Waze

In today’s world, many people have to commute to work or college almost daily, which can become tedious or tiring when they don't know how much traffic they will encounter along the way. Waze presents itself as an app with a wide variety of tools to make this daily task a more comfortable and faster experience.

Waze was founded in 2008 by the Israel-based company of the same name, Waze Mobile. The app was quickly adopted by users as it allowed to speed up commute times considerably due to its community format, which allows users to make notes themselves regarding traffic situation, status and other elements.

The big difference between Waze and other navigation apps has been the possibility for users to edit and comment on the maps, completing them and providing information to establish better routes and important points.

Users can interact directly with the app, commenting on items such as:

1. Real-time traffic reports.
2. Shop owners can add advertising icons for businesses, using the Waze Advertise feature.
3. Real-time gas prices, allowing the user to choose a better price on the way to their destination.
4. Waze also has speed camera locations, uploaded by the users themselves.

Outstanding features

In addition to all the above, Waze also has multi-language support, allowing users from all over the world to use and take advantage of the app. It also supports external apps, allowing you to enter destinations and search for them via Google, for example. This can also be found in integrated social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as music and podcast apps such as Spotify, Deezer, or Pandora.

Waze also has a section in the app dedicated to regional forums separated by continent and country so that users can ask questions and look for answers regarding topics such as: map editing, location or navigation and routing. This feature also allows users to post and respond to inquiries that are not covered by the app's official announcements.

Waze's surge in popularity may also be a product of its acquisition by Google in 2013, which has allowed it to interconnect with Google's entire network of apps.

Availability

The most recent version of Waze is available for IOS and Android, amassing more than 14million active users by 2024. This is also reinforced by the fact that it is not restricted and can be used anywhere in the world, counting with complete maps of countries such as the United States, France, Germany and also countries in the Southern Hemisphere such as Argentina and Peru.

Tools

Waze has a map editor tool dedicated to users, where you have the possibility to select street segments to highlight features such as: the current condition of the road, whether it is a tunnel or bridge, or the speed limits stipulated for that particular stretch.

Details such as the elevation of the terrain or whether the road is a two-way street can also be highlighted through the interface. In case you don't know how to use the editor to make changes, Waze also offers a practice mode, so that the user can familiarize himself with the platform before actually doing it.

Final thoughts

The app is aimed directly at drivers, considering all the eventualities that can happen along a car journey. This coupled with the community format that has been highly praised by its supporters has made Waze a pioneer in its sector, facilitating the lives of millions of people on a daily basis. Ultimately, with private transportation becoming more popular every day, Waze could become much bigger than it already is.