With the Waze Retro Mode, go back in time and drive a VW bus as you navigate to your destination
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If you’re Google, what do you do with Waze? Google reportedly paid anywhere from $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion for the crowdsourced navigation app and several Waze features ended up on Google Maps including speed limit signs, the speed of your vehicle, the ability to report speed traps and accidents, the cost of the tolls that you will be asked to pay en route to your destination, and more.
Waze helps Google sell hyper-local ads which sets it apart from Google Maps as a revenue generator from Google’s point of view. Also setting Waze apart from Google is a new feature for Waze called Retro Mode. Sounds groovy, man. With Retro Mode, you can change the app’s appearance and the sound of the turn-by-turn directions to match the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s.
To activate Retro Mode, open the Waze app. In the bottom left corner tap on My Waze. From the menu that appears, tap on Drive with the 80’s. You will then have options to change how you appear on the app by pressing Moods. You can select a lava lamp (1970s), a boom box (1980s), or a Mac (1990s).
Tap on Car to choose between an iconic “flower power” VW bus, a race car, or an SUV (representing the 79s, 80s, and 90s respectively). Keep in mind that your car icon is only visible to you. Next, you can choose Voice directions to pick from a 70’s DJ, an 80’s Aerobic Instructor, and a 90’s Pop Star.
With Retro Mode enabled, you can mix and match elements from each era. For example, you can choose to have the VW bus from the 1970s, the voice of the Aerobic instructor from the 1980s, and the SUV from the 1990s. Cool, huh? You won’t see Retro Mode on Google Maps.
Once you’ve finished making your selection, tap on the Done button. You’re now ready to drive into another era. Install Waze from the App Store or from the Google Play Store.
Questions & Answers
Q.How does Waze primarily generate revenue for Google, distinguishing it from Google Maps?
How does Waze primarily generate revenue for Google, distinguishing it from Google Maps?
A.
Waze helps Google sell hyper-local ads, which is a key revenue generator for the company. This capability sets it apart from Google Maps in terms of its business model within the parent company.
Q.What is the approximate cost Google paid to acquire Waze?
What is the approximate cost Google paid to acquire Waze?
A.
Google reportedly paid a significant sum to acquire Waze. The estimated cost for the crowdsourced navigation app ranged from $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion.
Q.Which features from Waze have been integrated into Google Maps since its acquisition?
Which features from Waze have been integrated into Google Maps since its acquisition?
A.
Several Waze features have been added to Google Maps, including speed limit signs, vehicle speed display, the ability to report speed traps and accidents, and the cost of tolls on a route.
Q.Can users expect to see the new Retro Mode feature on Google Maps?
Can users expect to see the new Retro Mode feature on Google Maps?
A.
No, users will not see the new Retro Mode feature on Google Maps. The article explicitly states that this particular customisation option is exclusive to the Waze app.
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