Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Google Maps and Waze, both owned by Google, are two navigation apps that despite looking similar, have completely different purposes.
While Google Maps is an all-in-one solution that packs capabilities like offline maps and support for walking, public transportation, and biking, Waze is entirely aimed at drivers. It uses a crowdsourcing engine that makes a permanent Internet connection a must-have, therefore being able to always keep users up-to-date about what’s happening on the road.
This difference between the two is also the reason why Waze is still alive today. While many people think that Waze should be integrated into Google Maps, such an approach would only make the navigation app more cluttered, so Google prefers to continue offering two separate solutions, each with its own purpose.
However, it’s not a secret that in some ways, the two applications are already working together to provide more accurate data to the user. For example, Google Maps imports some traffic data from Waze, including the location of accidents, so the ETAs and the warnings offered to users are eventually more accurate.
On the other hand, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship between Google Maps and Waze shouldn’t be further improved.
And one area where users would really benefit from such an expansion is the way Waze provides information on the parking location.
If you use Waze, whenever you park the car and close Waze, the application automatically adds a pin to the map to remember the location of the vehicle. A notification also shows up on the mobile device to let you know that the parking location has been saved.
Without a doubt, this comes in very handy, especially when going to the supermarket, and finding the car isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do. When you re-open Waze, the application also offers an ETA to the location of the car, so you’ll know how long it takes to walk to the vehicle.
However, Waze doesn’t provide walking directions to the saved location, simply because it doesn’t integrate walking navigation in the first place.
And this is where Google Maps should step in and help Waze.
Given Google Maps already packs walking support, Waze should be updated with support for walking directions to the car via its Google sibling. Sure, this would require Google Maps to be installed on the mobile device (given there’s currently no way to integrate a Google Maps feature directly into Waze), but on the other hand, the search giant could this way bring its apps even closer together if the long-term plan is to keep both of them on the market.
Of course, given it’s Google we’re talking about here, you’d better not hold your breath for such an update. And when it comes to the future of Waze and possible integration in Google Maps, just never say never.
This difference between the two is also the reason why Waze is still alive today. While many people think that Waze should be integrated into Google Maps, such an approach would only make the navigation app more cluttered, so Google prefers to continue offering two separate solutions, each with its own purpose.
However, it’s not a secret that in some ways, the two applications are already working together to provide more accurate data to the user. For example, Google Maps imports some traffic data from Waze, including the location of accidents, so the ETAs and the warnings offered to users are eventually more accurate.
On the other hand, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship between Google Maps and Waze shouldn’t be further improved.
And one area where users would really benefit from such an expansion is the way Waze provides information on the parking location.
If you use Waze, whenever you park the car and close Waze, the application automatically adds a pin to the map to remember the location of the vehicle. A notification also shows up on the mobile device to let you know that the parking location has been saved.
Without a doubt, this comes in very handy, especially when going to the supermarket, and finding the car isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do. When you re-open Waze, the application also offers an ETA to the location of the car, so you’ll know how long it takes to walk to the vehicle.
However, Waze doesn’t provide walking directions to the saved location, simply because it doesn’t integrate walking navigation in the first place.
And this is where Google Maps should step in and help Waze.
Given Google Maps already packs walking support, Waze should be updated with support for walking directions to the car via its Google sibling. Sure, this would require Google Maps to be installed on the mobile device (given there’s currently no way to integrate a Google Maps feature directly into Waze), but on the other hand, the search giant could this way bring its apps even closer together if the long-term plan is to keep both of them on the market.
Of course, given it’s Google we’re talking about here, you’d better not hold your breath for such an update. And when it comes to the future of Waze and possible integration in Google Maps, just never say never.
Google News