The holidays are nearly upon us, which means plenty of people will be traveling. However, no matter what time of year it is, people are trying to get from point A to point B and using apps to find the quickest way to get there. There are quite a few to choose from, although relatively few popular options. We at Android Central want to know what navigation app you prefer to use.
Google Maps has been around for a while and continues to grow daily with new features as Google collects more and more data. The app features basic navigation functionality that you can fine-tune with filters to help you avoid things like ferries or tolls. The app lets you quickly search for restaurants, businesses, and more, and it can even recommend places to you based on your preferences.
Google is also rolling out its new immersive maps, which lets you do a “vibe check” of a city, neighborhood, or restaurant with photorealistic imagery and helpful overlays. You can do a lot on Google Maps, and it works as an all-in-one navigation app for Android phones, iPhones, and other devices.
Waze is another navigation app owned by Google, although with a bit of a different focus and audience. It’s primarily focused on driving navigation, meaning you’re out of luck when it comes to other modes of transportation. However, it uses crowdsourced data to update you about traffic conditions in real-time, which is very useful, as former Android Central writer Chris Wedel pointed out last year.
There’s a lot to like about Waze, including its continuously updating navigation voices and integrations with various music apps. It’s no wonder Google Maps has slowly started borrowing features from the app, and now that the Google Maps and Waze teams are apparently combining, we may see more of this down the line.
Apple Maps had a rocky start, but the app has grown a lot since its early days. The app, while exclusive to Apple devices, is essentially Apple’s version of Google Maps, although with a cleaner, less cluttered interface. It also offers extensions so users can take advantage of other apps like Yelp and Uber without leaving Apple Maps. The biggest difference between Apple’s and Google’s offerings comes down to availability, with Google Maps essentially everywhere.
Here WeGo has gone through quite an evolution since it was first made available on Symbian devices in the early 2000s. It was branded as Ovi Maps, Nokia Maps, Here Maps, and eventually settled on Here WeGo after Nokia sold the software in 2015.
It offers plenty of navigation options, but one of the most compelling features is its ability to download full maps of states, countries, and even continents to one’s device for offline use. This makes it very handy when you’re in unfamiliar territory, and mobile data is not an option.
Which do you prefer to use? If there’s an app you’d like to call out, sound off in the comments.
