Apple Maps finally gets turn-by-turn navigation in India; lets you book cabs

A majority of iPhone users in India, maybe even the world, might have forgotten that Apple offers a Maps service of its own. That was in part because of the fact that Apple Maps did not have turn-by-turn navigation, until now. Speaking to The Next Web, Apple has confirmed that turn-by-turn navigation is now official in India. We tried it in Mumbai and it appears to be working just fine for navigation. However, it’s usable only if you’re planning to walk or drive to your destination. Buses or trains are yet to be listed. [caption id=“attachment_5871231” align=“alignnone” width=“1412”] Apple Maps turn-by-turn navigation.[/caption] We’ve spent some time with the app and found that the estimated travel times shown are quite similar to that shown on Google Maps for the same route. Traffic hold-ups aren’t highlighted as well as they are on Google Maps, but we’re hoping that gets better with time. [caption id=“attachment_5871251” align=“alignnone” width=“569”] Apple Maps and Google Maps ETA comparison[/caption] You can also book a cab through Uber and Ola right within the Maps app. But what’s even better is that you can now simply ask Siri to book you a cab home. Service from Uber doesn’t seem to be available yet but Ola works just like it’s supposed to. The most convenient feature baked into Apple Maps though is that even if you lock your phone while navigating to a place, you can simply tap your screen or raise-to-wake to get updates. Apple’s new navigation feature may not entice iPhone owners to switch to Apple Maps right away, but at least there’s a usable alternative now, especially if you have privacy concerns.