Nokia HERE Maps now has ads?

[John20212]

Hi guys, this is Pino from the HERE team.
After rolling out advertisements (e.g. with Groupon) on here.com, we are introducing them on Windows Phone 8 apps too.
In the specific case of HERE Maps, we are displaying locally relevant ads in search results and nearby places. As krox1105 correctly pointed out, in this example the place 'Grossman Iron & Steel Co' is visible on the map and if you want to see what their offer is all about, you can click on the banner to open the browser.

There should be an option to disable adds, especially on high end Lumia phones like the 1020 which cost $800+ in many countries and HERE maps is the default app after you removed the link to Bing maps, and also HERE maps was advertised as a key feature of the Lumia line without annoying adds being present and taking up valuable screen real-estate.
I just find it a bit deceitful that you have decided to put in adds with no notice to existing users or any way to disable them.

 

[svenhassel]

Hi guys, this is Pino from the HERE team.
After rolling out advertisements (e.g. with Groupon) on here.com, we are introducing them on Windows Phone 8 apps too.
In the specific case of HERE Maps, we are displaying locally relevant ads in search results and nearby places. As krox1105 correctly pointed out, in this example the place 'Grossman Iron & Steel Co' is visible on the map and if you want to see what their offer is all about, you can click on the banner to open the browser.

This is illegal, at least in my country. You sold a product, and now you are modifying it making it worse for the consumer.

So, now that Nokia is selling the phone division to MS, and keeping the navigation software, will try to use us as a captive audience for advertisements? I would have bought an Android phone if I had wanted that.

I?m very disappointed by Nokia, and by MS for allowing this.

 

[psiu_glen]

Illegal is a strong claim. What laws is it breaking? Also you say it is worse, it could be easily argued that this is an *improvement*, giving you relevant local information for your searches! I don't recall any of the mention of HERE maps being included as having no ads. They didn't have ads, and we assumed they wouldn't.

Just playing devils advocate here.

Also, I installed this awhile ago, adds a link to original maps back to apps list: http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=763581b5-5c70-4009-99ce-39d49991039d

 

[Detectionable]

Hi guys, this is Pino from the HERE team.
After rolling out advertisements (e.g. with Groupon) on here.com, we are introducing them on Windows Phone 8 apps too.
In the specific case of HERE Maps, we are displaying locally relevant ads in search results and nearby places. As krox1105 correctly pointed out, in this example the place 'Grossman Iron & Steel Co' is visible on the map and if you want to see what their offer is all about, you can click on the banner to open the browser.

Nice way to push people away from Windows Phone and onto a Platform they can block ads on

 

[ag1986]

This is illegal, at least in my country. You sold a product, and now you are modifying it making it worse for the consumer.

So, now that Nokia is selling the phone division to MS, and keeping the navigation software, will try to use us as a captive audience for advertisements? I would have bought an Android phone if I had wanted that.

I?m very disappointed by Nokia, and by MS for allowing this.

Worse for the customer would be if they removed features from the product. While I do consider being ad-free a feature, this is not the legal definition of 'worse'.

 

[tk-093]

This is illegal, at least in my country. You sold a product, and now you are modifying it making it worse for the consumer.

You bought HERE maps? What did you pay for it? Or did you actually buy a phone?

If ads keeps HERE maps free just like Ads keep Google Maps free I'm not going to complain.

 

[svenhassel]

To be clearer, I bought the phone, and the map and navigation system included in the whole package was featured by Nokia. Hardware and software and both integral parts of what you bought.

Probably in the terms of agreement there has to be some abusive (and then null according local consumer law) clause that allows them to make changes without warning and yada yada yada. However, I?m sure that not giving an option of removing those ads the consumer experience is affected. They take valuable screen space specially in a small screen phone, and are distracting.

Once that there are advertisements in the program the consumer turns into a product, and the phone an intermediate to that product.

When you buy a Kindle that has advertisements, you pay a lower price. If you don?t want advertisements, you have to pay an extra.

This case worked all the other way around. I paid full price, and now I will have an inferior product.

I bought a phone, not a channel for advertisement, at least for the reasonable life span of the phone. Now that Nokia sold the phone business to MS, they could start putting advertisements everywhere because they may change their focus from hardware to services and advertisements.

I hope this explains my affirmation. :smile:

 

[Xellsama]

Worse for the customer would be if they removed features from the product. While I do consider being ad-free a feature, this is not the legal definition of 'worse'.

The viewing area decreased because of the ad? That would be what annoys me the most if this happens, and surely it "removed" the feature of a full screen map, and is certainly "worse".

But even with that aside, with both Google map and Apple map ad-free on their own platforms, this is surely not what Nokia should be doing right now in terms of trying to gain bigger market share. We all pay the same price for a phone (in each market segment), if the competition is doing better, then you will lose.

 

[tk-093]

To be clearer, I bought the phone, and the map and navigation system included in the whole package was featured by Nokia. Hardware and software and both integral parts of what you bought.

Probably in the terms of agreement there has to be some abusive (and then null according local consumer law) clause that allows them to make changes without warning and yada yada yada. However, I?m sure that not giving an option of removing those ads the consumer experience is affected. They take valuable screen space specially in a small screen phone, and are distracting.

