The new Maps app works much like the current one and is easy to navigate: double-tap to zoom in, double-tap with two fingers to zoom out, and pinch to zoom. Maps has learned new tricks, and the on-screen maps view can now be rotated and tilted using two-finger gestures.

In addition to a new feature called Flyover, which offers 3D views of some large cities, the new Maps will get enhanced Siri integration. When you ask for directions, Siri guides you with turn-by-turn directions, using an uncluttered user interface that displays driving instructions within illustrated traffic signs. Traffic information is crowd-sourced from iPhones in the area, and Maps is quick to suggest alternate routes if heavy traffic is encountered. As a bonus, Maps will even display what's causing the holdup.

Maps looked impressive in the , and my sense is that it spells doom for GPS makers.

iOS 6 is full of additions and tweaks that promise to make the user experience for Apple's mobile devices even better. From enhancements like password-free application updates to better social integration, this new version -- which is going to be given away to existing users -- will be a no-brainer once released.

, a frequent contributor to Computerworld, is a writer, computer consultant and technology geek who has been working on computers since 1993. You can find him on Twitter ( ).