Nokia Maps is a giant step backwards

[bradleyj]

This is very concerning! I am interested in the Nokia Lumia 920 for the camera and Nokia apps...but the camera has daylight issues and Nokia maps sounds slow and inferior. Perhaps this is why Microsoft called the HTC 8X a "signature" windows phone.

I hope Nokia fixes these things soon...I never thought I would consider another WP8 oem other than nokia.

 

[ninjaap]

I posted another thread about this, before I came across this thread. I just hope Nokia Maps/Drive content gets updated, because my wife refuses to use those apps on her 900 and sticks with Bing maps for her work. Search has failed her one too many times here in Las Vegas. I guess all we can do is hope that MS or Nokia updates whatever maps they force on us, soon. There are people out there that rely on their phone's GPS every day.

 

[lordofthereef]

I posted another thread about this, before I came across this thread. I just hope Nokia Maps/Drive content gets updated, because my wife refuses to use those apps on her 900 and sticks with Bing maps for her work. Search has failed her one too many times. I guess all we can do is hope that MS or Nokia updates whatever maps they force on us, soon. There are people out there that rely on their phone's GPS every day.

Nokia and iPhone users in the same boat!

 

[ninjaap]

Nokia and iPhone users in the same boat!

Is that iPhone's problem? I mean with Nokia, at least if you know the physical address, it will get you there in one piece. It's the business' name listing that is pretty incomplete.

 

[ninjaap]

Lets not confuse the app with the actual mapping engine. It doesn't matter if you click an address from Bing search results or the People hub, you are looking at Nokia maps...not the old Bing Maps. Both Nokia Maps and the internal maps app are using Nokia's mapping engine and downloadable maps.

I don't think this is true. I was searching for a certain business and Nokia Drive and Maps did not give me results. But when I used Bing (the dedicated search button), it returned a result in Bing maps.

 

[lordofthereef]

Is that iPhone's problem? I mean with Nokia, at least if you know the physical address, it will get you there in one piece. It's the business' name listing that is pretty incomplete.

it was... Just and observation is all.

 

[rareohs]

Agree with the OP in at least one area: the search results I get with Nokia maps is TERRIBLE. Look for any number of restaurants and I end up in BF Japan, or China, or Europe. Bing search gets it right. Google search gets it right. Why the Eff can't Nokia?!?!??

 

[PG2G]

I think you guys need to separate the map from the Point of Interest database. I have seen no issues with Nokia Maps, I am in Los Angeles like the OP. I have, however found that Nokia's POI database is not nearly as detailed as Microsoft's. It is semi-understandable because Nokia hasn't had a huge presence here in the US. It is also something that shouldn't be terribly difficult to fix,

 

[muhan]

I've been reading the so-called "concerns" on this thread, and all it did was to make me shake my head.

Let me point out some things:

• It was Microsoft's idea to make Nokia Maps the default maps software, not Nokia's. They've somehow found Nokia Maps a better option, so that's what they did.
• Nokia Maps is and forever will be WP8's default maps, even on non-Nokia phones. The guy from the HERE team said that they are dealing with the problem of the other apps opening on Bing Maps, which only means that they are going to get rid of any trace of Bing Maps on WP8. Deal with it.
• I've found Nokia Maps to be a sufficient experience. And I live in the Philippines, which should technically not be a priority for the makers of Nokia Maps, but somehow it is. I just wish there were more places listed on Local Scout.

So there. Call me a Nokia apologist all you want, but I'm just telling the truth.

All you've really pointed out is your lack of knowledge of the facts.

Your facts are wrong, which leads you to make bad conclusions and worthless opinions. Let me clear up some of your factually incorrect statements.

Nokis Maps is only the default map app on Nokia devices. Look at this review of the HTC 8X (HTC Windows Phone 8X - reviews - Mobile Phones - Smart Phones - PC World Australia) and 2/3rds of the way down, you'll see a screenshot of the default maps app, which is Windows Phone Maps.

