Is there any way to sync map favorites?

[MattDD]

It's very annoying. There are "Map" favorites (used in Cortana and calendar for example), Since a few days there is a Here.com account, which is used in Here Drive+ and Here Maps which imported all favorites of my Nokia account data. AND there is this Nokia account, which is (as written in FAQ) used by Microsoft and Nokia together but is not synced with any of both engines. So right now using favorites is REALLY annoying.
Is there any solution coming?
Thank you

 

[N_LaRUE]

Um... I'm a bit confused here. Not only by having a rant on a WP forum, common mind you, but expecting any of us to really have an answer to that question.

So let's take a look what you're asking. I see Maps and then I see HERE. Maps is MS and HERE is Nokia. They're different companies and different maps. So there is no link.

MS didn't buy Nokia mapping services. If you have favourites at HERE.com they sync to your HERE Maps through the Nokia account and not Maps by MS.

Hope that helps?

 

[eusty]

Although Here are migrating Nokia accounts

HERE update brings account migration, makes Drive+ and Transit free for Windows Phone 8 | Windows Central

 

[myoujin]

What happen? All my favorites not sync into my phone.
I try login to here.com using new account, all my favorites is there.

:unhappysweat:

 

[MattDD]

Hello, thanks for your answer. This was my first post and I had some issues what made my question a little bit confusing.

Well my problem is, that I have right now 2 standard apps for maps. Bing Maps (actually it's just "Maps", but for better understanding) and Here Maps. Both have favorites. Bing Maps favorites are used for the windows phone internal stuff (Cortana, Calendar as I see). Now I have Drive+ to navigate. I can't use the Bing Maps favorites in this app, so I have to create the same favorites in Here Maps as in Bing Maps. I understand, that different apps have different data. But since HERE is used for all wp phones (as far as I understood, but at least for all MS phones), it would be really nice, to only have one stack of favorites you have to maintain. And even I don't see any usage anymore, there is a Nokia Account, which also has some favorites (who I manage now to import in HERE.com) - but probably those are going to be wiped out, I guess.

So back to my problem. Is there any way to only maintain 1 list of favorites, if you use Windows Phone as it is meaned to be used (Navigation, Maps and Cortana with same data would be nice)? Or are there any plans of merging or syncing those data?

Right now, the whole map thing feels very Alpha...
Thank you

Matthias

 

[N_LaRUE]

I understand how you feel but as I already mentioned it's not possible. I'll explain it this way.

Too many people see Nokia as WP but that is incorrect. MS owns WP and Maps. Nokia owns HERE. They're actually competing platforms.

Think of it being like Google Maps and Nokia HERE if it makes it easier.

Nokia HERE is on android now as well, for free. You could say the same thing about android in that everyone could use HERE over Google maps. The favourites will be different, just like WP.

The favourites from HERE should stay with HERE. To make life easier in all this what needs to happen is that MS needs to allow the user to set the default map app to use on WP. However I don't see that happening.

 

[Scott Leonard]

I have noticed and complained about this very thing. At this time there is nothing to be done about having to maintain multiple favorites nor having to deal with a crippled Bing maps that is highly integrated and the wonderful Here maps that don't fully integrate.

However, while the poster above is correct that MS did not buy Nokia/Here maps outright they did get a perpetual license not only to use them but to integrate them into any product or service they want. MS maps and Nokia maps will eventually become one and the same on Windows platforms (Nokia can still make, maintain, and offer Here maps on other platforms independently of MS and they also get Bing mapping technology for integration into Here Maps). I believe that full integration of Here maps into WP is forthcoming. We'll just have to grit our teeth and wait.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I'd like to know where you got that information that MS plans to integrate HERE maps into WP considering they already have their own maps and continue to update them. Got a link for that information?

Also, HERE maps/suite on Android is way better than it is on WP.

I also recall an article on WC stating that Nokia isn't that focused on WP with HERE anymore.

http://www.windowscentral.com/nokia-here-maps-will-wind-down-our-windows-phone-app-development

 

[Scott Leonard]

Through the Nokia acquisition announced Monday, Microsoft “gets [the] flexibility to integrate HERE with other experiences,” the company said. Microsoft declined to comment on how exactly Nokia’s mapping services might be integrated into other Microsoft products, or which products.

The acquisition gives Microsoft rights equivalent to ownership for the HERE mapping apps, Microsoft said on its website, noting that Nokia will continue to improve the apps for other platforms.

