Apple CarPlay to finally support third-party maps

iOS 12 will roll out later this year, thus adding third-party navigation functionality to CarPlay.

Apple announced iOS 12 on June 4, which is the next major update to the Cupertino-based company’s mobile Operating System (OS). The new version of the OS also brings a significant new addition to CarPlay, which will now allow third-party maps like Google Maps and Waze to be used for navigation.

In line with Apple’s closed ecosystem, CarPlay currently does not allow third-party apps to be used for navigation, resulting in users getting restricted to just Apple Maps. And it is an open secret that Apple Maps is not the most loved navigation app around - while it has gradually improved since its launch in 2012 - rivaling apps have always remained more popular.

Google Maps is the most popular navigation service in most parts of the world, while Waze is extremely well received in North America. Starting autumn this year, most iPhones will get updated to iOS 12, thus enabling third-party navigation apps on CarPlay as well.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are rapidly gaining momentum in modern car infotainment systems because they allow one’s smartphone to seamlessly integrate with the system. This is a major convenience feature as users can access most of their smartphone features while using a familiar interface. In India, most premium cars and even many mass market cars from Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai support these functionalities.