Apple’s iOS reigns supreme in the US, but Google Maps is the king of navigation apps

Abstract

• Google maps reign supreme in navigation applications, and 70% of users use them to avoid speed traps.
• With 27%, Waze, also owned by Google, came second among users who want to avoid speed traps, while Apple Maps took third place with 25%.
• In terms of the app that users find most effective at warning of speed traps, Waze beat out both Google Maps and Apple Maps.

When it comes to the most popular phone in the country, Apple has a foothold in the US market with the iPhone. In 2023, seven of the world’s best-selling phones were variants of Apple’s flagship model, and specifically in the United States, iOS overtook Android at the end of 2022. While Google has work to do in the phone sales race, there is one area – especially around apps – where still dominates the competition.

According to a study by MarketWatch, Google Maps is the most used navigation app, with 70 percent of people using it for directions when they want to avoid pitfalls. In comparison, Apple Maps is preferred by only 25 percent of users of such navigation apps, and Waze – another app owned by Google – is at 27 percent.

Specifically, the researchers launched a survey to investigate trends in driving behavior and speeding in the US. They found by accident that many navigation apps help in terms of alerting users to speed cameras – around 34 percent of respondents claimed to have been notified of a speed camera in the past via an app.

Respondents reported that Waze was most helpful in alerting them to speed traps, with data showing that it was 30% more effective at this task than Google Maps and 20% more effective than Apple Maps. However, among users of the three apps, those who navigated using Google Maps were more likely to admit to speeding, as shown below.

Samsung is also facing pressure from Apple

Google may have the dominance when it comes to navigation apps, but it seems like it’s always been trying to catch up with Apple. That said, it’s not the only company — Samsung has also seen its fair share of competition from Apple products. Although the company has a 66 percent smartphone market share in South Korea, which it calls home, Apple iPhone sales have soared in recent years. For example, sales of the iPhone 15 series rose 41.9 percent in the first month after release compared to the numbers of the iPhone 14 series. Although Apple’s flagship still has a fraction of the market share compared to Samsung, domestic people seem to welcome the alternative.

Samsung fell to second place behind Apple in global smartphone market share in 2023, according to statistics from the International Data Corporation — the company took only 194 percent. In an already crowded industry, these manufacturers will continue to feel the pressure to succeed as Apple grows in popularity around the world.