Google adds 3D Touch, mid-trip detours to Maps for iOS

Posted:
in iPhone
Google on Monday released an important update to the iOS edition of Maps, bringing 3D Touch to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and mid-route detours to both iPhones and iPads.




The new 3D Touch commands are limited to quick actions from the iOS homescreen. Pressing and holding on the app's icon will bring up options to navigate home or to work, as long as those addresses are already configured within the app.

Detour options can be invoked by tapping a magnifying glass icon while navigating. This offers up a set of four pre-defined search categories -- gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, and coffee shops -- plus a custom search option. Results along a user's current route are highlighted on the map, and can added to a route without canceling the current one.

Each result includes ratings or gas prices, where applicable, along with the estimated delay selecting one will create.

Detours were originally added to the Android version of Maps in October, and it's not clear why today's iOS update took so long to roll out. Google does, however, frequently keep its best features exclusive to its own platforms for a period.

Google Maps is a free download, and runs on any device with iOS 7 or later.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
  • Reply 2 of 13
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
    on the contrary, their frequency is why it makes sense to have short cuts for them. Maps does to, and i use them often. i may be in some random place and want the best route back home.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 3 of 13
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
    on the contrary, their frequency is why it makes sense to have short cuts for them. Maps does to, and i use them often. i may be in some random place and want the best route back home.
    Ah. Makes sense. I live less than a mile from work and any road gets me there.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
    Those are the two places I travel to most often and Google Maps accounts for current traffic conditions as well as alternate route suggestions based on that traffic data.  It can be a real lifesaver in major metropolitan areas.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    Was waiting for these kinds of solutions since a long time in maps application. Finally Google came up with one !
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 6 of 13
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
    Those are the two places I travel to most often and Google Maps accounts for current traffic conditions as well as alternate route suggestions based on that traffic data.  It can be a real lifesaver in major metropolitan areas.
    So does Apple Maps. I use the take me home or to work feature daily and depending on traffic and accidents I will be redirected. I took a job with Papa Johns delivering for a little extra cash. In 3 months the only 3 times it didn't take me to the front door or the drive way  if a business was if the subdivision was brand new. Last week even then it knew where the house was even though the streets had not been listed. Google maps couldn't find it at all. Siri took me as far as the roads that would get me close. When I pulled in front of the house Siri said arrived. 

    pscooter63
  • Reply 7 of 13
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    Apple Maps still needs a lot of improvement when it comes to searching. I ask for an address a few miles away (in the UK) and it attempts to take me to somewhere in the USA, unless I specifically type or say "England" after it. The search is lacking fuzziness when it comes to address entry, but it seems to have no weighting based on your current location. 

    Apple could really do with adding more improvements/features to the core apps with point releases, instead of leaving things neglected for years. The iOS keyboard comes to mind, no updates until iOS 8.
    spinnyd
  • Reply 8 of 13
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    Terrific app and an excellent update. 
  • Reply 9 of 13
    genovelle said:
    Those are the two places I travel to most often and Google Maps accounts for current traffic conditions as well as alternate route suggestions based on that traffic data.  It can be a real lifesaver in major metropolitan areas.
    So does Apple Maps. I use the take me home or to work feature daily and depending on traffic and accidents I will be redirected. I took a job with Papa Johns delivering for a little extra cash. In 3 months the only 3 times it didn't take me to the front door or the drive way  if a business was if the subdivision was brand new. Last week even then it knew where the house was even though the streets had not been listed. Google maps couldn't find it at all. Siri took me as far as the roads that would get me close. When I pulled in front of the house Siri said arrived. 

    Technology's great, isn't it?  :smile: 
  • Reply 10 of 13
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Hey! Work and home! Just the two places I'm always having trouble finding!
    Those are the two places I travel to most often and Google Maps accounts for current traffic conditions as well as alternate route suggestions based on that traffic data.  It can be a real lifesaver in major metropolitan areas.
    Around here it's easy, it's a traffic jam in every single direction at rush hour; makes it quite simple to pick a route; they're all bad.
    The rest of the day, major arteries are every 1/4 to 1/2 mile east to west and 1/2 mile to 1/3 mile north south and they're the only ones which allow decent speed and that go enable you to go straight through neighborhoods. Traffic on most of them is heavy, about 25-30mph outside rush hour on those but it generally moves.
    I live in Montreal.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    trynottrynot Posts: 3member
    I want to use apple maps exclusively but find that Google still works much better. Updates like these only make it harder to only use Apple maps. 
  • Reply 12 of 13
    poksipoksi Posts: 482member
    elijahg said:
    Apple Maps still needs a lot of improvement when it comes to searching. I ask for an address a few miles away (in the UK) and it attempts to take me to somewhere in the USA, unless I specifically type or say "England" after it. The search is lacking fuzziness when it comes to address entry, but it seems to have no weighting based on your current location. 

    Apple could really do with adding more improvements/features to the core apps with point releases, instead of leaving things neglected for years. The iOS keyboard comes to mind, no updates until iOS 8.
    I think Google Maps is worse in naming. Not to mention its WEB version....
  • Reply 13 of 13
    Anyone else having issues with the new 3D Touch features? I press and hold on the home screen and nothing happens.
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