Poll: Which navigation app do you prefer?
The holidays are almost upon us, which means many 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 use apps to find the fastest way to get there. There are quite a few to choose from, although relatively few popular options. We at Android Central want to know which navigation app you prefer to use.
Google Maps has been around for a while and is growing daily with new features as Google collects more and more data. The app has basic navigation features that you can refine 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 for you based on your preferences.
Google is also rolling out its new immersive maps, which let you do a “vibe check” of a city, neighborhood or restaurant with photorealistic images 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 Google-owned navigation app, albeit with a slightly different focus and audience. It’s primarily focused on managing navigation, which means you’re out of luck when it comes to other modes of transportation. However, it uses human-sourced data to keep you updated on 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 the constant updating of navigation voices and integrations with various music apps. It’s no wonder that Google Maps has slowly started borrowing features from the app, and now that the Google Maps and Waze teams seem to be combining, we might see more of this.
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, albeit 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 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 finally settled on Here WeGo after Nokia sold the software in 2015.
It offers many navigation options, but one of the most compelling features is its ability to download complete maps of states, countries, and even continents to one’s device for offline use. This makes it very handy when you are in an unfamiliar area and mobile data is not an option.
What do you prefer to use? If there’s an app you want to shout out, sound off in the comments.
