With Maps for Apple Watch, getting directions has never been easier

Here’s something I’ve been using the Apple Watch a lot for in recent months: directions.

Admittedly, this is one of the features I was most interested in back when the Watch was first announced. The same kind of magic I felt when I first loaded up a satellite map app on my old, pre-iPhone Nokia N95 hit me full force once again when I saw folks in Apple Watch ads using their smart watch to get directions. The convenience of the wrist-side screen combined with the smart technology of haptic turn-by-turn notifications made this a feature I couldn’t wait to try.

Fast-forward to early 2016, some 10 months after my Apple Watch arrived, and guess what? This is one feature of watchOS which I keep on returning to, time after time. Sure, this is in part because I’ve yet to find a decent iPhone mount that’s compatible with my car. But it’s also due to the fact that launching directions on the Apple Watch is easy and convenient. And what’s more, the process works incredibly well.

Of course, you can launch directions from your iPhone and have them mirror on your Apple Watch. On the other hand, it’s also possible to use Siri to initiate directions directly from the Watch itself (something I’ve found myself doing more often). Aside from showing users their current location, a Force Touch on the Maps Watch app’s interface lets users search for a location, scroll through contacts, or check on local transit.

I really love the Maps app’s haptic feedback for directions, however. Once you’re used to it, you’ll be able to tell from the subtle Taptic taps at the wrist whether you need to make a left or right turn when driving. This is much safer than continuously checking on a heads-up satellite navigation display, or even your iPhone.

The bottom line, then, is that Apple Watch owners really should consider taking the Maps app’s directions for a spin. You’ll be surprised at how well the process works.