Mysterious Waze Update Causes Another Key Feature to Go Missing

Not long ago, I noticed that Waze no longer allows users to expand traffic reports for additional context. Certain submissions, such as map chats, make no sense, as tapping them while sitting in a traffic jam is no longer possible.

As if removing this feature wasn't already awkward enough, the old behavior where users can expand map reports continues to be available for some users. An update seemingly removed the feature only for select users, possibly as an experiment that Waze could eventually expand to the entire user base (fingers crossed for the whole thing to be just a bug that would get a fix in a future update).

While things on this front are still very confusing, a new bug has emerged seemingly from another mysterious Waze update.

The option to report the police on the other side of the road has suddenly gone missing. Like in the case of the glitch mentioned above, the feature is still live on certain devices. It's still unclear if Waze is running another experiment. Still, the confusion reaches new heights in the meantime, especially because some users can't send these police reports, regardless of their mobile platform.

The "Other side" option is still available on my iPhone, running the latest Waze version. Still, I came across reports (here and here) from several users confirming that they no longer see this setting when reporting a speed trap. On the other hand, Waze no longer allows me to expand traffic reports, whether driving or sitting in a parking lot.

The Google-owned company has remained tight-lipped on all these confusing updates for the app, but the latest changes within the Waze division have made many believe that its days are already numbered. Google has moved the Google Maps and Waze teams under the same roof to allow employees to collaborate more efficiently on new features.

The search giant has also dropped support for Waze Ads in Waze and moved the app to Google Ads. The decision led to a massive layoff within Waze, with some analysts claiming the navigation software purchased by Google in 2023 is slowly but surely integrated into Google Maps. The Mountain View-based search giant has yet to comment on this speculation.

In the meantime, if the features mentioned above have gone missing for you, too, there's no way to bring them back unless Waze fixes the bug that makes them disappear – if they're gone due to a bug in the first place. Otherwise, the company should come up with an announcement, as the confusion doesn't help anyone.