Most Anticipated Google Maps Update

 Release of Most Anticipated Google Maps Update on Android Auto 

Google has just released one of the most anticipated feature updates for Google Maps on Android Auto, making Waze, the company's second mobile navigation offering, redundant in this space. Google Maps has been offering similar capabilities for several years, but incident reporting remained exclusive to mobile devices until earlier this year. Users can report traffic hazards when running Google Maps on Android Auto, with the rollout starting now. The announcement is part of a larger pack of improvements aimed at Google Maps users, and Google hasn't provided an ETA regarding the expansion worldwide. The hazard reporting system landed on CarPlay earlier this month, and now Google is giving Android Auto users almost no reason to stick with Waze by releasing the same update on its own playground. 

If you've used Waze in your car, you probably know its flagship feature is the incident reporting system. Users can flag hazards on the road, including accidents, speed traps and road works, to warn others and make every route more predictable. However, Google explains that the ability to report road incidents is available on all platforms, namely Android, iOS, Android Auto, and CarPlay. Google Maps and Waze are currently the top navigation apps on Android Auto, and the latter has been offering support for reporting traffic incidents since the first version available in the car. This feature has long been the main reason for users to pick Waze over Google Maps, so Google releasing this update could make Waze irrelevant. Rumors that Google could merge Google Maps and Waze have been swirling around the web for years, but the search giant never publicly commented on this. Not long ago, it was reported that Google had no intention to combine the two apps into a single offering. But it didn't seem to be a still valid plan.

Meanwhile, Apple has also become more committed to navigation wars. Apple Maps has expanded beyond the Apple ecosystem with a web-based version, so the battle in this space is getting fiercer, including on Android. However, Apple has yet to release a mobile version of Apple Maps on non-Apple devices, but considering the need for growing market share, it's probably a matter of time before the iPhone maker starts considering this expansion. 

Waze has recently received a major update on all supported platforms, enabling speed bump alerts and notifications for merging roads. Waze also includes improved roundabout navigation and warnings for sharp curves and lower speed limits. Meanwhile, the new Google Maps capabilities on Android Auto are already live in some areas, so wait till Google brings them to everybody as soon as possible. The rollout takes place through the Google Play Store in waves, meaning the company enables the update for users gradually. While the first wave of devices will get the update in the coming days, others will have to wait up to several weeks to receive it, based on stability and reliability data. The approach allows Google to detect bugs in an early stage and resolve them before the update lands on more devices.