The Two Tech Giants That Should Build Google Maps and Waze Rivals

In the case of iPhones, some users also decide to stick with Apple Maps, but on the other hand, Google Maps is also dominating the mobile navigation app space on iOS as well.

In other words, Google is by far the top name on this particular side of the software market, and while the navigation category comes with plenty of other choices (including from companies with a long experience in this world (such as TomTom and Sygic), the Mountain View-based search giant was, is, and will probably continue to be the undisputed leader here.

There are two tech giants, however, that could and should come up with their very own rivals against Google Maps and Waze. One of them is already working on this front, while the other doesn’t seem to be interested at all in exploring such an opportunity.

Apple

As said earlier, a number of iPhone users decided to stick with Apple Maps because it’s the native choice, and relying on Apple services exclusively makes sense from a direct integration perspective.

But on the other hand, Apple Maps can hardly be considered a rival to Google Maps. And certainly not outside the United States, that is.

Apple is very focused on improving the experience with Apple Maps, but it’s no secret the company’s main focus has been mostly on the United States. While the new-gen experience it announced a long time ago is gradually becoming available in other countries across the world, Apple Maps doesn’t stand a chance against Google Maps when it comes to things like maps coverage, navigation, and offline map support in smaller states, such as those in Eastern Europe.

The good news is Apple is actively working on making Apple Maps better. And at first glance, the Cupertino-based tech giant wants to go after both Google Maps and Waze, as its solution has recently been updated with incident reporting capabilities as well.

Again, it’ll probably take years until this feature becomes available for everybody, but at least, Apple is working on this front already.

Apple is therefore one of the tech giants that could and should build a Google Maps and Waze rival, not only because it has the resources to do it but also because it already has a competing product that could get substantially better with the right improvements.

Microsoft

It may sound like a surprise for those people who know Microsoft only for the Windows operating system, but the software giant has become increasingly committed to expanding in mobile as well lately.

So right now, Microsoft not only has plenty of apps on iPhone and Android, but it also launched mobile devices running Google’s mobile operating. They’re called Surface Duo and are currently at their second generation.

But in addition to its mobile commitment, Microsoft also has something that could pave the way for a Google Maps competitor. It’s Bing Maps, a web-based service that offers everything from satellite maps to navigation, transit, and so on.

The main shortcoming of Bing Maps is that it lacks the proper mobile support, as Android and iPhone apps are not available. Microsoft surprisingly doesn’t seem to be interested in expanding in this direction, even though back in 2009 it actually launched Bing Maps on the iPhone.

The company is currently sticking with offering the Bing Maps SDK to mobile developers, which means its mapping service can power the mapping experience in other apps.

Unfortunately, the company that brought us the world’s number one desktop operating system has no plan to invest in a Google Maps rival, even though it could and should do it. Just like Apple, it has the resources to do it, including a service whose absence from the mobile space is quite a surprise.