Once that there are advertisements in the program the consumer turns into a product, and the phone an intermediate to that product.

When you buy a Kindle that has advertisements, you pay a lower price. If you don?t want advertisements, you have to pay an extra.

This case worked all the other way around. I paid full price, and now I will have an inferior product.

I bought a phone, not a channel for advertisement, at least for the reasonable life span of the phone. Now that Nokia sold the phone business to MS, they could start putting advertisements everywhere because they may change their focus from hardware to services and advertisements.

I hope this explains my affirmation. :smile:

I understand what you're saying. I guess it just depends on how prevalent the ads will be. If I search my local area for 'food' and it pops up a coupon for Taco Bell, well I can handle that... probably even enjoy that.

 

[tk-093]

The viewing area decreased because of the ad? That would be what annoys me the most if this happens, and surely it "removed" the feature of a full screen map, and is certainly "worse".

But even with that aside, with both Google map and Apple map ad-free on their own platforms, this is surely not what Nokia should be doing right now in terms of trying to gain bigger market share. We all pay the same price for a phone (in each market segment), if the competition is doing better, then you will lose.

I've had ads on Google Maps before. Not sure about Apple maps, but nobody in their right mind should be using that anyway. :smile:

 

[Xellsama]

I've had ads on Google Maps before. Not sure about Apple maps, but nobody in their right mind should be using that anyway. :smile:

ah...thanks for the correction, my experience on android is a bit outdated i guess, apparently Google added ads to their android and ios app last summer...But then again google is the dominant leader in maps so i guess they have some space to do a sh*tty move like that. Nokia however.....=(

 

[tk-093]

ah...thanks for the correction, my experience on android is a bit outdated i guess, apparently Google added ads to their android and ios app last summer...But then again google is the dominant leader in maps so i guess they have some space to do a sh*tty move like that. Nokia however.....=(

I've only seen ads a few times on Google Maps. So it's never really bothered me. It just depends on how often the ads pop up. If I search for 'Food' and I have to sit through a 30 second video commercial before I get results, that is one thing. :smile:


But if we want companies like Google and Nokia/HERE to drive their fancy camera cars around the country getting awesome data, I'm cool with some ads.

 

[SnailUK]

As others have mentioned, offer a paid, advert free version, then people have the choice, i'd wager most of the people moaning about adverts wouldn't actually pay for the app.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

As others have mentioned, offer a paid, advert free version, then people have the choice, i'd wager most of the people moaning about adverts wouldn't actually pay for the app.

I will not buy Here Maps again for free ad version. I already buy it in first place, when I buy my Lumia 925. Svenhassel explained everything about that.

 

[tk-093]

I will not buy Here Maps again for free ad version. I already buy it in first place, when I buy my Lumia 925. Svenhassel explained everything about that.

If we are to use that logic, that you somehow paid for an ad-free HERE maps, then you should not get any new feature going forward. Notification center? Nope, you don't get that because you didn't pay for that. File Explorer? Nope, you didn't buy that either.

 

[Martsicky]

I won't discuss about that, I don't want any hidden ads I'll stick to GMaps+ as I can use downloaded offline maps there and also got option to use Google Maps while being online I don't care about features like Live Sight... its useless for me.

*offtopic*
PS. I wonder what is the point of keeping City Lens, Here Explore Beta & Here Transit alive if all those features are implemented in HERE Maps app?

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

If we are to use that logic, that you somehow paid for an ad-free HERE maps, then you should not get any new feature going forward. Notification center? Nope, you don't get that because you didn't pay for that. File Explorer? Nope, you didn't buy that either.

I'm not asking for Notification Center or ANY other upgrade by Nokia or Microsoft. If they make updates/upgrades to keep the consumers happier, what can I do? But I do not accept anything that makes my product loses value or usability.

The laws of my country protects us from that abusive pratices of market. And I'm sure many countries have laws like that too.

 

[RTGent]

It's interesting that there's relatively little focus on the privacy implications of the ads being related to the tracking -and by extension, sharing- of your whereabouts. I suppose it means that users here have generally accepted privacy compromises, and are more/mostly offended by the intrusion, interference, and fairness (assumptions of what you bought, and not having opted in or being able to opt out) matters. Privacy is clearly a big issue in mapping though. Any comments on the Times article I linked in post #19? BTW, my post was meant to be a response to Post #12, regarding privacy.

Best tracked travels to all. :wink:

 

[Guzzler3]

I find this completely unacceptable, especially since Nokia has disabled Bing maps and has made HERE maps the default mapping app on all Lumias.

I paid right at $500 for this phone. I should NEVER have to see ANY adds on ANY default apps.

You can always remove HERE Maps, and put back Bing Maps (search the forums for the link to Bing Maps).

 

[John20212]

If we are to use that logic, that you somehow paid for an ad-free HERE maps, then you should not get any new feature going forward. Notification center? Nope, you don't get that because you didn't pay for that. File Explorer? Nope, you didn't buy that either.

Nokia clearly advertised HERE Maps as a big feature of the Lumia line with offline maps that receive free updates and have no adds. Same was promised by Microsoft when they said support for WP8 will be for 18 months with updates. So these updates and features ARE part of support that you bought and paid for when you bought your phone.