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Apple Overhauls Navigation With an iPhone Using Smarter Siri Guidance

It’s not a secret that Apple wants to make Apple Maps a worthy rival to Google Maps, so the Cupertino-based tech giant is working around the clock on new functionality that could help convince users to stick with its app when getting behind the wheel.
Apple Maps on CarPlay 1 photo
Photo: Apple
In the last few weeks, Apple has released updated maps for several locations across the world and new capabilities that are powered by Siri, making the navigation experience overall substantially more refined.

One example is the detailed Siri guidance, which allows the digital assistant to provide more straightforward instructions regarding which way to go. For example, Siri no longer just tells you the name of the street you should continue your route on but also uses stop signs and traffic lights for clearer instructions.

For instance, Siri can now tell you “Turn left at the next stop sign” or “After the traffic light, turn right,” all without saying the name of the street that you’re supposed to use. That makes more sense, especially because drivers don’t always know the name of the streets, and using stop signs and traffic lights as an indicator of which way to go is a lot more convenient.

This feature has debuted earlier this year and is now going live gradually across the United States for more and more users.

At the same time, Siri is also getting smarter with bilingual support, and can pronounce street names that aren’t in English correctly. One such example has been detailed here on reddit where Siri gives directions in English but correctly pronounces a street's name with a French accent.

Once again, this new capability is rolling out to users out there, but not everybody sees it just yet. The availability depends on a series of factors, like the region where you live. Needless to say, those in Europe will probably have to wait the longest to get all these improvements on their devices.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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