I'm guessing you are confused by the fact that Nokia supplies the DATA for all Windows Phone devices. As this post and many others have shown, the same data still leads to different search results, directions, points of interests etc between the 2 apps with Windows Phone Maps coming out much better, at least in the USA. There are UI issues of Nokia maps which makes it bad no matter what country you're in.

So your first two points are just wrong.

The third point you make which is just a pure opinion that Nokia Maps is "sufficient" is just that, your opinion. My own opinion is that rather than the "sufficient" Nokia Maps, I'd rather have the better than sufficient Windows Phone Maps app. However, Nokia, not Microsoft, has made it harder to access Windows Phone Maps by removing it from the apps list.

 

[robinleck]

Sometimes, we need to step back in order to move forward.
I have faith in Nokia and I believe Nokia Maps + its other location-based services will improve & gets better with time.
The reason being that if Nokia location-based services is crappy, they wouldn't have rebranded it to HERE & confidently open it to other platforms.
It will be suicidal for them to do otherwise.
Unlike Apple Maps where Tim Cook is even asking their iPhone fans to try their competitors mapping services to compensate for their "sucker-grade" mapping app. That's an act of desperation & arrogance.

 

[PG2G]

I asked Nokia about the POI problem on twitter and they suggested they would have a tool soon for people to add stuff. We'll see

 

[muhan]

Sometimes, we need to step back in order to move forward.
I have faith in Nokia and I believe Nokia Maps + its other location-based services will improve & gets better with time.
The reason being that if Nokia location-based services is crappy, they wouldn't have rebranded it to HERE & confidently open it to other platforms.
It will be suicidal for them to do otherwise.
Unlike Apple Maps where Tim Cook is even asking their iPhone fans to try their competitors mapping services to compensate for their "sucker-grade" mapping app. That's an act of desperation & arrogance.

My biggest issue with Nokia is that they know Nokia maps is bad is the US, yet they decided to remove Windows phone maps from the app list. Maybe Nokia maps will improve, but that will take years and by that time i will have moved on to another phone. Theyve selfishly put their busines interests ahead of their customers and that is a bad long term strategy.

 

[octavian90]

I have 2 main complaints about Nokia maps:

1. It's sluggish. Zooming out even a little and panning is laggy.
2. I live in NYC and the app doesn't show which subway lines stop at each station! This is vital! It just shows a little icon for each station, that's it.

 

[Anthony Meluso]

They could always merge there data with Microsoft's data. That would solve a lot of problems.

 

[wganz]

I've also have not been happy with Nokia Maps in MA/NH USA. However there is a really nice trick to get a shortcut to Bing maps on your start screen.

1. Open IE, got to Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions
2. You'll see Bing maps open. Push the back button, you'll see a white screen
3. Select "pin to start"

Apologies if this has already been noted somewhere on this thread. I read this somewhere when I first got my 920 but can't remember where.

 

[lordofthereef]

I have 2 main complaints about Nokia maps:

1. It's sluggish. Zooming out even a little and panning is laggy.
2. I live in NYC and the app doesn't show which subway lines stop at each station! This is vital! It just shows a little icon for each station, that's it.

I recommend Nokia transit.

 

[octavian90]

I agree transit is great, but I'd like to still see all station details, in case I want to quickly make plans or see where trains stop!

 

[BCH]

The maps are the same, but the POI data is different. If I search my office in Nokia Maps, it is listed at an address we moved from 8 years ago, and it doesn't have the firm's current name. Bing Maps gets the address and firm name correctly.

 

[anon(5348413)]

Traffic data doesn't display. This is my biggest problem. I used to have traffic on highways only and no local streets but now I have none at all.

 

[muhan]

Traffic data doesn't display. This is my biggest problem. I used to have traffic on highways only and no local streets but now I have none at all.

I don't get any local traffic data, only freeway here in the Los Angeles, CA area.