Google Maps and Waze Updated With New iPhone and CarPlay Features

Google has announced new Waze and Google Maps features rolling out for iPhone and CarPlay users that aim to keep them safer and more informed on the go.

google maps waze updates
First up, changes to Maps aim to make it easier to report incidents and helpful information, like nearby construction, lane closures, objects and police presence. These reports come from the Maps and Waze communities, and users will now see which app a report came from. There are larger reporting icons that are designed to be easier to tap for quickly sharing updates, and other drivers can also confirm the incident with a quick tap.

Meanwhile, Google Maps gains new destination guidance to make it less confusing when users don't know where to enter or park when they arrive somewhere, especially if it's nighttime. When driving to a place, Maps' new destination guidance will automatically light up your building and its entrance as you approach it, in addition to showing you nearby parking lots.

Over on Waze, Google is adding the ability to see new camera types that enforce things like speed limits and carpool lanes. For example, drivers now see an alert if they're approaching a camera that snaps pictures for things like speeding, running a red light, using the wrong lane (like bus, HOV or carpool), not wearing a seatbelt, or using phones while driving.

In addition, Waze is getting a new traffic events feature, which is meant to give users a better understanding of how things like parades, concerts, and sporting events are impacting nearby traffic. If a driver recently went through an impacted area or has places saved near the area in Waze, they will now get a notification once the event has started. This will include details like the cause of the event, if there are road closures and real-time traffic conditions. To help your friends and family, these details are also easily shareable, allowing others to be more prepared for their own ride.

Lastly, Waze drivers will soon get navigation guidance like turn-by-turn directions and real-time traffic updates while their phone is locked. Google says Lock Screen navigation for Waze is coming to iOS this fall, while the other updates to Google Maps and Waze are rolling out globally now on Android and iOS, cars with Google built-in, Android Auto, and Apple ‌CarPlay‌.

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Top Rated Comments

Justin Cymbal Avatar
10 months ago
That’s awesome!

Most of the time I use Apple Maps because Apple has greatly improved their map application since they launched it over a decade ago

Apple seems to integrate Maps into the rest of their applications much more seamlessly than Google (or any other company) has the ability to and for that reason, I tend to use Apple Maps over Google maps, Waze etc.

However, Google and Waze making improvements to their maps applications will indirectly benefit users of Apple Maps as competition will entice Apple to innovate more to better compete with Google and other companies
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cfountain72 Avatar
10 months ago
Apple Maps is a beautiful app, especially when you're in the right cities. But year after year, I keep returning to Waze. Its simple layout and interface is what you need when you're driving, not necessarily being able to count how many trees there are or the shape a golf green. Plus, in my experience, it does a better of job of trying to reroute me around real-time traffic issues than Apple Maps.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magbarn Avatar
10 months ago
Love Waze. Has saved me thousands of dollars in tickets. It's why I will continue to avoid every car that doesn't allow CarPlay as an option.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LoveToMacRumors Avatar
10 months ago
Waze is the best when it comes to police presence. Is google maps going to feed data from waze to display more often the police?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trainwrecka Avatar
10 months ago
I finally switched to Apple Maps. I’ve tried a few times with horrible results, but the 2024 version has been great. The farther I can get away from Google, the better.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
10 months ago

Apple Music tells you what you want to hear.
Apple News tells you what you want to know.
Apple Maps tells you where you want to go.
Well actually, I'd say it is more like:

Apple Music tells you what they think you want to hear.
Apple News tells you what they think you want to know.
Apple Maps tells you where they think you want to go.

/jk
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)