Apple Maps Expands with New Navigation Capabilities in European Countries

Apple has officially announced the launch of its upgraded Apple Maps experience in several European countries, including Austria, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia. The expansion includes all the new features, such as Look Around, lane guidance, and the option to share ETA with contacts. The new Apple Maps also allows for multi-stop routing, supporting up to 15 stops, which is more than Google Maps.

Moreover, Apple Maps includes hazard reporting, allowing drivers to report accidents, speed traps, and other hazards while driving, making it similar to Waze. However, Waze supports more categories, such as traffic jams, roadkill, broken traffic lights, and potholes. Apple Maps also displays speed and red-light camera locations and electric vehicle charging points.

Introduction: Apple Maps vs Google Maps

Apple announced the new Apple Maps experience, based on the company’s own data, in mid-2018. However, the rollout has been slow, with the company gradually improving the availability of the new Apple Maps in the United States and the rest of the world. Despite the improvements, some users still prefer Google Maps due to the lack of features in Apple Maps, such as offline maps, which are necessary for route guidance without an internet connection.

The absence of crowdsourcing-powered incident reporting is another limitation of Apple Maps, as it requires a data connection to download traffic data submitted by other drivers. Additionally, the application lacks satellite navigation for navigation purposes, even though it offers satellite maps for exploration. On the other hand, Google Maps supports satellite navigation, which can be used on CarPlay, making navigation more convenient at all times.

Apple’s new maps experience is now available for everyone in the mentioned European countries. This includes Look Around, a feature similar to Google’s Street View, allowing users to explore the area before arriving at the destination. Lane guidance, another feature, guides drivers to the right lane and exit, making navigation easier.

Furthermore, Apple Maps now supports multi-stop routing, which enables drivers to add up to 15 stops for a route, while Google Maps only supports nine stops. Additionally, Apple Maps now includes hazard reporting, enabling drivers to report accidents, speed traps, and other hazards while driving.

The new Apple Maps also displays speed and red-light camera locations and electric vehicle charging points, making it more convenient for electric vehicle owners. Apple announced the new Apple Maps experience in mid-2018, based on the company’s own data. However, the rollout has been slow, limiting its potential for many users.

Apple Maps Limitations:

Apple Maps lacks certain features, such as offline maps, which are necessary for route guidance without an internet connection. The absence of crowdsourcing-powered incident reporting is another limitation of Apple Maps, requiring a data connection to download traffic data submitted by other drivers. Furthermore, the application lacks satellite navigation, which is a useful feature for navigation purposes.

New Apple Maps Experience:

Apple’s new maps experience is now available for everyone in the mentioned European countries. It includes several new features, such as Look Around, which is similar to Google’s Street View. Additionally, Apple Maps now supports multi-stop routing, enabling drivers to add up to 15 stops for a route. Hazard reporting is another new feature, allowing drivers to report accidents, speed traps, and other hazards while driving.

Furthermore, Apple Maps now displays speed and red-light camera locations and electric vehicle charging points, making it more convenient for electric vehicle owners. However, Apple Maps still has several limitations, such as the absence of offline maps and satellite navigation. The rollout is happening slowly, limiting its potential for many users who prefer Google Maps due to its features.