YouTube Agrees to Follow Australia’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban 
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup 
Hikvision Challenges FCC Rule Tightening Restrictions on Chinese Telecom Equipment 
Microchip Technology Boosts Q3 Outlook on Strong Bookings Momentum 
Baidu Cuts Jobs as AI Competition and Ad Revenue Slump Intensify 
Amazon and Google Launch New Multicloud Networking Service to Boost High-Speed Cloud Connectivity 
Australia Releases New National AI Plan, Opts for Existing Laws to Manage Risks 
Norway’s Wealth Fund Backs Shareholder Push for Microsoft Human-Rights Risk Report 
Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX 
Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature 
AI-Guided Drones Transform Ukraine’s Battlefield Strategy 
TSMC Accuses Former Executive of Leaking Trade Secrets as Taiwan Prosecutors Launch Investigation 
Apple Appoints Amar Subramanya as New Vice President of AI Amid Push to Accelerate Innovation 
Apple Alerts EU Regulators That Apple Ads and Maps Meet DMA Gatekeeper Thresholds 
Nexperia Urges China Division to Resume Chip Production as Supply Risks Mount 
Intel Boosts Malaysia Operations with Additional RM860 Million Investment 
Every day since the iOS 14.5 beta came out, it is looking bigger than any of the updates Apple has released since last September. Beta testers have discovered that Apple Maps is also getting a new feature that could render the Waze app obsolete among iPhone users.
How iOS 14.5 will make iPhone users ditch Waze
Apple has a robust lineup of first-party apps, but it is safe to say that most of them do not have as many features as what their third-party counterparts offer. The same is true for Apple Maps and explains why many iPhone users prefer other navigation apps like the widely popular Waze.
TechCrunch reports that iOS 14.5 has added a new feature on Apple Maps that allows users to report road accidents, hazards, and speed traps. These will then be included as added information on the map that could be viewed by other drivers passing the same route and using the same app.
What makes this new Apple Maps feature more tailored for iPhone users is, naturally, the integrated Siri voice commands to do the reporting. With the iOS 14.5 update, drivers would be able to report to Siri through voice prompts such as, “there’s a crash up ahead,” “there’s something on the road,” or “there’s a speed trap here.” This function could also be activated through CarPlay, per the same report.
Through the same method, Apple Maps users could also tell Siri to update road reports when a driver sees that a previously noted hazard has been eliminated. For this prompt, Siri would reportedly recognize commands like “the hazard is gone” or “incident is no longer here.” Drivers can also use a report button by swiping up on the map.
Real-time traffic update is one feature that made Waze popular among drivers. While the app is currently available on iOS devices, voice commands are only available through Google Assistant. Google acquired Waze in 2013 for $1.3 billion, and its traffic updates feature was believed to be one of the selling points.
iOS 14.5 release date: Is it out now on the public beta?
iOS 14 users who are feeling brave and not afraid of risks can now start testing the public beta version of the iOS 14.5 update. However, its full version is reportedly not launching until late spring, which could be sometime in May or early June.
Featured photo by Samuel Foster on Unsplash
