14 DAY TRIAL // Waze continues to be a super-popular choice when it comes to traffic apps on mobile platforms, and the frequent updates that it received bring new features that make it easier to use and more effective.
An update to version 4.18.0.0 on iOS and to version 4.18.0.1 on Android is now available for download, bringing three major new features on both platforms.
New features in this update
Specifically, this is the first version that comes with support for voice search in your own language. Voice support has been around for a while for Waze users, but starting with this update, you are allowed to search for a specific destination using voice in whatever language you want, no matter the language configured for the application.
So for example, if you use Waze in English, but you live in France, you can simply talk in your native language to set a new destination in the app. The engine is surprisingly advanced and uses Google’s speech recognition to understand what you’re saying.
We’ve already tested this feature on both iOS and Android and speech recognition seems to be very accurate, and in addition to street names, you can also use points of interest (such as parks, restaurants, and hotels), but also street numbers for a more specific address (e.g. Sunset Boulevard 54).
All you have to do is open the search address option and then tap the little microphone icon next to it to start the search. Waze should automatically detect the language you’re speaking.
Another new feature in this update is search by category, as Waze now lets you perform a search only for specific points of interest without having to type exact names. You can simply search for restaurant and you’ll get the closest to you, and the same thing is valid for hotels, shopping centers, or nearby parking.
And last but not least, Waze 4.18 comes with auto complete distance, which means that whenever you perform a search, the distance to that address is displayed right in the search results screen. You no longer have to tap a specific address to see the distance, and this should help you always pick the location that’s closest to you.
