Google is delivering on its August promise to make Google Maps available for the Apple Watch again. Since 2017, the navigation app could no longer be used on Apple’s smart watch. Google never explained why this choice was made at the time. Fortunately, you can now download the app for the Apple Watch again. We explain how that works.
With Google Maps on an Apple Watch, you can navigate on foot, by bike or by car to places that you saved prior to your trip. So you can leave your phone in your pocket from now on.
Saved routes only
Only the most important functions of Maps can be found on the watch. If you want to use the complete app, you still need your phone. For spontaneous trips that you have not saved on your Apple Watch, you need your smartphone to navigate on your watch. This is in contrast to Apple’s Maps app, with which you can start a route to work or another location based on Siri directly on your Apple Watch without having to grab your iPhone first.
So don’t expect a complete Maps experience on your smartwatch, but the app can certainly be a good alternative for users who don’t like the Maps app from Apple.
This is how you install the app
To get Google Maps on your Apple Watch, you need to update the iPhone version of the app to the latest version, which is 5.52. You can use the app here from the App Store. You can then search for available apps in the Watch app on your iPhone. In this list you will now find Google Maps, which you can put directly on your watch from here. Your watch must at least run on watchOS 5. If you have the first Apple Watch, you cannot use the Google navigation app.
The integration of Google Maps in the CarPlay Dashboard has also been improved, Google announced. The navigation app now offers more options in the car. For example, you can view music or your calendar while navigating.
So, while Google Maps will be available for the Apple Watch again after three years, there are many other well-known apps that mysteriously disappeared years ago and haven’t returned to the watch. For example, the official Twitter and Amazon apps are still not available on the Apple Watch.
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