The new voice speaks English with a Kiwi accent while accurately pronouncing indigenous place names.
Jul 01, 2026
The new voice, which speaks English with a Kiwi accent while accurately pronouncing indigenous place names, makes navigation feel genuinely local for New Zealanders.
Caroline Rainsford
Country Director, Google New Zealand
General summary
Why Google has launched a new voice for Maps in New Zealand
Google Maps gets new AI-powered voice that correctly pronounces Maori place names
Google Maps gets better at pronouncing Māori placenames after years of complaints
New Zealand finally gets a Google Maps tool that correctly pronounces Māori placenames
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