Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Waze is one of my favorite apps, but I must admit that I regularly get fed up with all the bugs and reliability issues plaguing my devices.
I typically run the app on CarPlay using a wireless connection, but based on the comments posted by readers to my articles and everywhere online, Waze is far from providing a flawless experience on other platforms.
However, it looks like the Google-owned company is finally ready to share some good news. Waze has finalized the redesign of the reporting experience, with the new UI now rolling to iPhone and CarPlay (someone running Android Auto told me a few hours ago that the new UI is also live on Android devices, but I didn't get it on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra).
If you've been following the Waze news lately, you probably know what the new experience is all about. The company has been trying to make the reporting UI more straightforward for a simple reason. Waze is aimed at drivers, and drivers don't have the time to mess with the app and browse its menus to send a report.
The company has been experimenting with various approaches, with some report types coming and going repeatedly. The police reports, in particular, received several tweaks before Waze settled with the current concept.
The new UI makes reporting faster and more convenient thanks to the most common reports brought at a one-tap distance. For example, once you tap the reporting button, you can send a police, a crash, a blocked lane, or a bad weather report with just another tap. These are the most common reports in Waze, so the company bringing them to the main screen is definitely the right approach.
Previously, certain report types, such as bad weather, were buried in other menus, making it more difficult for drivers to reach them.
I first noticed the new reporting experience a few weeks ago when they appeared on CarPlay in my car, but I now see wider availability, with more users confirming the update. Eventually, the redesigned reporting UI should land on all platforms for all users, including Android and Android Auto.
The update doesn't seem tied to a specific app version. I installed the latest Android version on my smartphone and still didn't get it, so Waze must be enabling the interface with a server-side switch. I don't expect the rollout to take long, as Waze has already experimented with the update for several months.
Meanwhile, I still hope that Waze's increased commitment to improving the application doesn't stop here. The experience with Waze needs significant refinements on all platforms, including Android Auto and CarPlay, where the number of bugs breaking down its features often pushes users to alternative solutions, including Google Maps.
However, it looks like the Google-owned company is finally ready to share some good news. Waze has finalized the redesign of the reporting experience, with the new UI now rolling to iPhone and CarPlay (someone running Android Auto told me a few hours ago that the new UI is also live on Android devices, but I didn't get it on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra).
If you've been following the Waze news lately, you probably know what the new experience is all about. The company has been trying to make the reporting UI more straightforward for a simple reason. Waze is aimed at drivers, and drivers don't have the time to mess with the app and browse its menus to send a report.
The company has been experimenting with various approaches, with some report types coming and going repeatedly. The police reports, in particular, received several tweaks before Waze settled with the current concept.
The new UI makes reporting faster and more convenient thanks to the most common reports brought at a one-tap distance. For example, once you tap the reporting button, you can send a police, a crash, a blocked lane, or a bad weather report with just another tap. These are the most common reports in Waze, so the company bringing them to the main screen is definitely the right approach.
Previously, certain report types, such as bad weather, were buried in other menus, making it more difficult for drivers to reach them.
I first noticed the new reporting experience a few weeks ago when they appeared on CarPlay in my car, but I now see wider availability, with more users confirming the update. Eventually, the redesigned reporting UI should land on all platforms for all users, including Android and Android Auto.
The update doesn't seem tied to a specific app version. I installed the latest Android version on my smartphone and still didn't get it, so Waze must be enabling the interface with a server-side switch. I don't expect the rollout to take long, as Waze has already experimented with the update for several months.
Meanwhile, I still hope that Waze's increased commitment to improving the application doesn't stop here. The experience with Waze needs significant refinements on all platforms, including Android Auto and CarPlay, where the number of bugs breaking down its features often pushes users to alternative solutions, including Google Maps.
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