Waze Is Testing Apple CarPlay Split View Support
Apple CarPlay's multiscreen dashboard is one of the biggest recent improvements to the iPhone's in-car interface, bringing third-party navigation apps to the home screen, but only if those apps actively support it. Now, one of the most conspicuous absences, Waze, looks to finally be getting onboard.
Waze has been available through CarPlay for some time now, giving another alternative to those wanting something different from Apple Maps and Google Maps. It's particularly well known for its traffic and incident reporting tools, which crowdsource reports from drivers for things like speed traps, objects in the roadway, and other potential hazards.
Problem is, if you want to use CarPlay's Split View, you've not been able to load Waze there. Apple added the interface – which shows not only a map but media controls and the next turn coming in a single view – with iOS 13, initially only supporting its own Apple Maps. iOS 13.4 opened that up to third-party apps, but they needed to add explicit Split View support first.
Google Maps did that midway through this year, but Waze is yet to follow. Now, judging by what's said to be a screenshot of a Waze beta shared with The Verge, an update could be at hand. Waze itself wouldn't confirm either the feature or the beta, but the image clearly shows Waze's distinctive UI running in the Split View interface.
According to the tipster, the Split View support isn't the only change this beta version brings. It's also said to include lane guidance, which shows you which specific lane of the road you ought to be in so as to safely make your next maneuver. Waze began testing that out among its beta group earlier in the year, but this is the first sign of it on the iOS version of the app.
As you'd hope, there's quite a bit of information squeezed into the smaller Split View window for Waze. You get the current roadway and position, of course, along with graphics showing other Waze users. There's also the familiar ETA graphic, with the next upcoming direction having a separate panel. A real-time speedometer is included as well, though, showing you how fast you're going in comparison to the current posted speed limit.
When, exactly, this might all roll out to Waze users more generally remains to be seen. Still, it'll be a welcome update for a system that has frustrated some users with how strict Apple can be about just what third-party apps can and can't do on CarPlay.