Here is but one example showing their right to do so. That they will is speculation on my part but why wouldn't they given that they invested a lot to get these rights.

The official MS announcement mentioned the mapping patent agreement that provides reciprocal use licenses to both parties (Here mapping to MS and Bing mapping to Nokia) and gives MS the right to extend the agreement in perpetuity (as long as they want).

In addition, I've read several posts here that claimed that the backend integration was already in progress and the front end integration was forthcoming. Of course forum posts have the "grain of salt" caveat even here at windows central

 

[N_LaRUE]

The link I posted above has this information from the guys at HERE maps. It would appear it comes down to MS deciding what they want to do.

Nokia HERE Maps will 'wind down' Windows Phone app development in favor of Android and iOS (Update) | Windows Central

The license is only for four years.

 

[a5cent]

I'd like to know where you got that information that MS plans to integrate HERE maps into WP considering they already have their own maps and continue to update them. Got a link for that information?

Also, HERE maps/suite on Android is way better than it is on WP.

I also recall an article on WC stating that Nokia isn't that focused on WP with HERE anymore.

I think you're mistaking cooperation for competition LaRue. Bing maps and HERE maps/drive are NOT competing products. The apps themselves are pretty much irrelevant. What matters is the geographic data they use, which is what MS pays HERE licensing royalties for.

If MS ever starts collecting their own maps data, like Google does, and stops paying HERE, then we can talk of competition. That's just very unlikely to happen... a.k.a. just not happening.

I also think the poster above is correct. Everyone I've heard from, including Nokia employees, say HERE is no longer focusing on WP development. Someone needs to pick up the slack, which nobody but MS can do. Furthermore, there is a lot of redundancy between MS' and HERE's mapping apps. Cutting down on that SORT of redundancy was one of the big reasons MS bought Nokia's D&S division in the first place. Finally, as the person above mentions, the mapping experience on WP is very fragmented and in dire need of work. There is no way MS isn't aware of that.

I think it's a given that one or two of these apps will eventually go away or become irrelevant, after their functionality/features are assimilated by one of MS' own apps. The only question is when...

 

[N_LaRUE]

I think you're mistaking cooperation for competition LaRue. Bing maps and HERE maps/drive are NOT competing products. The apps themselves are pretty much irrelevant. What matters is the geographic data they use, which is what MS pays HERE licensing royalties for.

If MS ever starts collecting their own maps data, like Google does, and stops paying HERE, then we can talk of competition. That's just very unlikely to happen... a.k.a. just not happening.

I also think the poster above is correct. Everyone I've heard from, including Nokia employees, say HERE is no longer focusing on WP development. Someone needs to pick up the slack, which nobody but MS can do. Furthermore, there is a lot of redundancy between MS' and HERE's mapping apps. Cutting down on that SORT of redundancy was one of the big reasons MS bought Nokia's D&S division in the first place. Finally, as the person above mentions, the mapping experience on WP is very fragmented and in dire need of work. There is no way MS isn't aware of that.

I think it's a given that one or two of these apps will eventually go away or become irrelevant, after their functionality/features are assimilated by one of MS' own apps. The only question is when...

It was me who pointed out that Nokia is not focusing on WP as much.

I had forgotten MS used the Nokia map data for their maps.

I agree that maybe competing products is the wrong way of stating things but what I was trying to get across is that I think MS is trying to get people to use MS products over Nokia HERE. Notice how there's no Cortana integration with HERE at all. HERE also lacks a few features on WP that it has on Android.

Yes I agree that the maps on WP is a bit messy and having the ability to either default to a map service or have MS sort out their own Maps to make the experience better would be a good thing.

 

[MattDD]

HERE has no new features since 8 months. The updates few days ago just changes the account location (maybe some bugs). I am also aware of HERE was not sold to MS, but a license for the data behind. HERE is concentrating on Android (new Tablet and Android beta app ads). So I guess and hope, Microsoft will push an own Navigation app and will improve their own Maps app. Crossing fingers!

 

[MattDD]

Oh, I was not that wrong see todays news: wc com microsoft-allegedly-taking-development-here-windows-phone-nokia

 

[theefman]

I stopped using Here apps once they announced they were focusing on ios and android and use the built in Maps and Navigon. Cortana integrates with the maps favorites and makes for a better experience. They use the same data so I just removed the app that wasn't supporting my platform.