate location information is sent by your browser to us, we discard it immediately after use. You are still anonymous when you perform map and address-related searches on DuckDuckGo.”

Tagged with Apple Maps, DuckDuckGo