Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Waze was, is, and will continue to be one of the most popular navigation apps worldwide, but this doesn't mean it's also a flawless software solution. There are many things to improve in Waze, and users keep contributing with ideas that may or may not make their way to production.
One of the oldest feature requests landed in August 2012, even before the Google acquisition (the search giant bought Waze in June 2013), as users wanted the company to develop a bigger speedometer.
If you've used Waze, you probably know that the speedometer is an essential Waze feature. While many apps indicate the current speed, Waze uses this information to let you know when you drive over the limit, so you can see the speedometer animate on the screen, along with a dedicated audio alert.
Why do you need a speedometer when you already see your speed on the dashboard? The value indicated by a GPS navigation app is more accurate than what your car shows, as it calculates your speed using the standard formula. It gets your location and determines the distance via GPS, so the speed is more accurate – I explained why the current speed could be different from the one on the dashboard here, so make sure you check out this article before rushing to the comment section to tell me I'm wrong.
Now that we've established that the Waze speedometer is an essential feature, users have been asking for a bigger version for years. Their reasoning makes sense, as users want to see the current speed and the limit with a glance at the screen. Taking their eyes off the road just to read this information is a big no-no, and it's even more dangerous when riding a bike.
Waze first responded to the feedback in 2022, when the company promised to share the feature request with the team and "consider" developing it. Everyone hoped the bigger speedometer would be included in Waze, but after being pushed back in 2023, the idea is now facing another delay.
The Waze team recently revealed that its 2024 roadmap has been finalized, and the bigger speedometer wouldn't make it to production this year. This means that the highly requested feature could eventually land in 2025 IF it receives the green light from the Google-owned company. There's no confirmation that a bigger speedometer will eventually go live in Waze, but the dev team says it remains on the table for a future update.
Meanwhile, you'll have to stick with the major feature update announced in April and now rolling out to users worldwide. It includes speed bumps and sharp curves notifications, along with improved roundabout navigation and other goodies to make the road safer and more predictable.
If you've used Waze, you probably know that the speedometer is an essential Waze feature. While many apps indicate the current speed, Waze uses this information to let you know when you drive over the limit, so you can see the speedometer animate on the screen, along with a dedicated audio alert.
Why do you need a speedometer when you already see your speed on the dashboard? The value indicated by a GPS navigation app is more accurate than what your car shows, as it calculates your speed using the standard formula. It gets your location and determines the distance via GPS, so the speed is more accurate – I explained why the current speed could be different from the one on the dashboard here, so make sure you check out this article before rushing to the comment section to tell me I'm wrong.
Now that we've established that the Waze speedometer is an essential feature, users have been asking for a bigger version for years. Their reasoning makes sense, as users want to see the current speed and the limit with a glance at the screen. Taking their eyes off the road just to read this information is a big no-no, and it's even more dangerous when riding a bike.
Waze first responded to the feedback in 2022, when the company promised to share the feature request with the team and "consider" developing it. Everyone hoped the bigger speedometer would be included in Waze, but after being pushed back in 2023, the idea is now facing another delay.
The Waze team recently revealed that its 2024 roadmap has been finalized, and the bigger speedometer wouldn't make it to production this year. This means that the highly requested feature could eventually land in 2025 IF it receives the green light from the Google-owned company. There's no confirmation that a bigger speedometer will eventually go live in Waze, but the dev team says it remains on the table for a future update.
Meanwhile, you'll have to stick with the major feature update announced in April and now rolling out to users worldwide. It includes speed bumps and sharp curves notifications, along with improved roundabout navigation and other goodies to make the road safer and more predictable.
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