Google Maps is one of the most popular mapping and navigation apps, especially on Android, where it comes pre-installed. Petal Maps was born out of the Huawei embargo, growing to achieve this goal in almost four years. Keep up with Google Maps. In fact, it seems better to me in some matters.

Google Maps has been with us for almost 20 years now, and the app has clearly received a lot of updates and tons of new features. But, Google Maps still has room for improvement This becomes even more apparent when we try an alternative like Huawei’s Petal Maps.

The difference is in the details

Google Maps is probably the best mapping app, but when it comes to the best GPS navigation app, it’s not so clear. While Google Maps has a huge database of points of interest and almost 20 years of experience developing its maps, other apps from Google, like Waze, specialize in navigation.

Over time we get used to how things work with Google Maps navigation, and the truth is that it may not always be the best or clearest. While this is something that already comes to light when using an app like Waze, the biggest proof for me came When following a route on Petal Maps.

Google Maps (left) and Petal Maps (right)

Over the years, we’ve become accustomed to the Google Maps line that shows our trajectory, which has changed little in recent times beyond changing colors and including traffic information on each section of the route: The route covers the entire road.

This is sufficient in most cases or on simple roads, but it can be a nightmare if we are driving on a highway with many lanes, forks, bridges and tunnels at the same time. understand where you want us to go. Do I stay in this lane? Do I exit? It also doesn’t help that Google Maps’ default zoom is a bit far and sometimes the movements aren’t very fluid. Here’s an example.

After interpreting the omnipresent line of Google Maps (with the help of the indicators and arrows of the next maneuver in the upper green panel, which are not always very explanatory), we proceed to: Petal Maps that are much more visual. And I don’t just mean that we will see the sky on the horizon, which at the right angle reflects the current weather conditions (rain, sun, etc.), but that it shows you much better where you need to go.

The advantages of Petal Maps here are twofold. On the one hand, the route line does not cover the entire road, on the contrary, it can be used easily. It covers the lanes so you can go and it changes to show you which one to use to exit the highway. I find this much easier to understand than interpreting the arrows at the top, which sometimes change very quickly when there are many indicators in succession.

And it’s not just the route line. Seeing your progress on a route on Google Maps is like watching paint dry on a wall, while on Petal Maps movement is much softer and livelierWith the default zoom that allows us to better see where we are going (and what lane we are in).

As you can see in the video above, A much more pleasant experience. and this does not necessarily mean that it will distract us more. On the contrary, if you can easily see the lanes and the route in more detail (closer), I think it will save you from having to look at the map closely, read it and interpret it.

These more precise directions require the GPS to be extremely accurate, but that’s not always the case. On complex roads where multiple lanes, detours, bridges, and tunnels meet, it’s possible for the GPS to place us where it’s not supposed to and go completely crazy with directions. Here’s another detail about Petal Maps that really caught my eye: go to the bridge or under the bridge.

Leaf Maps option to show whether we are above or below the bridge

This button, which appears when Petal Maps has doubts about your whereabouts, allows you to adjust the GPS location to correctly place you above or below the bridge. something that could radically change the course and confuse you Again, it’s something that’s hard to distinguish on Google Maps because when viewed from a distance, all the roads are lines, and if you don’t know the area, you can end up in very serious (and dangerous) confusion if the navigation device is giving you directions on a road you’re not actually on.

Here are the little details TomTom’s hand is spotted on Petal Mapshas a navigation experience closer to traditional GPS and not so much the antiseptic Google Maps, I think there’s still a thing or two to learn from Petal Maps.

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