Location App - what3words

I haven't actually used it but it has been around for a few years now. I recently read a book on interesting day trips around a number of Paris' arrondisement, and the addresses were given as what3words as well as normal addresses. It seems such a strange concept for this older traveler, but supposedly, it is meant to be quite exact. It is also easier, to say 3 words, that run off a number of GPS coordinate numbers - particularly if in pain or in danger.

Was discussed on this very Forum 3 months ago.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/scotland/what3words-e7903c05-dfb6-4ebe-90a4-c3da40d6987c

Yeah, I've seen it a lot, too, and actually have downloaded the app on my phone to use if when I travel.

I've found a lot of places in Scotland use it. When I was looking for a car park at Fionnphort, it gave me a What3words location.

I found what3Words to be absolutely useless. I'm an avid geocacher and I've used W3W to create location puzzles. But as an everyday method of getting to a location while traveling abroad, I think it's useless. I'd rather have Latitude and Longitude coordinates. Since you have to have a smart phone to use W3W, you'd have your smartphone on you, so if you got injured on some remote trail but have cellphone or text access, why not use the compass app see what your latitutde and longitude coordinates are and relay that to your rescuers?

As for using for travel abroad, what are you going to say? "Hi, I'm at bolts.pens.ranged. (Look it up on W3W and tell me where I am) Can you tell me how to get to your hotel?" And could you do it in Spanish or French?

While traveling in major cities, Apple Maps (with Siri) and Google Maps are my go to apps for directions.