QMIC Released a new Version of “Wain” with Significant User-Inspired Updates Targeting Residents and Visitors
Aug 17, 2021
- Significant Enhancements to Navigation, Map & Search Services
- An updated Parking Info Section
- Thousands of Updated & New PoIs
- A New 24×7 Micro-App
- Total all time number of downloads exceeds 350,000
August 18: Qatar Mobility Innovations Center (QMIC), released a new version of its next generation Navigation and location-based services mobile super-application “Wain.” This version includes many significant updates which are directly inspired by Wain users’ feedback and comments to provide a more valuable experience that is more fitting to their needs. This version is another step towards making Wain the leading reliable local guide & road companion in Qatar for residents and tourists alike, especially those attending Qatar World Cup 2022. These enhancements and updates include: an improved search mechanism, an updated rich bank of thousands of locations and destinations in Qatar, a brand-new Arabic voice navigation instruction engine & enhance navigation experience, an enhanced highly informative parking section, and a new 24×7 micro-app offering info about venues that are open 24 hours a day.
As Qatar is a rapidly growing country, locations and destinations are prone to change quickly as more businesses and landmarks are established continually. Therefore, it was crucial for “Wain” team to review the database of locations and places that are incorporated within the app’s map, search engine, and dedicated “Places” section. Over 2000 new locations have been added to Wain’s database of locations. Additionally, a thorough review of over 30,000 places has been conducted to enhance the quality of existing places.
This effort comes hand in hand with a similar enhancement in the search mechanism to make it easier, faster, and more efficient to use. Users can view the information they are looking for inside the search feature in a more organized manner, as well as having the option to browse locations by categories. This newly added option sorts the content under a certain category by distance so that users can see locations closest to them. Ultimately, the combined effort of enhancing the search mechanism, in addition to updating the locations bank aim to improve the overall experience of “Wain” users and enable them to find what they’re looking for more quickly and efficiently.
QMIC’s “Wain” has always prided itself in being a fully local mobile platform, that is “made in Qatar, for Qatar.” Therefore, it was vital to provide a more comfortable and dependable navigation experience for Arabic users. In this version of the app, Wain provides a new natural Arabic voice navigation option. Likewise, the navigation engine has undergone some enhancements to further improve the user experience in both English and Arabic. Navigation voice instruction logic has been modified to improve its timing and frequency in-line with feedback provided by users.
Furthermore, the parking feature was given a major overhaul to make it more informative, valuable, and useful to users of the application. Users can still view live information about parking availability across major locations in Qatar, but additionally users are able to see information about over 100 other locations in Doha whether parking is free or paid. With this unique enhancement, users can be more prepared when planning their trips and are able to make informative decisions about their destinations and mode of transport.
Mr. Omar Al-Jaber, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Outreach commented, “This is the most significant update we have made to Wain in the last few years. Our strategy to make “Wain” as the leading national super-app and companion for road users in Qatar is taking shape with these latest enhancements and updates. Our full ownership and control over all technologies and data within the “Wain” platform will allow us to continuously make necessary changes and enhancements to serve the needs of our local users, national partners, and visitors of Qatar. We look forward to working with more national partners, enterprises and SMEs to deliver valuable services and content through our “Wain” platform.”
QMIC is committed to continuously improve “Wain” with more valuable features and enhancements. This version serves as a testament to “Wain”s agility and ability to customize and adapt its features to the varying needs of its users. With more enhancements and improvements on the way, “Wain” is on its way to become the most dependent local guide for residents and tourists. As we approach the final stretch of preparations for Qatar 2022, it is expected to see more groundbreaking features and services focusing on supporting the success of the most significant and anticipated mega event in the history of Qatar.