Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The updates Waze receives on iOS are typically focused on small improvements, but the latest version seems to resolve a glitch that’s been causing a lot of frustration.
Waze version 4.92 addresses a problem that impacted the app’s launch, and the parent company claims the process is now faster.
The update seems to come with additional polishing aimed at the launch process.
First and foremost, the maps now load significantly faster. This means the traffic data is downloaded quicker than in previous versions, so users no longer need to wait as long as before to start navigation.
Second of all, it also looks like Waze fixed a related app launch problem that caused the location to freeze.
This glitch has been around for several versions, and it caused Waze to determine the location on launch but then be unable to track it. The behavior was typically observed when the navigation started and the car began moving, with Waze showing the location at the original point.
When this occurred, the only way to restore Waze was to force-close the application on the iPhone. As such, Waze was killed on CarPlay as well, and when relaunched, it resumed the navigation to the previously configured destination. This workaround typically resolved the location glitch triggered on launch, possibly because the navigation was already configured.
New Waze updates on iPhone and CarPlay stick with smaller improvements, while the most requested features are nowhere to be seen. The previous update included additional refinements for the distance to the destination displayed in autocomplete search results, while the last update of 2022 fixed voice directions during navigation.
Waze, however, still lacks essential capabilities, such as warnings for speed bumps and school zones. Both are on the radar, but the Google-owned company hasn’t provided an ETA as to when they could ship.
The Waze team is working on multiple big updates right now, and one of them is aimed at rival Android Auto. Google recently announced the CarPlay Dashboard-inspired Coolwalk redesign, which allows apps to run side-by-side in a card-based interface. Apps must be updated to run on Coolwalk, so one of the main focuses for Waze is to get its route guidance to show up in the navigation card on Android Auto.
The feature is already available in beta, and I’m guessing most of the resources are now directed at preparing it for broad availability.
On a similar front, the Waze team has recently been moved to work under the same roof as the Google Maps employees. Chances are some features could be prioritized over others, so in the long term, we could see new functionality going live on Google Maps first before eventually making its way to Waze as well.
The update seems to come with additional polishing aimed at the launch process.
First and foremost, the maps now load significantly faster. This means the traffic data is downloaded quicker than in previous versions, so users no longer need to wait as long as before to start navigation.
Second of all, it also looks like Waze fixed a related app launch problem that caused the location to freeze.
This glitch has been around for several versions, and it caused Waze to determine the location on launch but then be unable to track it. The behavior was typically observed when the navigation started and the car began moving, with Waze showing the location at the original point.
When this occurred, the only way to restore Waze was to force-close the application on the iPhone. As such, Waze was killed on CarPlay as well, and when relaunched, it resumed the navigation to the previously configured destination. This workaround typically resolved the location glitch triggered on launch, possibly because the navigation was already configured.
New Waze updates on iPhone and CarPlay stick with smaller improvements, while the most requested features are nowhere to be seen. The previous update included additional refinements for the distance to the destination displayed in autocomplete search results, while the last update of 2022 fixed voice directions during navigation.
Waze, however, still lacks essential capabilities, such as warnings for speed bumps and school zones. Both are on the radar, but the Google-owned company hasn’t provided an ETA as to when they could ship.
The Waze team is working on multiple big updates right now, and one of them is aimed at rival Android Auto. Google recently announced the CarPlay Dashboard-inspired Coolwalk redesign, which allows apps to run side-by-side in a card-based interface. Apps must be updated to run on Coolwalk, so one of the main focuses for Waze is to get its route guidance to show up in the navigation card on Android Auto.
The feature is already available in beta, and I’m guessing most of the resources are now directed at preparing it for broad availability.
On a similar front, the Waze team has recently been moved to work under the same roof as the Google Maps employees. Chances are some features could be prioritized over others, so in the long term, we could see new functionality going live on Google Maps first before eventually making its way to Waze as well.
Google News