Google Maps on iPhone Getting New Commuting Features and Apple Music Integration This Week - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Google Maps on iPhone Getting New Commuting Features and Apple Music Integration This Week

by

Google Maps will soon feature an all-new Commute tab that provides one-tap access to live traffic and transit information.

google maps commute
The new tab will tell you if your commute is going to be a normal one, or if you'll need to budget extra time due to things like an accident or heavy traffic. Google is introducing support for mixed-mode commutes that involve both driving and public transit, with helpful information along each leg of the trip.

In addition, transit riders in 80 regions worldwide will be able to see exactly where their bus or train is in real time on the map. Starting in Sydney, Australia, Google Maps will also indicate how full the next bus or train is. Google says the latter feature will be coming to more cities around the globe soon.

Last, Google says it is making Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music playback controls accessible within Google Maps.

The new features will start rolling out globally on iOS and Android this week.

Top Rated Comments

zorinlynx Avatar
106 months ago
And I still remember all too well how Google refused to add turn by turn navigation in their ios app, until Apple released Maps. I'll never forgive them for that and will always tilt towards other options when possible.
Google didn't have their own iOS app until after Apple released Maps because Apple DID NOT ALLOW IT, plain and simple.

The Maps app in iOS has always been Apple's. Back when it used Google Maps, it was really Apple's app using Google's data. Google did not write nor maintain that app, and it shipped as part of iOS. The refusal to have turn by turn directions in that app was Apple's, not Google's.

Only once Apple Maps came about did they finally allow Google to write their own Maps app; as far as I'm concerned that was the best thing that ever happened for Google Maps on iOS because they were extremely stifled before by Apple's refusal to let them write the app.

I don't mean to be combative, I just get tired of people getting the history behind this wrong. Apple was the bad guy here, not Google.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aluminum213 Avatar
106 months ago
And in about 20 years we can expect this in Apple Maps
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tzm41 Avatar
106 months ago
Google owns Waze. Waze has been doing this forever. What’s the difference between the two and why switch? Not trashing google just honestly asking why make two identical apps
Maybe there are people like me who don't appreciate the cartoonishly styled and ad plagued Waze app.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shyam09 Avatar
106 months ago
I vividly remember Google releasing their first iOS Maps app some time after iOS 6 came out with Apple Maps.

Before that, Google did not have their own Maps app on iOS. The "Google Maps" in iOS was an Apple-created app and its lack of features was on Apple.

If you have a link to information that disputes this, please post it because I don't recall any sort of alternative Google Maps app for iOS before iOS 6 came out. I'm quite curious myself if I'm actually wrong, it's just that my own memory completely supports what I wrote.
Wiki history points that you're correct:

Up until iOS 6 ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_6'), the built-in maps application on the iOS ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS') operating system was powered by Google Maps ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps'). However, with the announcement of iOS 6 in June 2012, Apple ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.') announced that they had created their own Apple Maps ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Maps') mapping service,[13] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-13') which officially replaced Google Maps when iOS 6 was released on September 19, 2012.[14] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-14') However, at launch, Apple Maps received significant criticism from users due to inaccuracies, errors and bugs ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug').[15] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-15')[16] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-16') One day later, The Guardian ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian') reported that Google was preparing its own Google Maps app,[17] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-17') which was released on December 12, 2012.[18] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-18')[19] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-19')
Google's Android app was released in 2008 //


On September 23, 2008, coinciding with the announcement of the first commercial Android device ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Dream'), Google announced that a Google Maps app had been released for its Android operating system.[11] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-11')[12] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps_(app)#cite_note-12')

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
106 months ago
Google owns Waze. Waze has been doing this forever. What’s the difference between the two and why switch? Not trashing google just honestly asking why make two identical apps
They didn't make 2 identical apps. They made one app and acquired another. There are enough people who prefer one over the other to justify the existence of both. I think Google Maps will eventually integrate most of Waze's top features and ultimately kill Waze approx. 3-4 years from now.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gavroche Avatar
106 months ago
And in about 20 years we can expect this in Apple Maps
And I still remember all too well how Google refused to add turn by turn navigation in their ios app, until Apple released Maps. I'll never forgive them for that and will always tilt towards other options when possible.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Music iPod Page Not Found

Apple Music Has a Hidden iPod You Can Play With

Friday October 23, 2026 7:11 am PDT by
Apple Music has a 404 page easter egg on the web: a functional iPod that appears when you load a page that does not exist, such as music.apple.com/macrumors. "Page Not Found," says Apple. "Give this a spin instead." Apple is clever with this. If you navigate to music.apple.com/ipod instead, the page says "Looking for something?" instead of "Page Not Found." The easter egg is only...
Apple Music New Branding

Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced

Wednesday October 21, 2026 9:06 am PDT by
Following the introduction of a new Apple Music logo and app icon earlier this month, Apple today officially introduced Apple Music's new brand identity. In a YouTube video shared today, Apple said the new Apple Music visuals were "made by sound." More specifically, Apple said it played a sound through a container of water, resulting in the liquid moving at the frequency of the notes. Apple...
Apple Music New Logo on Website

Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website

Wednesday October 21, 2026 2:24 pm PDT by
As spotted by Hidde Collee, the Apple Music page on Apple's website now has the updated branding that Apple officially introduced earlier today. Apple Music has a new black-and-white logo and app icon, with Apple doing away with the red color scheme that it previously used for the streaming music service. In a YouTube video released earlier today, Apple showed how the new Apple Music...
Latest Stories
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
12 hours ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
12 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
18 hours ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
1 day ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
1 day ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
1 day ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
2 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
2 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
2 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
2 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
2 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
2 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
2 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
2 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
2 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
2 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
2 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
2 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
2 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
3 days ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
3 days ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
3 days ago