Microsoft and Here Maps and Navigation

Apr 6, 2012
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Anybody know the state of Here Maps, and its availability on the Windows Phone platform?

The reason I'm asking is: everybody makes a big deal about all the manufacturers that have supposedly signed on to release a WP flagship or a range of WP devices (yet to be seen, btw), but if Here Maps is still owned by Nokia-Microsoft, and isn't made available to the other OEMs then.....

.....in my opinion Microsoft is basically still the only Windows Phone OEM that matters.

They're going to have to get that issue sorted; you don't see Google withholding Google Maps from their Android OEMs.

Unless you don't care about Maps and Navigation on your smartphone, why would anyone buy a WP device from anyone other than Microsoft, at this point?

Ditto all these points about the Nokia camera software enhancements, which now technically fall under the Microsoft umbrella as well. Make them available to your OEMs, or don't belly-ache about manufacturers not taking up the platform.
 
Apr 6, 2012
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MS didn't get the HERE Maps division, just the devices division.
I get that, and you get that, and that's the intricacies of an acquisition.

But a consumer walking into a phone store, is going to see that there are no native maps on a Samsung or LG Windows Phone device. On the other hand, likely next to them, there'll be a Galaxy S5 and LG G3, with, wait for it, Google Maps.

That's a huge, huge problem.
 

David P2

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Mar 10, 2014
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WP phones in stores aren't that well advertised to begin with (in my experience, and that of some others), so that won't help much. One user on here found a Lumia 1020 being advertised as having a 4.1 megapixel camera, with a small spec sheet - and next to it (if I recall) was an S5 offering a 16MP camera - full stand, lights and everything.

I get where you're coming from though, but in all the phone shops I've been in I've only ever seen Lumias being advertised for WP - never seen an HTC or Samsung advertised.
 

aemond

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Oct 6, 2012
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Yes, Here is part of Lumia and Windows Phones for a long time. And yes, Here apps can be downloaded from non Lumia WPs.
 

osallent

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I've got one word....Waze. It has become my favorite Windows Phone navigation app ever. Its free, does great voice navigation, the maps are updated and accurate, it alerts you to traffic so you can chose an alternate route if you want, and users can alert you to red light cameras, construction, police presence, obstacles on the road, etc. I haven't used the native Nokia navigation apps in a long time. Not sure how they've improved with updates, but a while back they were trash, and Waze was a blessing.
 

AndMadsen

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but if Here Maps is still owned by Nokia-Microsoft
HERE Maps are owned by Nokia Corp., and not Microsoft in any way.

The company that is still 100% Nokia, and their 3 remaining divisions (HERE, Nokia Technologies, Nokia Networks) can be found at company.nokia.com
, and isn't made available to the other OEMs then.....
It's available for free on all Windows Phone and Windows 8.1/RT devices.

It's also the built-in dashboard software on many cars.

It's also the native default Maps app on Amazon's Android-based Fire Phone.

And according to a recent (July 24, 2014) interview with Nokia Here CEO - Michael Halbherr - the HERE services will at some point be available on iOS and Android devices.

Ditto all these points about the Nokia camera software enhancements, which now technically fall under the Microsoft umbrella as well. Make them available to your OEMs, or don't belly-ache about manufacturers not taking up the platform.
Nokia released the "Nokia Imaging SDK" a while back.


But a consumer walking into a phone store, is going to see that there are no native maps on a Samsung or LG Windows Phone device.
Bing Maps is actually pre-loaded on ALL Windows Phone devices. With the option of downloading Waze, Here Maps or any other map service.
 

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