After a three-year absence, Google this week announced plans to reintroduce Maps to Apple Watch. Users can finally ditch Apple Maps for Google’s turn-by-turn directions, rolling out worldwide “in the coming weeks.”
“When you’re out and about, smartwatches help you stay connected and see essential information at a glance,” Google Product Managers Alan Rogers and Rubén Lozano-Aguilera wrote in a blog post. “With the Google Maps app for the Apple Watch, you can easily navigate by car, bike, public transit, or foot.”
When Google Maps arrived on Cupertino’s wearable in 2015, it featured a pared-down user interface and buttons for easy access to saved locations like “Home” or “Work” (likely the same place these days). Half a decade later, little seems to have changed. Begin navigating on your phone, then pick up the guidance from your wrist.
The news comes on the heels of Apple’s watchOS 7 public beta launch, which marked the company’s first consumer release of a watchOS beta—typically reserved for developers. Interested owners can sign in and enroll online; you’ll also need an iPhone already registered in the iOS beta 14 program.
As if that weren’t enough excitement, Google also unveiled compatibility for Apple’s CarPlay Dashboard, making it easy for drivers to control media (music, podcasts, audiobooks) and check calendar appointments without leaving their navigation session. A new split screen view provides “the information you need while keeping your focus on the road,” according to the blog.
“Google Maps helps you find places to go, things to do, and how to get there—no matter what device you’re using,” Rogers and Lozano-Aguilera said. “People using iOS devices can safely and easily navigate with Google Maps right from their car or wrist.”
Google Maps is now compatible with CarPlay Dashboard on all supported vehicles globally; the Apple Watch function is rolling out worldwide this month.
