After more than a year since announcing the feature, Google Maps is finally rolling out glanceable directions on Android and iOS (via Android Police).
The feature allows users to view turn-by-turn directions and a live ETA directly from their device's lock screen – information that was previously only visible when a phone was unlocked.
Glanceable directions also work on the app's route overview screen that appears after launching directions, before users tap the Start button. Google Maps will show directions, live ETA, and even update the route if the user takes a different path, as shown in the GIF embedded below.
Glanceable directions are off by default, but can be enabled in the app's main settings, under Navigation. In our tests on iPhone, the setting only appeared after switching Google accounts, suggesting the feature is still rolling out. However, we are still not seeing support for Live Activities in iOS, which was promised a year ago.
Google first announced glanceable directions last February, and in June said the feature was rolling out that month for walking, cycling, and driving directions on Android and iOS, including compatibility with Live Activities in iOS 16.1.
Based on assets recently unearthed by MacRumors in an earlier version of the app, Google Maps continues to work on integrating Live Activities support for iPhones, but when we'll actually see it at this point is anyone's guess.
Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose.
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account.
In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen.
Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone.
iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by Juli Clover
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
Wednesday November 12, 2025 3:29 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple today provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26.2, which adds a few new features worth knowing about.
Measure App
Apple's Measure app now features a Liquid Glass design for the level, with two Liquid Glass bubbles instead of white circles.
Games App
There's now an option to sort games in the Games app Library by size, in addition to Name and Recent.
CarPlay
The...
Apple's entry-level iPhone 16e model is selling poorly, just like the iPhone Air, according to an Asia-based leaker.
The Weibo user known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the iPhone 16e is not selling well and the attempt at delivering a popular, low-cost iPhone has "failed." That being said, both models are expected to see successors. The iPhone 17e is expected to debut in the spring of...
Maybe it’s me but I find Google Maps to be very “busy” these days. I was a die hard Google Maps fan but in the metro area I live in, Apple Maps is actually better in some cases and the map interaction is simpler. Now if Apple Maps ditched Yelp for Google Reviews then it’s game over.
Apple Maps is soo much cleaner these days. 4 Buttons and a search-sheet combination in Apple Maps vs. around 15 buttons, a search bar, a nav bar, and a sheet in Google Maps...
Maybe it’s me but I find Google Maps to be very “busy” these days. I was a die hard Google Maps fan but in the metro area I live in, Apple Maps is actually better in some cases and the map interaction is simpler. Now if Apple Maps ditched Yelp for Google Reviews then it’s game over.
As long as G-Maps keeps pushing Apple to refine *their* maps, Apple users win either way. I have not used G-Maps in years though. My last cross country roadtrip in the usa I downloaded HERE Maps app JUST for their off-line option...which Apple now has as well ?
I have made the decision to detach myself as much as possible from the Google universe. I'm probably late to the game, but this company is becoming pretty evil. I changed all my logins that used Gmail addresses to Apple iCloud addresses. I removed YouTube from my devices. I've used DuckDuckGo for search now for years. My last app was Google Maps, but I thought to take a second look in quite some time at the Apple Maps app instead. It looks to me that it's improved substantially, so -- as of yesterday -- I've deleted Google Maps from all my devices.
I'm hoping I didn't miss some little spyware somewhere. But in a real way, I feel pretty good about moving away from this dark entity...
I didn’t even know Google had this ability. I thought it was exclusive to Apple Maps or something. I wonder what their engineers even do all day, there’s no world where this actually took that long to develop.
