Future versions of Apple CarPlay to support Google Maps

Apple CarPlay has been a great addition to the multimedia screens of modern vehicles, but there’s nothing like struggling with the directional limitations of Apple Maps to make you wish you’d gone Android instead.

Apple Maps is the only satellite navigation option on CarPlay, even if you have other apps on your iPhone such as Google Maps and Waze. But that’s about to change with third-party navigation products to be added to the menu as part of the iOS 12 system update due later this year.

The news was revealed at Apple’s annual WWDC geekfest in San Jose, California, overnight where a slide featuring an Apple CarPlay menu with Google Maps and Waze icons was flashed up on the big screen, without going into too much detail.

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While Apple Maps has improved since its 2012 introduction, it’s still inferior to Google Maps, and Waze that’s also powered by Google and uses crowdsourcing for real-time updates for everything from the quickest routes through heavy traffic, to cheap petrol and mobile speed cameras.

More carmakers are slowly starting to offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, including Toyota and Mazda.

Apple’s news of the wider app support coincided with Ford announcing that its Sync 3 infotainment system will soon support Waze for iPhone users.