Night mode, an automatic toggle that dims the display, has come to Google Maps for iOS. Finally.
This feature, which is meant to reduce issues with glare to drivers in the dark, has been available to Android users for years, according to The Verge.
iOS users have also been granted a few other requests that they have been making for years, such as the ability to label locations to be used on the maps and search suggestions, reports TechCrunch.
The update also included a handful of other interesting features, such as the ability to label places to see them on your map and in search suggestions, which offers a more personalized experience, and the ability to edit the captions of photos you’ve uploaded to Google Maps.
The new safety feature is what’s getting most of the attention in this update, however. Even though people probably shouldn’t be fiddling around with their cell phones while driving, Night Mode will make it safer to do so in the dark.
In June, Fortune discussed the data released by Apple stating that, on iOS, Apple Maps were used 3.5 times more than Google Maps. Fortune concluded that while Google Maps is the better option, Apple Maps still dominates Google on the iOS due to it being pre-installed on every device.
It’s not clear that Apple’s maps will ever be as good as Google’s, given Google’s head start and its natural advantages in the cloud services that drive its business model.
But Apple Maps come pre-installed on the devices that drive Apple’s business model, and it’s the default for thousands of iOS apps.
Default, it turns out, is a powerful attractor.
While it is not be clear if Apple will ever beat Google in the maps wars across all platforms, what is clear is that Google is aiming to overtake Apple on their home turf. This will make for a healthy competition that can lead only to better mapping apps to come.
