Samsung shuns google maps in favor of Nokia Here?

[mike2q]

Samsung Shuns Google By Offering Nokia's Here Maps On Galaxy Phones - Forbes

If this is true that is huge. The biggest smartphone line (Galaxy) using Nokia Maps.

 

[theefman]

How is it huge?

 

[mike2q]

Apparently it edits out my link but its in Forbes today. Google "Nokia here Samsung" its the first result.

And to answer your question, its huge because Samsung, the largest maker of android phones, is cutting an important part of Google's data mining ecosystem out of its own platform. Mapping is massively huge to controlling the mobile market. It tells customers were to buy things and it tells google what people do and where they go. Google is an advertising company and maps is big business. They just got cut out of their own platform by their biggest vendor.

 

[WDavis4692]

but the article says "There’s no indication that Samsung is aiming to replace Google Maps, and indeed that would likely be impossible if it wanted to keep using Google’s version of Android rather than the open source version that Amazon and Nokia use. But from today Samsung owners are able to download a beta version of Here Maps, which allows them to navigate, even when their phone is offline."

 

[Ashish Gupta888]

Its actually an "add-on" to Samsung users. They now have both alternatives - Google Maps and Here Maps. Its not that Samsung is shunning Gmaps.

 

[jonnaver]

Its actually an "add-on" to Samsung users. They now have both alternatives - Google Maps and Here Maps. Its not that Samsung is shunning Gmaps.

Correct. Android oems cannot just decide on their own to remove any Google apps without losing access to Google Play Store

 

[FAHMI BASSEM]

What I've read is that Samsung devices will have here apps + I guess it's not possible to remove Built in app?

 

[doob9911]

Samsung will ditch android. It's a matter of time.

 

[prasath1234]

Samsung will ditch android. It's a matter of time.

If they ditch android then good for other Android oem.android is going to rule along with iOS.

 

[a5cent]

What I've read is that Samsung devices will have here apps + I guess it's not possible to remove Built in app?

No. Of course it is technically possible to remove Google Maps. It's just legally forbidden by Google!

If you remove any one of Google's apps, you must remove all of them, including the play store, and you aren't allowed to call it Android.

That is one way Google protects itself from OEMs becoming too independent.

 

[fdalbor]

I use a Moto G lte as backup phone to my Lumia. You can't remove Google apps but you can disable them. I don't have a single Google app useable on my G including Play Store. I get all the Apps I need from 1 Mobile Market, Mobo Market, and Amazon's App Store. You can use a Android device without a Google account if you know how even though they want you to think its not possible.

 

[Bobvfr]

I thought it was already Samsung's intention to ditch at least Google's version of Android, so maybe positioning themselves with Here maps as an alternative is good strategy.



Bob