Apple finally did it – added support for third-party navigation apps for Carplay with its newly released iOS 12. And, the latest update of Google Maps, version 5.0, is available on the App Store.
Apple’s Carplay has been doing extremely well – a slew of automakers have already adopted the infotainment platform while many others are planning to do so. It allows you to use your phone through the car’s touchscreen. So, you won’t have to necessarily use Apple Maps when plugging your iPhone into the car’s infotainment system.
Carplay users need to have iOS 12 installed on their phones and the latest updated version of Google Maps. The app lacks the voice control for Siri but, it comes with its in-built Google voice search. It also works with your Google account so you can easily navigate to the saved locations. Google says you can search for the location before and start the navigation right away in your phone, and immediately pick up from where you left off once the device is connected with Carplay.
Earlier this year, the Cupertino giant had announced that it would be updating its software to enable support for such apps. Since its launch in 2014, not having the choice of using a third-party navigation app was definitely a problem. So, this update definitely brings a moment to rejoice for those who prefer using Google Maps over Apple Maps.
Google-owned navigation software Waze was also supposed to add support for Carplay. It is still working on the integration and we should expect an update soon.
