Google Maps for iOS Updated With Spoken Traffic Alerts - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Google Maps for iOS Updated With Spoken Traffic Alerts

by

Google today updated its Google Maps app to version 4.12, adding spoken traffic alerts in navigation mode as well as the ability to easily add new or missing businesses from the app's sidebar.

googlemapsspoken
Spoken traffic alerts will tell users about traffic congestion and incidents on a user's route. Additionally, users will get traffic descriptions summarizing traffic conditions before they set off on their journey. The feature is similar to Google-owned Waze's notifications, which also verbally points out traffic congestion, incidents and the location of police in the area.

Google Maps is a universal app available for free in the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Google Maps

Top Rated Comments

S
scott523
141 months ago
Great to see Google is catching up on this feature. Apple already had this earlier this year at the start of iOS 9 beta.

Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mejsric Avatar
mejsric
141 months ago
If there is no Apple Map then iPhone users probably won't receive this update...

Thanks Apple for creating Apple Map.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
K
KALLT
141 months ago
It’s such a shame that Google owns these two applications, they are simply the best in their class. Pity, I don’t want to have anything to do with Google.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
K
KALLT
141 months ago
shame you are missing some of the best iOS apps due to what reason?
Google’s business model and attitude towards user privacy for a start. They are ruthless in their collection of data and I’m not going to hand over a steady supply of GPS data along with persistent identifiers for them to store forever and analyse. This data is too sensitive and Apple promises not to do this. Google Maps is a carrot and stick for what they are really after and for me it isn’t a relationship I want to have.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spink10 Avatar
Spink10
141 months ago
If there is no Apple Map then iPhone users probably won't receive this update...

Thanks Apple for creating Apple Map.
Very good point
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shamino Avatar
shamino
141 months ago
You do realise that obeying the speed limits would even be more of lifesaver ;-)
Not necessarily. Many cities (well, at least Washington DC, which I'm personally familiar with) sets up countless photo speed traps. Like when they decide stick a 35MPH sign on an interstate highway in order to issue several thousand $100+ tickets a day to everybody who is (safely) driving 55-65 on that road.

Slamming on your brakes to obey that limit would be far more dangerous than going through at 55 and getting the ticket.

Of course, avoiding Washington DC altogether is an even bigger lifesaver, but that's not always an option.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

google ask maps

Google Maps Can Now Order Your Dinner and Track Your Train Delays

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:59 pm PDT by
Google today added new agentic capabilities to the Gemini-powered "Ask Maps" assistant in the Google Maps app. Ask Maps can complete multi-step tasks, such as ordering a meal for you on your way home. Google says you can simply say something like "order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home," and Maps will find open restaurants along your route, let you pick one,...
Read Full Article • 45 comments
Apple Maps Google Maps Icons

Google Maps Showing 'Lake America' in U.S., Apple Maps Yet to Follow

Monday August 31, 2026 6:33 am PDT by
Google Maps users in the U.S. will now see the name "Lake America" instead of "Lake Ontario" for the Great Lake that straddles the New York—Ontario border. Google said it made this change in response to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) updating the name for "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America," following an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump last week....
Read Full Article • 237 comments
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
Read Full Article • 120 comments