Photo: Statista
Google Maps continued to be the king of the navigation castle in the United States thanks to nearly 25 million downloads recorded in 2022.
Also owned by Google, Waze was the runner-up in the rankings, with over 9 million downloads, so overall, the Mountain View-based search firm is dominating the navigation space with approximately 34 million installs.
Google Maps is the native navigation solution on Android, but at the same time, it’s also a leading choice in the Apple ecosystem. iPhones come with Apple Maps pre-loaded, but Google Maps is often the preferred solution for navigation on both the smartphone and CarPlay.
While Google Maps and Apple Maps are offering a similar feature lineup, what makes a huge difference is the market focus. Apple Maps continues to be aimed specifically at Americans, as the new features typically roll out in other regions at a much slower pace.
But what is likely to push many Apple Maps users to Google Maps is the lack of offline maps. The new numbers specifically concern the United States, so Google Maps managed to beat its rival on its playground.
Waze was the runner-up, with over 9 million downloads thanks to improved adoption in the United States and in other international markets. Compared to Google Maps and Apple Maps, Waze relies on a crowdsourcing engine that allows users to send reports on road conditions.
The application supports a wide range of traffic reports, including speed traps, roadkill, fog, cars stopped on the road, and potholes. Based on this information, Waze can generate faster routes and more accurate ETAs, as it can avoid the sectors that are reported as producing slowdowns.
The rankings also include several less high-profile navigation solutions, such as Trucker Path, an application that’s specifically aimed at providing truck drivers with route guidance. Given Google Maps and Waze lack such a navigation mode, these applications are gaining traction, both on Android and iOS.
Citymapper, Roadtrippers, and Gaia GPS are among the top 10 solutions as well, though the number of downloads in their case dropped below the 1 million threshold.
In the meantime, Google Maps is getting new features. The most recent update prepares the app for new-generation navigation with new capabilities aimed at Android Automotive users, including a mode that allows them to add charging stops in shorter routes as well. On Android Automotive, Google Maps has access to more vehicle data, including battery information and the current range, therefore being able to estimate if an EV can reach a defined destination without a charging stop. If this isn’t possible, Google Maps can automatically add a charging stop along a route or suggest nearby stations to get the extra juice required for a full journey.
Google Maps is the native navigation solution on Android, but at the same time, it’s also a leading choice in the Apple ecosystem. iPhones come with Apple Maps pre-loaded, but Google Maps is often the preferred solution for navigation on both the smartphone and CarPlay.
While Google Maps and Apple Maps are offering a similar feature lineup, what makes a huge difference is the market focus. Apple Maps continues to be aimed specifically at Americans, as the new features typically roll out in other regions at a much slower pace.
But what is likely to push many Apple Maps users to Google Maps is the lack of offline maps. The new numbers specifically concern the United States, so Google Maps managed to beat its rival on its playground.
Waze was the runner-up, with over 9 million downloads thanks to improved adoption in the United States and in other international markets. Compared to Google Maps and Apple Maps, Waze relies on a crowdsourcing engine that allows users to send reports on road conditions.
The application supports a wide range of traffic reports, including speed traps, roadkill, fog, cars stopped on the road, and potholes. Based on this information, Waze can generate faster routes and more accurate ETAs, as it can avoid the sectors that are reported as producing slowdowns.
The rankings also include several less high-profile navigation solutions, such as Trucker Path, an application that’s specifically aimed at providing truck drivers with route guidance. Given Google Maps and Waze lack such a navigation mode, these applications are gaining traction, both on Android and iOS.
Citymapper, Roadtrippers, and Gaia GPS are among the top 10 solutions as well, though the number of downloads in their case dropped below the 1 million threshold.
In the meantime, Google Maps is getting new features. The most recent update prepares the app for new-generation navigation with new capabilities aimed at Android Automotive users, including a mode that allows them to add charging stops in shorter routes as well. On Android Automotive, Google Maps has access to more vehicle data, including battery information and the current range, therefore being able to estimate if an EV can reach a defined destination without a charging stop. If this isn’t possible, Google Maps can automatically add a charging stop along a route or suggest nearby stations to get the extra juice required for a full journey.
Google News