what you need to know
- A MarketWatch study of U.S. speed traps found that the vast majority of people use Google Maps as a navigation app.
- A survey of 1,000 drivers in the United States found that 70% use Google Maps for navigation.
- Waze and Apple Maps were runners-up in the study, with each app used by about a quarter of respondents.
Apple Maps and Google Maps are two of the most popular navigation apps, and each has passionate fans who claim one is better than the other. In some ways, it represents the iPhone vs. Android battle. However, based on the numbers, one navigation app stands out. In a recent MarketWatch study, 70% of respondents said they use Google Maps to avoid speeding traps.
Navigation apps help people find their destinations, but they also offer other features thanks to crowdsourcing efforts. Apps can keep drivers informed of hazards, road closures, accidents and speed traps. This MarketWatch study focuses on the latter and how navigation apps can help drivers avoid tickets. Researchers studied 1,000 Americans to gain insights into their driving habits, speed traps and how navigation apps function.
In terms of usage, Google Maps beats all other navigation apps. The study found that 70% of people use Google Maps, in part to help detect and avoid speed traps. Waze, also owned by Google, ranked second with a usage rate of 27%. Apple Maps ranked third, behind Waze, with 25% of respondents saying they use Apple’s navigation app.
A total of 34% of people have received at least one speed trap warning from a navigation app, MarketWatch said.
The results are interesting because the iPhone is extremely popular in the United States. The annual report found that Android users are switching to iOS every year. While fewer Android users will buy iPhones in 2023, 13% of all iPhone buyers come from Android devices. Additionally, iPhones account for more than half of all smartphone shipments in the United States. Still, iPhone users are ditching the built-in Apple Maps app in favor of Google Maps, according to a MarketWatch report.
Combined users of Waze and Google Maps, the vast majority of Americans use Google for navigation.