Access Google Maps on your Apple Watch with latest iOS update

Google has unveiled updates to its Google Maps for iOS and Google Maps for Android apps. The big news in this latest release is the addition of support for the Apple Watch on the iOS platform.

Both Android and iOS users also gain additional new features including support for comparing ETAs across a range of transit options, plus the ability to generate directions and call businesses directly from a list of places.

Google Maps for iOS introduces support for the Apple Watch, providing users with an alternative to Apple’s own Maps solution. At the current time, users are restricted to getting directions only: two buttons provide easy access to directions to the user’s home or work place, while a "Recent routes" option provides access to directions to places browsed in Google Maps on other platforms.

Users can switch between walking, transit and driving directions by a force press on-screen, and the watch segues in with the user’s phone, allowing them to launch directions on that before switching the watch to provide turn-by-turn instructions.

The iOS (4.11.0) and Android (9.15.0) versions also gain additional improvements for mobile users. The biggest improvement is to the app’s directions capabilities. Users are now able to quickly switch between each travel options using the tabs displayed beneath the departure and destination locations. Each tab not only displays the transport type (driving, cycling, walking or public transport), but also shows estimated travel times, to provide a quick and easy way to compare different modes.

The other notable change occurs when users perform a search -- when reviewing the list of results, users can tap the directions icon next to an entry to quickly get directions to it. Phone users can tap to call any businesses directly from here too.

Both updates are rounded off with the usual unspecified bug fixes. Google Maps for iOS 4.11.0 is available now for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running iOS 7.0 or later, plus the Apple Watch. Google Maps for Android 9.15.0 is available for Android devices running Android 2.3 or later.