CarPlay Gets a Speed Boost: OsmAnd and Google Maps Offer New Navigation Features
CarPlay users are in for a treat as popular navigation apps are stepping up their game with new features designed to enhance the driving experience. While Google Maps has long dominated the CarPlay navigation landscape, recent updates to both Google Maps and its alternative, OsmAnd, are adding features that directly address user demands.
One of the most requested features, a speedometer, has finally arrived in Google Maps for CarPlay. This addition, coupled with incident reporting, addresses a key frustration for CarPlay users who preferred Google Maps' functionality over Apple's native navigation solution.
However, Google Maps isn't the only app making waves in the CarPlay arena. OsmAnd, a well-regarded Google Maps alternative, has just launched version 4.8.1, packing a range of new features, including a much-requested speedometer. This profile-dependent widget can be added by users seeking real-time speed information. The update also refines the navigation experience by incorporating more context about the next turn, providing clearer and more user-friendly directions.
Beyond navigation improvements, OsmAnd's update also features a refreshed weather component, an eye-catching wind animation, and an enhanced multi-selection mode for Tracks.
The introduction of a speedometer in both Google Maps and OsmAnd is significant, as drivers often prefer to see their speed directly on their navigation screens. While this information is readily available on the vehicle's instrument cluster, navigation apps typically provide a more accurate reading based on GPS data.
This move by Google Maps follows in the footsteps of Waze, which has long offered a speedometer as a key feature, contributing to its popularity among users. With Google Maps now incorporating this feature, the gap between the two navigation giants is shrinking, leaving some to wonder how Waze's market share might be affected in the long term.
Google is adopting a phased rollout approach for the speedometer feature, meaning not all users will see it immediately. This strategy allows Google to test the feature with a smaller user group, identify potential issues, and refine the functionality before making it available to everyone. While the speedometer is expected to be fully rolled out by the end of the summer, the incident reporting feature is already live in the Google Maps app for CarPlay. Users can find the new button on the main screen for easy reporting.
The influx of new features on CarPlay demonstrates the growing competition in the navigation app market. As both Google Maps and its rivals continue to invest in enhancements, CarPlay users stand to benefit from a more comprehensive and user-friendly navigation experience.
