Google Maps Debuts New Apple Watch App and CarPlay Features - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Google Maps Debuts New Apple Watch App and CarPlay Features

Google today announced the launch of several features for Google Maps on Apple products, including new CarPlay functionality and a new Google Maps app that works on Apple Watch.

googlemapsapplewatch
The new Google Maps app for Apple Watch works similarly to the iOS app, allowing Apple Watch owners to get directions for a car, bike, public transit, or on foot.

The app supports estimated arrival times and step-by-step directions on Apple Watch when using saved destinations like Work or Home. Other destinations require navigation to start on iPhone, with the directions then picked up by Apple Watch.

For ‌CarPlay‌, there's ‌CarPlay‌ Dashboard integration for switching or pausing songs from a media app, rewinding or fast forwarding podcasts or audiobooks, or quickly checking calendar appointments all while turn-by-turn directions remain on the ‌CarPlay‌ display. All info is displayed in a split screen view.

googlemapscarplay
Google Maps works with ‌CarPlay‌ Dashboard on all ‌CarPlay‌ supported vehicles around the world. The Google Maps app for Apple Watch will be rolling out in the coming weeks.

Google Maps can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features

Friday July 17, 2026 10:39 am PDT by
It is now mid-July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now just two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, ...
Apple AppleCare One Feature

'AppleCare One' is Now Even More Valuable

Saturday July 18, 2026 6:25 am PDT by
While the monthly and annual prices of AppleCare+ plans for Macs and iPads received a slight increase this week, AppleCare One continues to start at $19.99 per month in the U.S., making the multi-device plan even more valuable. Launched in July 2025, AppleCare One allows you to cover up to three devices as part of a single subscription for $19.99 per month, and additional devices can be...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Raises iCloud+ Prices in 8 Countries

Friday July 17, 2026 11:56 am PDT by
Apple has increased the price of iCloud+ in Nigeria, Türkiye, Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, according to an updated version of its iCloud support document. Price increases range from 11 percent to 55 percent depending on the plan and the country. Nigeria saw the biggest hike, and a 50GB plan is now ₦1,300, up from ₦900. Türkiye saw the next largest...

Top Rated Comments

page3 Avatar
78 months ago
Apple Maps is great and my daily driver.

However POIs in the UK are still really poor, which is when I switch to Google Maps. As an example, navigating to Quarr Abbey (a monastery on the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England) Apple Maps wants to take me to a pizza place in San Francisco. Now I’m sure the restaurant is very nice, just the logistics don’t quite work for me.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
78 months ago
Waze needs to update carlay
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
78 months ago
This is good stuff! Good job Google! Keep up the good work.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
evan-macrumors Avatar
78 months ago
Waze! Where are you?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sethal Avatar
78 months ago
Good, bring on the competition. It can only help Apple Maps continue to improve because of it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spinedoc77 Avatar
78 months ago
For god's sake Google, just merge Waze into Google Maps so I don't have to decide between the 2. Crowd sourced goodness with horrible routing or awesome routing with very little crowd sourcing are my choices right now.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)