No longer will Google Maps for mobile be a go-to portal solely for directions as the website will now include the goodness of Waze. This means that details concerning traffic jams, accidents and more, will be at users’ fingertips through the service itself. This development comes on the heels of Google acquiring the Israeli navigational app for $966 million.
Google Maps running on Android and iOS has also received a facelift. However, there are some geographical restraints as of now, with the app being made available only in Mexico, the US, Panama, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, France, Germany, the UK and Switzerland.
The native Waze app for Android and iOS has undergone a few changes itself. The Mountain View folks have stated on the official blog that the service has now been integrated with Google Search. Additionally, the utility’s map editor features Street View and satellite-based routes so as to make rectifying errors which have been reported by the dedicated community, more convenient.
Waze can be employed for various other functions apart from just traffic updates. It’s possible to keep a track of Facebook friends who may be commuting to a similar destination as users, narrow down the cheapest fuel station on the way and so on. The service’s availability for Windows Phone 8 users as well could also dampen the Here mapping app’s spirits, which recently started rolling out to devices other than those hailing from Nokia’s foundries.
As for the worldwide availability of the Maps service for Android and iOS, that still remains a mystery. Those who haven’t downloaded the app as yet, will find it on Google Play and iTunes.