Threat from Google/ corporate strategy for waze

[dmcconachie]

Today, Google opens up their 'Map Maker' product, which allows users to modify the maps in their area:
Add your local knowledge to the map with Google Map Maker for the United States

This has been available in large parts of the world including the UK for some time, I don't really think it changes much!

[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.

[jmp316]

Today, Google opens up their 'Map Maker' product, which allows users to modify the maps in their area:
Add your local knowledge to the map with Google Map Maker for the United States

I saw that. Is Google trying threatened by waze?

[monosodium]

To be honest this is typical Google behaviour nowadays. The sooner someone smashes google to pieces with a suitably powerful anti-trust suit the happier I'll be.

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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).

[rahulmaindargi]

I see no advertising for waze in India.
Even I got to know about it just by chance while surfing the Net for GPS Mobile solutions.

Having adds of Waze on Facebook/Some Indian and other TV channels can increase wazers in these area very fast...
All the advantages of Waze are valid only if large number of wazers in this area...