Google Maps App Gains Travel Times Widget and Direction Sharing - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Google Maps App Gains Travel Times Widget and Direction Sharing

by

Google Maps for iOS was updated with a number of new features yesterday, including a Notification Center widget for commuters on the move and an in-app option for sharing directions.

The new Travel Times extension for Google's popular iOS maps app allows users to quickly check a live travel time estimation to their home or work with a simple pull down of the Notification Center.

Google Maps iOS
The widget includes a toggle for switching between driving and public transit times, but only functions if users have saved their home and/or work addresses in Google Maps' Settings menu. Tapping on either destination in the Notification Center starts direction navigation from the user's current location.

Other additions in the new version of the app include the ability to share directions via the three-dot icon in the top right of the map navigation screen, and a new setting that allows users to select the unit measurement for distance shown during navigation.

Lastly, users now have control over Google Maps' color scheme, with a night mode toggle as well as an "Automatic" setting that transitions between day and night mode depending on the time of day.

Google Maps is a free download from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

134 months ago
Once again Google demonstrates it's vision, design and development expertise. Moving forward at an unprecedented pace, they've left Apple in the dust.
Not sure if serious... or trolling sarcastically... because Apple Maps has given me travel times to and from work at my usual commute times for as long as I can remember, in addition to building in travel time for appointments with what has been a far more accurate representation of traffic conditions and pathing than Google or Waze ever gave me... and I use Waze daily simply for police notices, so yes, I use it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
134 months ago
Not sure if serious... or trolling sarcastically... because Apple Maps has given me travel times to and from work at my usual commute times for as long as I can remember, in addition to building in travel time for appointments with what has been a far more accurate representation of traffic conditions and pathing than Google or Waze ever gave me... and I use Waze daily simply for police notices, so yes, I use it.
Have you compared the estimated and actual times of both?

Apple has without exception on the times I have used it, always been wildly optimistic. Waze, scarily accurate.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
134 months ago
Google Maps - Now logging your location 24/7
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:12 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. Labor Day is September 7 this year. The last time the holiday fell on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last time Labor Day was on September 7 in a normal year was in ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors