Waze's new mandatory feature update is fun, but not everyone is amused
Could this be a huge own goal from Waze?
Quick Summary
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Waze has added World Cup notifications to its popular driving app, upsetting just about everyone in the process. For those who couldn't care less it's a distraction, for those who love the game it's a horrific spoiler that will ruin the tournament.
Users have been reporting the new alerts which pop-up like other hazards – such as a flooded road or a traffic accident – you know, stuff that's actually related to driving.
When Waze adds new features they are often on by default and just added to the ever growing list of details that Waze wants to tell you. While normally they are about things like speed limit changes or speed bumps, the addition of World Cup alerts has nothing to do with driving.
That's divided the community, with many weighing in on Reddit to say you can turn it off, which you can.
Just head into Settings > Alerts and reports > Reports and toggle it off. While you're there, you can get rid of half a dozen other alerts that you probably don't need.
Some users are reporting that they had an alert to ask if they wanted it, but that seems inconsistent.
Wtf is this lol from r/waze
The reaction to this addition is interesting, because the only people who like it seem to be those with no interest in soccer at all. For those fair-weather fans joining in the fun who want to keep up with what's happening without actually watching any of the games, it's perfect, if a little distracting.
"I don't follow Football at all, but I really like the way they've implemented this. It's cute and a nice touch," said one Redditor.
However, for dyed-in-the-wool football fans, this is a non-starter from Waze. The best thing about the World Cup is sitting down to watch the games, see how the superstars play in their national teams and how players from your club perform on the world stage.
If I want to follow a game while driving, I'll turn on the radio and listen to it, but I suspect that many fans will watch the games when they have time, even if it's just the highlights.
There's no doubt that this is a distraction, a spoiler, and probably a bad idea.
Fortunately, it's easy to turn this latest addition off, so whether you love or loathe the beautiful game, it's easy to get rid of.
