It is an ad that may seem technical, but it has real consequences for part of the motorists. Google has confirmed that Waze will no longer be compatible with Android 9 (PIE) or the older versions of the system. A decision that ends the software support on devices still used, but deemed too obsolete to follow the developments in the application.
Compatibility limited to Android 10 and more
Since its last update, Waze now requires at least Android 10 to be installed and receive new functions. The devices that have remained on Android 9 or less can still run the application, but without updates or fixes. Clearly, the navigation experience will remain possible, but it will gradually deteriorate: absence of the latest features, uncharted bugs and above all safety flaws.
This decision is part of a broader Google strategy, which aims to simplify the development of its applications and focus its efforts on recent systems. The evolution was predictable, but it strikes an ecosystem where many users still retain ancient terminals, sometimes for economic reasons, sometimes by choice of digital sobriety.
Consequences also for embedded systems
The case is not limited to phones since many multimedia systems embedded in cars operate on old versions of Android, without the possibility of update. For this equipment, the end of Waze support simply means a final gel of the application. The only solution will be to use a more recent smartphone via Android Auto, or to switch to another navigation application.
For drivers, this may represent a real shortfall. Waze has become over the years an essential traveling companion, thanks to its traffic alerts, its real -time reports and its community aspect. Losing access to new products amounts to depriving itself of an asset that has made the success of the application.
Depending on available figures, only 5.8 % of Waze users still use an Android 9 or less device. The proportion is low, but it still represents several hundred thousand people around the world. For them, two options are essential: keep the current version by taking the risk of an aging application, or invest in a new device to continue to benefit from full Waze experience. This transition illustrates an increasingly visible phenomenon: software obsolescence. The still functional smartphones lose their usefulness for lack of updates, pushing users to a sometimes premature renewal.
Google Maps as a folding solution
Faced with this situation, Google did not fail to highlight its other navigation application. Google Maps remains compatible with Android 8 and continues to receive regular updates. In addition, it now incorporates several functions formerly exclusive to Waze, such as reporting of incidents or the location of radars.
Alternatives also exist, like Here Wego, Osmand or Sygic, which attract a fringe of users concerned with privacy. But they struggle to compete with the richness of the data provided by Google and the power of its community.
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