Will Google Maps be the end of mobile GPS units as we know it? It sure looks that way as Google recently unveiled updates to its Google Maps application on both the iOS and Android mobile operating systems. In addition to the incredibly useful navigational function that the application already had, Google has improved this service by allowing the application to monitor traffic in real time and to reroute an alternate path for you to reach your final destination more quickly. Prior to this new update, the Google application would allow you to pick your desired location and would navigate based on preloaded directions. This new updated version will actually monitor the road situation and prompt you to change course if it finds a better alternative.
The reason for these changes is likely related to Google’s recent acquisition of the popular crowdsourcing application known as Waze. Waze made live-time traffic updating possible and helped users find the fastest, most expedient route available. Despite initial fears that the application would create unsafe driving conditions due to the use of cell phones while on the road, the application proved wildly successful. Its success did not go unnoticed by Google, who purchased the startup company for almost $1 billion. The data that Google Maps uses to alert drivers of potential traffic, road hazards, accidents, and other road-related events is now transferred from the data produced by users of Waze. This data is then transferred through Google’s servers to appear in the Google Maps application and provide the most up-to-date information based on the data.
This new feature added to the Google Maps application won’t reroute users automatically but will instead create a popup on the screen when it finds a faster route. Users then have the option of selecting the popup within thirty seconds to let the application know whether they want to be rerouted or whether they want to stay on the current course. This new Google Maps feature exceeds the standards of mobile GPS devices, which usually take twenty to thirty minutes to update their traffic conditions.
These new updates on Google Maps also give Google a significant advantage over Apple’s map alternative, which has yet to recover from its disastrous initial launch from which Apple’s PR department is still suffering. Google is now the first mapping application available to incorporate this live-time navigation feature. The feature’s effectiveness, however, will depend on the continued success of the Waze application and the loyal support of its users.