Apple starts 2019 with a sweet surprise for its iPhone users in India by supporting turn-by-turn navigation for the first-time in the country. Tim Cook and Co. have to thank the Apple Maps team in Hyderabad, which was set up a few years back just to make this day happen.
And I am sure Apple users in the country are finally happy that Apple Maps does what it is supposed to have done from day one. Now you won’t have to entirely rely on Google Maps for basic navigation needs (although I would suggest you stick to GMaps for now, because of traffic updates).
The feature was first spotted by folks at The Next Web, who got an official confirmation from the Cupertino-based giant on Thursday this week. It’s 2019, and we’re glad that Apple has finally managed to offer a basic feature such as this, for a market where it is seemingly ‘bullish’ about its future.
You can start using Apple Maps and if you’ve deleted the app (can’t complain if you had), head over to the App store and download it right away. Open the app and start looking for directions of places anywhere in the country and voila, it works.
The interface is reminiscent to that of Google Maps and that’s not a bad thing at all. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the options of Drive, Walk, Transport and Ride and depending on your preference you can choose how you’ll be commuting.
You will be assisted by a voice with the directions and thankfully Apple’s design team has given it an Indian accent. In the Ride option, you will be able to pick cabs from Ola or Uber (depending on which app is installed on the device) and you can also get details on the fare for the journey you’re about to take.
The directions are given with utmost detail, including where to take turns and in how much distance you’re supposed to do it. Again, a basic feature for Maps, but it comes to Apple Maps in India for the first time.
Among many other things, it is still missing options like navigation mode for two-wheelers, something which was launched on Google Maps in 2018 and also, offline maps, another crucial feature for markets like India. And then there is the all-important traffic updates that Google offers. All this ensures Google Maps is still the go-to product for iPhone users in the country, until they make the service glitch-free.
It’s a start for Apple nevertheless and we’re hopeful more products, including Apple Pay gets rolled out in the market for its iPhone users real soon.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)