Threat from Google/ corporate strategy for waze

[polostar]

For anybody that hasn't noticed yet, google has added free traffic re-routing for all Android phones.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/07/goog ... ic-re-rou/

I tried this the other day, and it works a lot better than waze. It doesn't crash and it actually routed me around the traffic, unlike waze, which took me right through the middle of it.

This makes me wonder what the future of Waze is and what its strengths are.

Some strengths
Waze uses a social gaming element that google lacks. This has been successfully used for concert promotions in the San Francisco area where users gather cookies to get points toward the concert tickets.

Waze is light on the data usage. This is great for people with limited data plans, but as data gets cheaper this advantage will subside rather quickly.

Waze has user groups throughout the world and has penetrated markets that Google may not focus as much on.

This last point I think is where waze should focus itself. Go after those smaller cities that Google has neglected and give them a whole product that beats or meets Google. Perhaps areas in India, or Africa. Instead of spreading all of your computer power across the entire world, focus it on a few strategic areas and update maps in a few hours, or instantaneously instead of the 24-72 hours like we are currently used to.
This is the bowling alley strategy as outlined in Geoffrey Moore's book, "Inside the Tornado".

Don't try to go up against Google in the US. Your chances of success are small.

[Poopstick]

Yep, I saw that too, and I feel that it is a very serious threat to the Waze project. The fact that now Google Maps combines official traffic monitoring + users position & speed with a finished map makes it more credible than Waze.

Maybe the only way Waze can survive is to focus on the community it can draw around the project (that would start with at least a minimum of community management & entertainment, which is non-existent as of now). And by rewarding drivers (with coupons, for example).

[unwallflower]

I think Waze needs to focus on the fact that their maps can be the most up-to-date of ANY map provider, including Google's, because of the community aspect.

[petervdveen]

True. I think the map updates are the most important feature of waze. Most of the google maps are almost a year old, and there are also much incorrect roads.

[rlpl]

Google Navigation says it is unavailable at my location. Really weird because I cannot uninstall it since it is bundled with Google Maps. Actually, the list of countries where Google Navigation is available is rather short. By the way, isn't that list similar to the waze's base map countries? But from the other hand it really cannot be understood why Google Nav is unavailable at my location while Google Maps are and can route pretty fine. I've got a feeling that it will take just one step when they decide to provide a real turn-by-turn navigation.

[hallmike]

Unless you live in a major city, there are usually no official traffic alert systems, so Waze wins here too because of user submitted updates for traffic as well as police, accidents and hazards.

[WeeeZer14]

And in my very specific case, Waze has more accurate mapping than Google in my area. Of course we have had numerous major road projects in the past few years including interstate highway changes. I am the area manager here and made sure Waze was right

THAT is the power of Waze. Even with delays in updates, Waze is still quicker than getting Goggle to update their maps (I've reported many issues to Google over the years).

[polostar]

Unfortunately I keep seeing waze launch promotions in san francisco, which is right in goggle's backyard. They should try to find a smaller city that they can focus on that google is neglecting. Someplace like knoxville in the US.

[sandjaja]

In my country Indonesia, still small users of Waze. But in my city Samarinda, I myself with some friend drive to make the map from nothing. It works. Recently many new atrracted with the map we created since no other gadget or source have the latest map of our city and Google have nothing in the entire Borneo land in Indonesia part.

So Waze need to concentrate in countries neglected by Google.

For land imagenary, Bing in Cartouche worst than what Waze have before. I need a option to switch from Bing to old Cartouche imagenary

[petervdveen]

For land imagenary, Bing in Cartouche worst than what Waze have before. I need a option to switch from Bing to old Cartouche imagenary

There isn't any option for that and I doubt that they are working on that.
I think for 90% of the people bing maps has a better resolution. Hopefully for you bing will update there aerials soon...