[kamaln7]

Can confirm. Just like "Kleenex" in some places, Waze has become the generic term for GPS Navigation here in Israel. Honestly, I have no idea why people still use it when Google Maps has an infinitely better interface and no ads.

[jonknee]

> Honestly, I have no idea why people still use it when Google Maps has an infinitely better interface and no ads.

In some areas it has much better traffic routing. All it takes is getting alerted to one big jam ahead of time and you'll use it every commute.

[bduerst]

Yep. Based on my experience: Waze takes side roads to give you the chronologically shortest route, Google Maps takes the most direct route.

[nevi-me]

For me in South Africa:

- Waze is a bit more dynamic/aggressive in finding me alternatives when traffic patterns can change due to accidents - "speed trap reported ahead" - the "turn left" direction is better timed than Google, Google will tell you to turn while your turn's still a bit far off, sometimes you'd turn into the street before. - loyalty, Waze was great before Google bought it and used its reports and traffic data, and it's still great even now.

I agree with your Kleenex sentiment, quite a number of people who know their way home, still use Waze for the alerts and reports.

[jimmaswell]

I wish Google gave directions like "take the third left" instead of "in 1500 feet..". I don't know what 1500 feet looks like, and the mile amounts I can only estimate when I'm going around 60mph and 1 mile=1 minute.

[jetpacktuxedo]

I get this in dense areas now. I will still get "in a half mile turn left on X street", but when it actually gives me "turn left" I will instead get "take the next left" or "take the second left" if there are multiple streets close together on the left.

[jimmaswell]

When I was less used to using it, it would say "in 1500 feet turn" and then there would be a turn right there, and I'd think that was it, but it wasn't. I had to start gauging how far they meant by it. It does say "second turn" but only when the roads are very close. It would be better if it just always used that instead of these absolute numbers.

[honest_george]

Waze's routes are a little more aggressive. Which, if you spend a lot of time in a car, can add up.

[Splines]

Google maps has ads, it's just not so in-your-face as Waze is. Search for stuff and depending on the topic the result list will have an item with a purple "Ad" tag on it (I searched for "tires" and got a hit for a tire store tagged as an ad).

I agree that gmaps has a better interface, at least for routing. I vastly prefer the alternative routes implementation on gmaps (it's right on the map). In waze I need to click through a few screens, which isn't practical when I'm driving. In gmaps I can glance at the map and make a decision without touching the phone at all.

[joncrane]

In addition to the routing being better in Waze as others have commented, Waze gives you a heads up on potholes, speed traps, red light cameras, etc. I don't believe those features exist in Google Maps.

[olegkikin]

Why would any reasonable company decide to warn people of red light cameras? People who go through red lights are freaking dangerous.

[Frondo]

In addition to what my sibling posters said, the crowd-sourced speed trap notices are awesome and very, very helpful for those of us that have to make long drives on the open road at times.

[ilanco]

> Honestly, I have no idea why people still use it when Google Maps has an infinitely better interface and no ads.

Waze has speed trap warnings, Google maps doesn't.

[avip]

Because google maps is close to ignorant regarding suburbs, gravel, or any other road less travelled. Also Waze search in Hebrew is x10 better.