Waze navigation now works with CarPlay

The Waze icon, seen at the top corner of the in-car display, is now integrated with Apple CarPlay. Screenshots of a smartphone, at right, show the Waze Audio Player.

Waze has now become officially available as a navigation option with Apple’s in-car platform.

Waze, the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app with over 2.6 million monthly active users in the Philippines, recently announced its integration with Apple CarPlay to further its mission of decreasing traffic on the road, and at the same time, making driving safer and more convenient for every Filipino.

As one of the first navigation apps on the CarPlay platform, the Waze integration will give thousands of CarPlay users the opportunity to seamlessly use Waze features directly from their in-car display.

“We’re excited to bring the power of the Waze community right into drivers’ car consoles with Apple CarPlay. This enables us to bring to life one of our users’ most requested integrations, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the Waze app on the larger Apple CarPlay display,” said Waze Platform Strategy’s Jens Baron.

How to get Waze

To get Waze, one would need to upgrade the iPhone’s iOS to 12. The car’s head unit should then be all set.

However, should there be a glitch, one could always head to the dealer for a software upgrade, and this should fix any bugs.

Simply connect the iPhone to a CarPlay-supported system (most automakers have signed on for Apple CarPlay) using a USB cable or wireless connection.

Afterwards, the driver can search destinations, select a preferred route, report traffic issues and more.

Also included in the app is the Waze Audio Player, an embedded audio player that gives drivers an easy way to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, news, and more—all while safely navigating.

With Waze Audio Player, Wazers can now choose to stream music, podcasts, audiobooks, radio, or news from eight audio partners: Spotify, Deezer, iHeartRadio, NPR, Pandora, Scribd, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

These partners have integrated their audio experience into Waze by using a new suite of developer tools, called the Waze Audio Kit.

“We’re dedicated to giving our users the best possible experience in the car. Now, we’re able to make their drives even more enjoyable by seamlessly and safely delivering their favorite audio content while they’re on the road.

“On top of this, our partners will also be able to create a personalized listening experience for their users by integrating with our Waze Audio Kit,” said Adam Fried, head of Global Partnerships at Waze.

Music note icon on the map

If one already has any of the supported music apps installed, Waze will automatically detect and present a music note icon on the map.

Tap the music note icon to select the audio app, and start enjoying the audio content directly from Waze.

To change which audio partner app to listen to, tap the music note icon and “Change App”.

After connecting to the preferred audio app, one can control the audio content using the forward, backward and pause icons.

One can also save content to the library by hitting the “plus” or “heart” icons.

Access more content from the audio app such as playlists, radio stations, and saved songs by selecting the “Show List” button.

For additional functionality, switch to the app by tapping its icon.