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Top Navigation App Launches on CarPlay as Google Maps Alternative

The latest version of OsmAnd includes an option to plan routes 1 photo
Photo: OsmAnd
If you’re using Apple’s CarPlay and want an advanced navigation app, there are several choices available right now. Those include the pre-loaded Maps app but also Google Maps and Waze.
And without a doubt, many people go for Google Maps for obvious reasons, though in the last few months, the number of alternatives updated with CarPlay support is slowly but surely increasing.

The most recent big name to land on CarPlay is OsmAnd, the popular navigation app already available for Android and iOS. It uses the OpenStreetMap database to provide users with a feature lineup similar to the one in Google Maps and even a series of extras.

Version 3.9.3 is one that introduces “initial CarPlay support” while also bringing a pack of other improvements, including an option to plan a route.

According to the official changelog that you can find in the App Store, this new capability has been specifically implemented for “planning future trips with the ability to create track segments using different navigation types.

In addition, this update comes with an option to enable a compass over the Radius Ruler and new quick actions and extra fixes for the app.

In the meantime, an update for Google Maps is still nowhere to be seen, as the latest version of the app was released back on December 1. While Google Maps looks almost like an abandoned app, it really isn’t. The thing is, Google seems to be having a hard time dealing with the new privacy labels that developers must include in the App Store for their apps as per Apple’s latest policy.

Google hasn’t provided any information about when it could release a new update for Google Maps on iOS. Still, we’re guessing a new version isn’t very far, especially as the rest of Google apps have already started getting some fresh builds that also include the required privacy information.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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