Google Maps Update Improves Navigation, Adds Arabic and Hebrew Support - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Google Maps Update Improves Navigation, Adds Arabic and Hebrew Support

by

Google has updated its Google Maps for iOS app with quicker access to navigation, including route and traffic overviews when choosing from multiple possible routes for a particular destination.

This image shows the difference between the old route selection screen (left), and the new screen with the improved route options map.

NewImage

What's New in Version 2.3.4

- Faster access to navigation, complete with route and traffic overview
- Tips and Tricks available in the side menu
- Arabic and Hebrew now supported, including voice guidance in navigation, where available
- Bug fixes

The update also adds support Arabic and Hebrew, including for voice guided navigation, as well as unnamed bug fixes.

Google Maps for iPhone and iPad is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

ryanmcv Avatar
164 months ago
Headline should read:

Google Maps Update Improves Navigation, Adds Arabic and Hebrew Support, Fails to Add iOS 7 Support
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Twimfy Avatar
164 months ago
The "Apple Maps is terrible, Google should still be the default mapping software for iOS" comments may now begin. :D

I've been using Apple maps for in car navigation a lot recently. Quite impressed with it and the other day it found a street which apparently didn't exist on my Tom Tom.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
164 months ago
Google. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! It is having the option of your maps what puts the spotlight on the awful Apple IOS Map application. Has anybody taken the chance to look at the about section of the Apple Maps. I think all of the copyrights are from 2012. No update has been done to the Apple IOS maps since their launch. I have sent a lot of error reports and nothing has been fixed. When the new bridge was opened between San Francisco and Oakland Google was the first map application to reflect the change. Apple is still showing the old abandoned span, and this was more than a month ago.

I know that people might think that my expectations are unrealistic. They are not, Google and other maps have already fixed this, Apple Maps still has this error together with all the ones I pointed out more than a year ago. Apple IOS map really suck in terms of being up to date and accurate. Again Google, thank you!!!!

I happen to know people who interview for work and work for Google maps. I have never heard of people working for Apple maps, probably there is nobody, perhaps Apple should think about having their own maps solution, not outsourcing it, or if they outsource it that they use a reliable and up to date map source like when IOS was using Google maps.

Well, the funny thing is that where I live Google hasn't updated their satellite images for over 5 years. Whereas Apples images are only 1 1/2 years old. The place where I live has completely changed and this entire neighborhood didn't even exist 6 years ago. Not to mention the fact that they've started to build the biggest mall in Scandinavia and Sweden's new national arena which had its opening ceremony on August 2012. None of that is visible on Google Maps.

It does however exist on Apple Maps.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
164 months ago
Headline should read:

Google Maps Update Improves Navigation, Adds Arabic and Hebrew Support, Fails to Add iOS 7 Support
Still no support for the design elements of iOS 7… Shame on you Google!
You do realise that a free app on IOS probably isn't the highest item on Googles list of priorities, right?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
164 months ago
- Still takes forever to start up
- Still no access to contacts
- Still no iOS7 support
- Voice directions still getting cut off
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdelvecchio Avatar
164 months ago
puts the spotlight on the awful Apple IOS Map application.

apple maps is my regular go-to nav app, and i rarely have a problem with it. ive had problems with all of them at one point or another.


Has anybody taken the chance to look at the about section of the Apple Maps. I think all of the copyrights are from 2012. No update has been done to the Apple IOS maps since their launch.

false -- there have been articles comparing launch locations to updated versions. youre simply wrong because youre looking at the copyright date, which is meaningless.

Again Google, thank you!!!!

now if only i could use an address stored in my address book. wouldnt that be magical?


I have never heard of people working for Apple maps, probably there is nobody,

ah yeah. because some dude on the web hasnt never met an apple employee working on maps, they dont exist. riiiight. have you ever meet anyone in NASA? what about the president of Zimbabwe -- do they not exist either?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro

Friday May 1, 2026 3:43 pm PDT by
Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max models in March 2026, but depending on your needs and interests, you might want to skip this generation because there's something better in the works. The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has used since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster ...
macOS 27 on MacBook Pro

Apple to Unveil macOS 27 Next Month With These New Features

Friday May 1, 2026 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple will unveil its latest software platforms during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and one of them will be macOS 27 for the Mac. The first developer beta of macOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users in September. macOS 26 is known ...